FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Curriculum

Exams

Fees

Enrolling

Teaching and Learning

Technology

Community

Curriculum

What is the curriculum that CGA uses?

CGA uses the International GCSE and International Advanced Level (A-Level) curriculum, as well as offering Advanced Placement (AP) courses and Academic ESOL classes. For those students interested in the American curriculum, there is a US High School Diploma as well.

The International GCSE and International Advanced Level (A-Level) curriculum is provided by Pearson Edexcel. This qualification is internationally recognised and, currently, Pearson Edexcel exams are sat by over 3 million students in 6500 schools in 120 countries. The International Advanced Level qualification is usually a two-year programme. International AS exams count for half of the final International A-Level grade.

The CGA US Diploma is an online, project-based program that empowers students to take classroom concepts and expand on academic ideas to solve real-world problems and develop digital portfolios that capture their unique talents and vision of the world.

AP courses allow high school students to take classes at the US university level. They allow students to study 38 subjects in-depth and prepare them for college level work. Most US universities recognize AP credit as college credit. The AP Program offers several awards for high achievement. Each year, over 2.8 million students take AP exams, with most students taking multiple APs during the course of their high school careers. AP is one of the most recognized curricula for top universities and CGA is looking forward to launching this program.

CGA’s ESOL classes are a customised pathway for ambitious students to accelerate academic English ability more quickly than traditional ESOL classes.

Does CGA offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses?

CGA offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses. AP courses allow high school students to take classes at the US university level. They allow students to study 38 subjects in-depth and prepare them for college-level work. Most US universities recognize AP credit as college credit. The AP Program offers several awards for high achievement. Each year, over 2.8 million students take AP exams, with most students taking multiple APs during the course of their high school careers. AP is one of the most recognized curricula for top universities and CGA is looking forward to launching this program.

Can I take Pearson Edexcel subjects while I am a Cambridge/IB/NCEA student?

Yes. Students should talk to a CGA Enrolment Team about University Entry requirements and subject choice.

What is the difference between Edexcel and Cambridge International?

Edexcel and Cambridge International are examination boards. The two are essentially equivalent. Most universities will accept a mixture of both Edexcel and Cambridge results. In the UK, it is highly common that multiple examination boards are often used within a single school in the UK.

Edexcel has additional advantages, including: more examination sitting dates and modular exams where a student can sit a module of the subject rather than the whole subject.

Exams

Where are external exams sat?

In New Zealand, examinations have to be sat in a physical property approved by Pearson Edexcel. Initially, this will be in Newmarket, Auckland. Additional examination centres will be approved throughout New Zealand.

Internationally, there are hundreds of approved examination centres. You can find an examination centre near you on Find a Pearson centre.

When are the examinations?

Pearson Edexcel examinations will be held in January, June and October for most International AS/A2 subjects, and January and June for most International GCSE subjects.

English Literature will be examined in January and June.

AP exams are usually held in May.

How do I access the academic results?

During each term, assessments will be undertaken. Results and feedback will be made available directly on the CGA Learning Management System.

For each subject, students are typically required to undertake externally set and marked assessments and these are typically in the form of in-person written exams. These assessments are administered and graded by Edexcel. Timelines and instructions on how to access these results will be provided closer to the time of assessment.

Do I need to take an entry test?

CGA will carefully assess a student’s likelihood of being successful in any course of proposed study. CGA will use information provided by the student (school report, competition results for example) and an interview to determine the appropriate placement. An entry test in some circumstances might be required, especially for younger students.

Speak to an advisor to understand our application process.

Will Crimson Global Academy receive transcripts and official High School Graduation?

Students will receive regular and timely CGA Academic Transcripts, which detail grades and likely or expected final examination grades.

Each class will have a combination of examinations, mid-term tests and project-based assessments (individual and group).

In order to officially graduate from High School, a student must meet the NZQA High School Graduation requirements. The requirements usually involve taking at least 3 A-Levels and 5 International GCSE subjects. Specific subjects must be taken from different subject groups and graduation will depend on their full subject completion.

Our Academic Advisors will ensure that students select the right subjects to meet graduation requirements and provide the best opportunities beyond high school.

Fees

Are there any additional costs on top of the fees/ subject?

The fees cover the core requirements for a given year. Any resources or activities over and above this are not covered by the fees – by way of example, this would include textbooks, voluntary field trips, memberships for sports clubs, examination re-sits.

Learn more about our fees and scholarship opportunities here.

Enrolling

Who is Crimson Global Academy for?

