ICAS Exams for Year 4-6 Students

By: Urs Cunningham | Posted Thursday February 18, 2016

 ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools) are Australian examinations created by EAA (Educational Assessment Australia). They are not based on the New Zealand curriculum and are independent tests that sit outside of our learning programs. We recognise that students who wish to sit any ICAS exams need to access them through a school, and therefore we provide the opportunity for students to do so, if they wish. ICAS are paid assessments - students can opt into any number of them; there is a cost involved in sitting each exam. 

Amesbury School will be offering all 6 ICAS exams again for Year 4-6 students this year: Science, Maths, Writing, English (reading), Spelling and Digital Technology. We ask that parents who are interested in entering their child for any ICAS exams attend a short meeting at school to discuss the content of exams and the role of the school in these exams. During this meeting we will cover what the school will and won't do in terms of ICAS exams. If parents agree with these expectations, students can then be entered for the exams. If you have already attended this meeting in previous years, you do not need to attend this meeting as you are already aware of this information. This meeting will be held on Friday 10th March at 4pm in the library. Attendance at this meeting is necessary if you are considering entering your child for any ICAS exams.

During this information meeting we will also cover admin issues around the exams, such as cost, dates, general schedule and ICAS rules around examinations (they have a strict code of conduct around administering the exams).  If you have attended this meeting in previous years and will not be attending the meeting this year, we will send out 2017 ICAS information once you express interest in entering for any exams this year. 

In 2015 ICAS changed the pricing structure for exams, and they will be continuing to use this same structure this year. A minimum of three entries per subject area per school is required. Schools entering fewer than 3 students will be charged the entry fee applicable to 3 enrolments. This means that if your child is one of only one or two students entering a particular subject area from Amesbury, the cost of three entries will either be shared with the other student entering the exam, or you will be charged for three entries.  The cost of ICAS exams has increased by $1 per exam this year. However, early bird registrations (before March 31st) are charged at 2016 prices. Amesbury School always registers for all exams before the end of March, and thus we will be charged at 2016 prices. 

Please note that we will be registering Amesbury School students for all 6 exams on March 22nd. Students will not be able to register for exams through Amesbury after this date, as this incurs additional admin time and expense. 

Click here for the link to the ICAS website if you would like further information regarding ICAS exams. 

If you are interested in entering your child/ren for any ICAS exams this year, please email Chris (chris.w@amesbury.school.nz) to let him know you will be attending the meeting on 10th March. If you have previously attended this meeting, please email Chris by March 21st to let him know the ICAS exams you would like your child to enter. 

Warm regards, 

Urs Cunningham and Chris Waugh


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