Avondale College is celebrating the success of an extraordinary student who has received two top Cambridge Outstanding Scholar awards and an NZQA Outstanding Scholar award following her achievements in the Cambridge International and NZ Scholarship examinations in 2024.
Seivin Kim, 18, received an Outstanding Learner Award for achieving the highest marks in New Zealand across three A-Level exams, as well as the top mark in New Zealand for A Level Physics at the Cambridge awards event held at the University of Auckland on Thursday.
Notably, this is the fourth year that Seivin has attended these prestigious awards since tackling IGCSE Mathematics in 2021 while in Year 10 – and placing top in the world.
“After enjoying IGCSE Mathematics with its stimulating content and absence of assignments throughout the year, I decided that Cambridge was the path for me,” says Seivin.
Since then, Seivin has been awarded a further five Outstanding Learner Awards for topping New Zealand or the world, across four different subject areas.
On Thursday evening, Seivin was recognised as the top Cambridge scholar in New Zealand, having gained the highest marks across three A-Level subjects: 97 for Physics, 97 for Biology and 96 for Chemistry.
However, it’s not just the Cambridge curriculum in which Seivin has excelled. Adding to her academic tally for 2024, Seivin also has been named a NZQA Outstanding Scholar after achieving seven NZ Scholarships; two at Outstanding Level. Recognised as New Zealand’s most academic qualification, NZ Scholarships are awarded to only the top 3% of students, with Outstanding Scholarships representing the top 0.3%.
It’s an extraordinary achievement, says Avondale College’s Principal, Lyndy Watkinson.
“At the end of 2024 I named Seivin as our Dux – she had achieved straight A* grades for Cambridge IGCSE, straight A’s for AS, and straight A*’s at A Level,” she says.
However, Mrs Watkinson notes that it’s not just academic success that Seivin has achieved during her time at secondary school.
“Seivin has been involved in an extensive variety of activities throughout her time at Avondale College and showed herself to be an outstanding leader as a member of our school Prefect team,” she says.
“She also was part of our Tuākana Tēina programme, offering tutorials to students of all ages across our school.”
This year Seivin will be studying at the University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau. She carries with her the heartfelt best wishes of her Avondale College community.
SEIVIN KIM’S ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Cambridge Outstanding Learner Awards
2021: Top in World IGCSE Mathematics
2022: Top in New Zealand IGCSE Literature in English
2023: Top in New Zealand A Level Mathematics
Top in New Zealand AS Biology
2024: Top in New Zealand A Level Physics
‘Best Across Three’ Award, 1st in NZ for highest cumulative total standard marks in New Zealand at A Level
NZQA’S NZ Scholarship Exams 2024
Outstanding Scholar Award
Biology (Outstanding)
Chemistry (Outstanding)
Calculus
Earth and Space Science
English
Physics
Statistics
Avondale College Dux (Cambridge) 2024