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King Edward VII School, being a secondary school, offers the general pathway to obtain a National Senior Certificate (NSC). It is based on a curriculum for Grades 10 – 12.

In the General Education and Training (GET) band, Grade 9 is the end of the compulsory phase of schooling. Education in this band aims at providing learners with the basic competencies or a broad foundation of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed for lifelong learning.

A Grade 9 qualification will be required for access to Grade 10 at a school. Promotion only occurs at the Grade 9 Level. A learner is promoted from Grade 9 on the basis of demonstrating competency which reflects a balanced spread over eight Learning Areas and which have been assessed through a continuous assessment programme and an external assessment component.

Grade 9 signifies an exit point in the education system. All credited examining bodies for this level must meet assessment requirements in terms of the provisions of the General and Further Education and the Training Quality Assurance Council (Umalusi).

The Higher and Standard Grade differentiation will no longer exist and results will be reflected in percentages on an achievement rating scale from 1 to 7.

The Grade 8 and 9 Learners follow a general course with the following subjects:

• Primary Language (English)
• 1st Additional Languages: Afrikaans and isiZulu
• Mathematics
• Natural Sciences
• Social Sciences
• Arts & Culture
• Technology
• Economic Management Sciences
• Life Orientation

At the end of the Grade, 8-year learners must choose between Afrikaans and isiZulu for their 1st Additional Language.

At the end of the Grade, 9-year learners must choose their subjects for Grade 10 – 12. (See below)

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) is the new school-leaving qualification. It is based on a curriculum for Grades 10 – 12.

Qualifications
In the General and Training (GET) band, Grade 9 is the end of a compulsory phase of schooling. Education in this band aims at providing learners with the basic competencies or a broad foundation of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed for lifelong learning.

A qualification at this level must be registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) at level 1 and will be quality assured by the relevant ETQA (Umalasi).

A Grade 9 qualification will be required for access to Grade 10 at a school. To qualify for the certificate, a learner needs seven subjects of which four are compulsory and three are of their own choice. In the compulsory section, every learner will have to take two languages (one being his Home Language (HL) and the other, a 1st Additional Language, Life Orientation and either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy.

Minimum requirements for admission for a Degree and Diploma

Diploma
The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) with an achievement rating of 3 (Moderate Achievement, 40 – 49%) or better. Institutional and programme needs may require appropriate combinations of recognised NSC subjects and levels of achievements.

4 Subjects at a rating of 3 (40 – 49%)
+ Institutional Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree
The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 4 (Adequate Achievement, 50 – 59%) or better in four subjects chosen from the following recognised NSC subjects:

• Accounting
• Agricultural Sciences
• Business Studies
• Dramatic Arts
• Economics
• Engineering Graphics and Design
• Geography
• History
• Consumer Studies
• Information Technology
• Languages (one Language of learning and teaching at a higher education institution and two other
• recognised Language subjects)
• Life Sciences
• Mathematics
• Mathematical Literacy
• Music
• Physical Sciences
• Religion Studies
• Visual Arts

Satisfactory Achievements in 4 designated NSC subjects provide the primary basis for admission to a Bachelor’s Degree programme. For university entrance, learners need a 4 for Afrikaans or isiZulu as their 1st Additional Language. A tertiary institution is entitled to specify an appropriate level of subject achievement for a particular programme.

4 Subjects at a rating of 4 (50 – 59%)
+ Subjects from the designated list
+ Institutional Requirements

Subject Combination for FET Grade 10, 11 and 12 at King Edward VII School

A learner must select seven subjects, namely:

• The Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) (English)
• 1st Additional Language (Afrikaans OR isiZulu)
• Mathematics OR Mathematical Literacy
• Life Orientation
• A minimum of any three subjects from Group B

Structure of the National Senior Certificate (NSC)

Group A – 4 Subjects (Compulsory)

• 2 Languages (one Language at Home Language level and another at least at 1st Additional Language Level)
• English
• Home Language Mathematics
• Life Orientation
• Afrikaans
• 1st Additional Language

OR

• isiZulu
• 1st Additional Language Mathematical Literacy

Group B – 3 Subjects of Choice

Subjects offered at King Edward VII School in 2012:

For comprehensive information and guidelines please refer to “Academics FET Booklet 2010” available for download on the right-hand side.

Assessment in Grades 10 and 11:

• The internal assessment mark allocated to assessment tasks completed during the school year will be 25% and the end of the year assessment mark will count 75% of the total mark.
• The end of the year assessment must consist of tasks that are internally set, marked and moderated, as specified in the Subject Assessment Guidelines.
• A learner will be promoted to Grade 11 & 12 only if he has satisfied the following achievement requirements:

Subject Requirements:

• 1 x Language (Home Language) 40%
• 2 x Other Subjects 40%
• 3 x Subjects 30%
• 1 x Subject Fail Complete portfolio of evidence of subject failed to be submitted

Assessment in Grade 12:

• The internal assessment mark will be 25% and the external assessment mark will make up 75% of the total mark, as specified in the Subject Assessment Guidelines
• The weighting for assessment in the subject Life Orientation in Grade 12 is an exception. The internal assessment component will be 100% of the total mark. The internal assessment will be externally moderated