CGA students range in age from 8-18. Students aged 8-11 commonly learn through the iPrimary program and students 12 and up are able to join our group classes or study through the 1:1 Da Vinci classes.

Students at CGA are enrolled by ability rather than age. As a result, roughly 40% of CGA students are academically advanced and studying one or more subjects beyond their grade level. We also support students who are learning at their grade level or catching up.

There are no geographical barriers to CGA and students are enrolled from all around the world although in some locations, the group class timetable may need to be supplemented with 1:1 classes.

When do classes start?

CGA has 2 calendars:

  • Southern Hemisphere school calendar (Feb – Dec)
  • Northern Hemisphere school calendar (Sept – July)

New classes start in February and September with examinations held in June/July or October/November.

What's the difference between full-time and part-time CGA students?

At CGA, students can enrol full-time or part-time.

Full-time students are not enrolled in any other school and typically have 4-5 hours of class a day. Full-time students also join our school assemblies and form time and are supported by our university counsellor.

Part-time students are enrolled in a traditional school or are homeschooled and typically study 1-2 subjects. For students enrolled in a traditional school, the group classes take place in the late afternoon or early evening twice a week per subject.

The Da Vinci program can be joined full-time or part-time for students needing more flexibility or who prefer 1:1 private classes.

Can CGA exam scores be used for university entrance?

Yes. The International A Levels or the US High School Diploma are widely accepted by local and international universities.

For part-time students, taking select subjects from the International A Levels or the US High School Diploma can boost your chances of gaining admission to competitive US or UK universities.

For more information on what scores are required for particular universities, speak with our Admissions Officers.

Can I start from any time?

Yes. Please reach out to our Admissions Officers to help create a plan that ensures the student is able to catch up on missed classes.

Are there any prerequisites for entry into each subject level?

Yes. We offer students free online assessments in subjects like maths, reading, writing and science to ensure students are placed in the class suited to their ability. Please contact our Admissions Officers for more information.

How do I enrol at CGA?

All students work with an Admissions Officer to help choose the best fit classes and class timetable. You can request a meeting with an Admissions Officer at this link.

Teaching and learning

Who are the Crimson Global Academy teachers, tutors and mentors?

The CGA team is built on experience and achievement. Our Academic staff have an average teaching tenure of over 20 years in leading schools from around the world, with qualifications from the world’s top universities, such as Cambridge.

Our Academic staff have: tutored for the National Olympiad teams, taught students that achieved the Top in Country and/or in the World for relevant subjects, educated students with perfect scores for the Standard Assessments Tests (SATs) and more. Their dedication, depth and passion for teaching inspires and builds confidence in students to achieve their potential.

What does real-time, live teaching mean?

Experienced teachers will teach all classes in real-time. This means you can ask questions, discuss issues and receive feedback. Classes can be interactive with follow-up tutoring and video presentations.

CGA classes are limited to 12 students to ensure engagement and interaction.

Check out a live class here.

How do I engage with teachers and management?

CGA has a comprehensive and effective pastoral care network that underpins a student’s entire experience at our school. We encourage students and their parents to direct any questions directly to the relevant teacher or Dean through the various methods provided: email, office hours, phone call and more. Students will also have access to their tutors regarding academic queries. If the matter requires escalation, then the Principal or Deputy Principal should be contacted.

How long do the qualifications take? Can I take them faster?

The standard duration for International GCSE and International AS-Level courses is 12 months each, and a further 12 months for International A-Level courses. It is possible, however, for highly motivated students to complete the qualification more quickly.

You can take as many subjects at different levels at any given time.

If needed, you can sit your examination at a later date. This is something that can be explored with your academic support team.

Check out our term dates to plan your year.

How long does each real-time, live teaching session last?

Classes will be a maximum of 60 minutes per session.

What if I miss a live class?

All students must attend classes. However, if this is not possible for an acceptable and valid reason, all lessons are recorded and so it is possible for students to access missed classes.

After I graduate from CGA, can I go to university in the US/UK/NZ or any other countries?

Yes, you will be well prepared to apply to enter any university in the world. As always, university entrance is competitive and successful entry will be dependent on not only a successful academic background but a breadth of co-curricular activity, which is encouraged and supported at CGA.

Our university and career counselling services help all students reach their goals.

Technology

What sort of equipment is required, including the minimum specification required of a PC?

A list of hardware requirements will be provided to each student upon enrolment. As a general rule, a laptop that is less than 3 years old should be fine for CGA school. Students may opt to purchase additional gear, such as headsets, electronic pen, and webcams to enrich their online experience.

