writing
-
Preparing your device for ICAS
If your child is sitting ICAS with us at one of our testing locations in Auckland or Christchurch, you will need to make sure your child has a suitable device to use. Here are some key tips: If you have completed these tips, your child will have a much more successful experience with ICAS! Any… Continue reading
-
NCEA Literacy and Numeracy Standards
For high school students studying the NCEA curriculum, the literacy and numeracy standards are a requirement to achieve NCEA qualifications. But what are they, and how can your child best prepare for success? The CAA assessments The Common Assessment Activities (CAAs) are the external tests that students sit to pass the literacy and numeracy standards.… Continue reading
-
ICAS Prep: Spelling Bee
In our seventh post on ICAS 2025, we look at how to prepare for the Spelling Bee paper. Spelling Bee is available for NZ students in years 3 to 8, with sitting dates between 17 to 22 August. What’s involved in the assessment? The Spelling Bee assessment looks at a student’s ability to recognise and… Continue reading
-
ICAS Prep: Writing
In our fourth post on ICAS 2025, we look at how to prepare for the Writing paper. ICAS Writing is available for year 4 to year 13 and sitting dates are between 3 and 8 August. What’s involved in the assessment? In ICAS Writing, students are given a prompt to write either a narrative or… Continue reading
-
ICAS Prep: Locked-down browser
In our third post on ICAS 2025, we look at Janison Replay, the locked-down browser crucial for the Writing and Spelling Bee papers. What is Janison Replay? Janison Replay is a locked-down browser app which you can download for Windows, Mac and iOS devices. Janison Replay is designed so that students can sit their ICAS… Continue reading
-
ICAS Prep: Tips and Tricks
We’re now in the lead up to ICAS Assessments, which begin in just over 2 months. Preparing for the assessments helps your child put their best foot forward on the day. We will be posting a series of tips for the six different papers over the coming weeks, including a special post on the use… Continue reading
-
ICAS Assessments 2025 is now open for registrations
Focus is proud to be one of the only non-school centres for administering the ICAS academic competition in New Zealand! Designed by experts to be fun, challenging, and test higher-order thinking and problem solving, ICAS assessments are offered across 6 literacy and STEM subjects for school years 3-13. Register for ICAS 2025 See more information… Continue reading
-
Getting ready for your ICAS assessment at Focus
If you’ve registered your child with us for any ICAS assessments, you’ll want to check out the information below. We highly suggest you allow plenty of time to prepare your child’s device for these assessments. Check the session dates and times you have registered for. If in doubt, contact us to make sure you have… Continue reading
-
ICAS In Depth: Writing
Our second in-depth look at the ICAS assessments is here! ICAS Writing is offered the same week as ICAS Digital Technologies and is a popular assessment. But what does it actually involve, and how can your child be successful in it? What is ICAS Writing? This assessment looks at a student’s ability to respond to… Continue reading
-
ICAS Assessments – All You Need to Know
Focus is proud to be one of the only non-school centres for administering the ICAS academic competition in New Zealand! Designed by experts to be fun, challenging, and test higher-order thinking and problem solving, ICAS assessments are offered across 6 literacy and STEM subjects for school years 3-13. Why register your child for ICAS? ICAS… Continue reading