How was the 2017 academic year?
Last year was a mix old and new. Pathways continued to deliver strong results in Foundation for both the University of Auckland and AUT Certificates, while launching the new Victoria University of Wellington Foundation programme and acquiring The Campbell Institute to complement the ACG English School in the English language space.
It is exciting to have the Victoria Foundation Programme and Campbell Institute working out of the historic railway building in Wellington and to have ACG Yoobee also sharing that space.
It was pleasing to see scholarships being presented to worthy candidates and the ongoing interest in education that leads to tertiary study.
We were delighted to be named an Apple Distinguished School – recognised by Apple as a distinguished school for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence. This award is only held by 400 organisations worldwide at any one time.
What is the vision for ACG Pathways in 2018?
As always, we aim to see as many young men and women as possible reach the standard to enter the university course of the Certificate they are studying for.
English language is central to all that we do. Foundation programmes will place special emphasis on helping students improve their English while learning in their specific academic subject areas. Professional Development for staff is something we take very seriously and much of this is driven by staff to ensure their desire to be even better educators is met.
Strengthening student-teacher relationships remains a priority and some of this will come through activities planned for students outside the school day.
The introduction of iPads into the learning programme has brought equality for all learners in having access to information online. Each year we discover new tools that help to modify and redefine learning.
We offer a premium education and therefore want to continue to grow the number of students who benefit from being in an ACG Pathways school.
What does 2018 hold?
We have already moved the Campbell Institute Auckland school to Newmarket on the city fringe and feedback from students and agents is very positive.
Over the past 18 months a number of foundation staff have been teaching using the ‘Flipped Learning’ model. It is exciting to see the majority of students introduced to this learning method saying how much they enjoy it.
We look forward to having government agencies come to assess the Pathways programmes later this year. These visits highlight and recognise the excellent work being done both in and out of the classroom.
In 2017, Kanohi Rau (100 faces) was formed. This group provides opportunity for students to have a better understanding of what it means to be a New Zealander and the unique relationship between Māori and Pākehā.
Why should parents and students consider ACG Pathways in New Zealand?
Success and excellence are important to us. For example, 96% of students get an offer of place to AUT from the AUT Certificate in Foundation Studies, and of those 95% pass their first semester at university – 53% with a B grade or better. We want to provide all suitable candidates a pathway to tertiary education.
ACG’s relationship with its university partners is unique. The programmes we teach in Auckland are owned by the respective universities and ACG is the sole provider of those qualifications. This means there is guaranteed entry to nearly every faculty for students who meet the required standard.
ACG provides a pathway, not just a course. A five-year Pathways visa can provide access to English, Foundation, then on to tertiary education. ACG has the ability to provide a complete package, alongside a proven record of excellent care for students in our programmes.
