The St Paul’s Diploma is a Year 11 programme designed to prepare students for success in senior school, tertiary study, and future pathways.
The Diploma combines academic challenge with broader opportunities across school life and reflects the values and principles of the New Zealand Curriculum.
Unlike a standard Year 11 programme, the Diploma allows students to begin specialising in areas of interest while building strong foundations for NCEA Level 2, Scholarship, and Cambridge pathways.
Students complete:
The programme recognises achievement across:
Students may graduate with:
An attendance rate of 85% is required to receive the Diploma. Students who excel in individual subjects with 36 or more points but do not meet the criteria for Distinction or Honours will receive recognition for ‘Outstanding Achievement’ in that subject.
Year 11 students study:
The Diploma allows students to explore areas of interest earlier than traditional pathways.
For example, students may specialise in:
This flexibility helps students prepare for senior subject selection in Years 12 and 13.
The Diploma is designed to:
Students entering St Paul’s in Year 12 do not require the Diploma for entry into senior programmes.
Why do we have a specialised curriculum?The staff and leadership team recognised that the St Paul’s Diploma was needed to better equip students for NCEA Levels 2 and 3 and Scholarship Examinations. The Diploma allows students to access a range of assessment types as part of that preparation.
Unlike the NCEA Level 1, the St Paul’s Diploma offers students the opportunity to specialise in chosen areas. For example, a student might choose to study either General Science or specialise in Chemistry, Biology, or Physics. Or students might opt for Financial Literacy, Economics or Business Studies. These additional options provide students with more choices to pursue their passion path in Year 12.
Year 11 students study six subjects, including compulsory English, Mathematics, and at least one Science subject. For a full list of available subjects, view the Course Choice Booklet here.
Yes. The St Paul’s Diploma allows students to begin specialising earlier than traditional Year 11 pathways.
For example, students may choose subjects such as:
This flexibility helps students prepare for senior subject pathways in Years 12 and 13.
In some cases, students may take Year 12 subjects during Year 11 at the discretion of the Deputy Headmaster, Curriculum and Assessment.
Cambridge examinations are not offered in Year 11. However, students may take St Paul’s courses designed to prepare them for Cambridge International qualifications in Years 12 and 13, including Mathematics and English.
Students entering St Paul’s in Year 12 are not required to have completed the St Paul’s Diploma.