School has a different meaning for students in New Zealand. Subtle1 variations2 make going to school in New Zealand different from doing it anywhere else in the world.
For instance, most high schoolers in New Zealand attend school from 8:50 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. This includes five periods a day, and a “form” class in which students are briefed on the daily notices. These notices inform students of important upcoming events. They are usually read aloud, as opposed to being said over the loudspeaker3, because many New Zealand high schools are constructed with the outdoors in mind — that is, they are divided into several blocks, which means students have to walk outside to get to some of their classes.
Also, the majority of New Zealand schools have a mandatory4 uniform requirement. Uniforms are different for every school, and must be worn every day. As a treat, schools have mufti5 days every so often6, when students are allowed to wear their after-school clothes. Usually these days also include fun and games, as a reward for good student results or behavior.
Grades are named differently in New Zealand than in other parts of the world. When a student enters elementary school7 for the first time, he or she is called a “new entrant8,” and instead of beginning in Grade 1 or Year 1, they are called J1s. Once you have finished J4, a student becomes a Standard One. After the Standards, students find themselves on the lengthy9 path of the Forms. Forms One and Two are spent either in elementary school or at an intermediate school10, depending on what the community provides, and then it is off to college until the end of Seventh Form. No, New Zealanders are not all exceptionally11 intelligent creatures who skip high school. College means high school “Down Under12.”
New Zealand schools also have something called external examinations. When New Zealand students reach 10th grade (Form 5), they must take a series of exams called School Certification13 examinations (referred to by most students as School C). If the exam is passed, the students has a qualification14 similar to a high school diploma15 in that subject, and may progress to the Form 6 level of that class the following year. If the student fails, however, he or she must either redo the class or else try another class the following year for which there is no prerequisite16.
New Zealand schools focus on culture quite heavily, which includes learning about New Zealand's Maori17 heritage. High school student Alana shares her memories of a time in elementary school when she learned about Maori culture. “At primary school [New Zealand's name for elementary school], we had to study a Maori myth or legend, and then draw a picture of what it was. We also did weaving patterns.”
Extra activities are viewed as extremely important in New Zealand, as a well-rounded18 individual is seen as a successful person who will do well in life. Therefore, teachers are tolerant19 of their students' commitments to sports, drama, singing, student council20, and other activities done outside of school hours.
对于新西兰的学生来说，学校有一种别样的意义。但这里有一些不易察觉的差异，使新西兰的学校生活不同于世界上任何其他地方。
举个例子来说，新西兰中学生的上课时间大多是从早上8：50到下午3：30，每天要上五节课。在“年级”课堂上，老师们会提纲挈领地向学生们讲一些日常学习要点，告诉他们即将讲授的重点内容。通常，老师们会在课堂上大声宣讲，而不用高音喇叭全校广播，因为新西兰的中学在建造时就强调户外活动——也就是说，整个中学分为好几个教学区，这样，学生上不同的课程，就必须从一个教学区步行到另一个教学区。
另外，大多数新西兰学校都规定要穿校服。校服式样因校而异，但所有学生必须每天都穿。作为变通，学校有时会规定相应的便装日，允许学生穿便装。通常，学校还允许学生们在便装日嬉戏玩耍，以此嘉奖学生们的优异成绩或良好表现。
新西兰的年级名称也跟世界上其他国家不同。刚刚入学的学生被称为“新生”，他们就读的不是一年级或者第一年级，而叫“初小1”。学生学完“初小4”的课程以后，晋升为“标准小学生”。学完“标准”阶段的课程以后，学生才开始漫长的中学课程学习。他们必须学习“中一Form 1”和“中二Form 2”的课程，这些课程可以在小学或者高小修完，视学生所在社区的教学设置而定。然后一直读到“大学预科”中七 。千万不要以为新西兰的学生个个都天赋异常 、聪明绝顶，可以不读高中直接进入“大学”。“大学预科”不过是“新西兰”式的高中而已。
新西兰的学校还实行“校外考试”（即由校外人士或机构主持的考试）。新西兰的学生学完第十个年头（即“中五”）的课程之后，必须参加一系列的考试，称为“学习证书考试”（多数学生称之为School C）。通过考试以后，学校会颁发相应的课程合格证书，相当于高中毕业证书，第二年便可进入“中六”学习。如果考试失利，学生必须重修相应的课程，或者在第二年重新选班学习，不需要任何附加条件。
新西兰的学校高度重视文化教育，包括学习新西兰毛利文化遗产。阿兰娜是一名高中学生，她至今还记得自己小学时学习毛利文化的情景。“小学期间，我们必须学会一个毛利神话或传说，再用图画把它描述出来。我们还学习图案编织。”
新西兰的学校还格外重视学生的课外活动，因为一个全面发展的人，才是一个在生活中能从容应对的成功人士。因此，老师们对学生从事体育锻炼、戏剧表演、歌曲演唱、学生会议或其他课外活动持宽容态度。
1. subtle adj. 细微的
2. variation n. 改变
3. loudspeaker 喇叭，扩音器
4. mandatory adj. 强制的
5. mufti n. 便服
6. every so often 时常
7. elementary school 小学
8. entrant n. 新生
9. lengthy adj. 漫长的
10. intermediate school 初中，高小
intermediate adj. 中间的
11. exceptionally adv. 异常地
12. Down Under （口）澳大利亚或新西兰
13. certification n. 证书
14. qualification n. 资格
15. diploma n. 文凭
16. prerequisite n. 先决条件
17. Maori n. 毛利人（的）
18. well-rounded 成熟的；全面发展的
19. tolerant adj. 宽容的
20. student council 学生会