A minimum internet connection speed of 800kpbs (up/down) is required. To share and view 1080p HD video quality, we recommend 2.0Mbps (up/down).

Community

What will my social life be like?

CGA provides you with the platform and opportunities to have a rich and diverse social life. You’ll be entering a community of like-minded students, and we aim to help you make lifelong friends along the way.

You will become familiar with the students in your regular classes, but you’ll also have the opportunity to join online clubs and societies, plug into a network of local sporting clubs and organise social meetups with students in your area, as well as the option to attend a variety of field trips and tours.

We also encourage students to participate in local community groups, such as internships and volunteering, to build a positive social link to the community.

Will there be a school counsellor?

Yes. Students will attend group classes on important social development topics. Students will also have private access to a trained counsellor when required.

As part of the Pastoral Care network at CGA the school is fortunate the have the experience of Jan Blair as our school counsellor, providing services to both students and staff. 

Contact our counsellor here.

How does CGA guard against cyberbullying?

All CGA classes are recorded for the protection of students. The school has robust policies regarding the inappropriate use of the online space. The students will be inducted into the school’s expectations of behaviour.

As a parent, what support do I need to provide?

All children require their parents and caregivers to take a healthy interest in their studies.

Parents need to ensure their children lead an active and balanced life. Encouraging them to be involved in a number of activities is critical to student wellbeing and all-round development. Students benefit greatly from the sheer enjoyment that participation in a wide range of pursuits provides.

Regular reporting and feedback will support parents to monitor, transparently and easily, their child’s progress in assessments and class learning activities.

Our Parent Portal offers all the information you will need to help your child.

Will I ever meet my classmates, in-person?

CGA runs meetups to allow CGA students to meet each other in person. There are also opportunities for students to travel on international tours and activities to meet CGA students from around the world.

CGA also has a range of extracurricular and leadership opportunities available for students. Students will get together to participate in events, training and competitions where appropriate.

Class lessons, when completed via the web, will involve considerable interaction with other students. Active participation in lessons will be a key ingredient to student success and enjoyment. This will be passionately fostered by CGA staff.

Check out snippets from our Sydney student meet-up here.

Is CGA a safe and inclusive environment?

CGA will ensure that all students will be provided with a safe learning environment.

CGA has experienced and talented teachers and specialist counselling staff who have worked in many of the best schools in NZ and across the world.

What opportunities are there to participate in arts and cultural activities?

CGA has a range of activities available for online arts and culture activities which includes a debating programme where students can access top quality coaching and a book and movie club where students can discuss.

Check out our extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities here.

What opportunities are there to participate in sports and fitness activities?

CGA has a health and wellbeing programme that aims to keep students fit and healthy. Students have access to 30-minute group fitness sessions 4 times a week and receive ongoing advice and support on their health and wellness habits.

CGA has partnerships and connections with various sports clubs. The CGA team through our dedicated sports co-ordinator can help connect students with sports clubs and activities near them as well as enter students into sports competitions as representatives of the school.

Check out our extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities here.

Other

Why choose CGA?

Crimson Global Academy has been built to accelerate academic achievement. CGA connects ambitious high school students with the best teachers in every subject, either part-time in addition to their current schooling, or full-time.

We prepare students for the real world – a student-centric, problem-based approach to learning using the very best that technology has to offer; and integrating all your studies into a modern, internationally recognised curriculum. CGA offers flexibility, learning at your own pace, superb teachers, anywhere you are.

How does an online school compare with traditional schools?

In many respects, online schooling removes much of the inefficiency and rigidity that is common in traditional brick-and-mortar schools. No time wasted in the physical coordination of large groups, no paper-based administration, no limitations on a student’s progress in a big class, no barriers to acceleration, no passive learning, no school uniform and no one-size-fits-all approach.

At CGA, you can’t hide in the back row. Every student is seen and heard, and no one is left behind. Learning time is precious, and learning analytics help CGA keep track of a student’s cognitive and behavioural development. The same discipline that exists at a brick-and-mortar school is valued online, and your academic support team will help you stay on track every step of the way.

Is Online High Schooling harder than traditional local high schooling?

This is a tricky question to answer, however the answer is usually ‘No’. This is not because students are not academically challenged, but rather because Crimson Global Academy can be more accomodating and personalised to the demanding or unusual schedules of our students and families. This often means that our students are able to achieve more, faster.