Guide for Application for Approval for a Relevant
School to use a Sub-contractor
The Consent to Assess against Standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards Rules
2011 (CAAS Rules) make provision for a holder of a consent to assess to use a subcontractor to deliver study, training or assessment for standards on the Directory of
Assessment Standards.
This application form is used by the school to apply for approval from NZQA to sub-contract
their consent to assess.
The school applicant must:


be a relevant school and
have consent to assess the standards to be assessed by the proposed sub-contractor.
The proposed sub-contractor does not hold consent to assess the particular
standard(s). (See CAAS Rules 8.2).
This Application ensures that the:



school (consent holder) and the sub-contractor, as the provider of teaching, learning
and assessment understand their obligations when engaging in a sub-contracting
arrangement.
school’s (consent holder) assessment quality assurance processes are used by the
subcontractor before results are reported. These results are reported using the
school’s (consent holder) provider code.
teaching, learning and assessment environment provided by the sub-contractor meets
the requirements of the school’s (consent holder) Quality Management System.
NZQA will approve the sub-contracting arrangement:
Where it is satisfied that:
(a) the holder remains responsible for the sub-contractor meeting all of the holder’s
obligations in relation to the consent; and
(b) the sub-contractor will meet all relevant obligations in the Act and in rules made
under section 253 of the Education Act 1989 (The Act) in relation to the consent;
and
(c) there is an agreement between the holder and the sub-contractor that includes
provisions to ensure that NZQA is able to exercise its quality assurance and
enforcement powers and functions in respect of the acts or omissions of the subcontractor relating to the consent; and
(d) the information and advertising for the study or training clearly states that it is
provided through a sub-contracting arrangement; and
(e) all student enrolments are through the holder, and the holder maintains all
student enrolment and academic information; and
(f)
the holder will report credits for the learners and pay the relevant credit
reporting fee. (See CAAS Rules 8.3)

the approved sub-contractor must not further sub-contract the delivery of
study, training or assessment in repect of the standards to which the
consent relates (See CAAS Rules 13.2).
Completing the application form
Complete the following five sections of the form:





Applicant and proposed subcontractor contact details
Section 1 list the standards for proposed delivery and/or assessment by the
sub-contractor.
Section 2 briefly outline the proposed sub-contractor’s history, experience,
capability and credibility with regard to delivering study, training or assessing
against the standards you have listed in Section 1.
Section 3 outline how the consent holder/applicant will exercise its responsibility
for ensuring the sub-contractor meets all of the holder’s obligations in relation to
Appendix 1 of the CAAS Rules.
Section 4 attest that other obligations stated in CAAS Rules 8.3 are met by the
consent holder/applicant and/or the sub-contractor.
Note: a separate applicationis required for each sub-cntractor that a consent holder proposes
to engage to deliver study, training and/or assess standards on the Directory of Assessment
Standards.
Submitting an application
When completed, the consent holder should send this application and Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4
to:
The Manager
School Quality Assurance and Liaison
New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Box 160
Wellington
or email it to the consent holder’s NZQA School Relationship Manager. There is no fee for this
application.
Approval process:

NZQA will contact the school if further information is required.
Applications are not reported where NZQA has good reason to consider that under the
proposed arrangement:
(a) the consent holder does not have responsiblity for the sub-contractor meeting all of
the holder’s obligations in relation to the consent; or
(b) the sub-contractor is unlikely to be able to meet all relevant obligations in the Act
and in rules made under section 253 of the Act in relation to the consent; or
(c) the consent holder, or the sub-contractor, does not comply with, or is unlikely to
comply with, any other aspect of CAAS Rules 8.3.
When applications are approved:
NZQA will advise the consent holder in writing that it has approved the use of the subcontractor for specified standards, where NZQA is satisfied that the school meets the
requirements of CAAS Rules 8.3.
Conditions of term of approval
The use of a sub-contractor is approved for the specified standards, organisation and
means by which the consent holder/applicant exercises its responsibility for ensuring the
sub-contractor meets the holder’s obligations in relation to Appendix 1 of the CAAS Rules.
Where there is no change to the standards, organisations or means by which the consent
holder/applicant exercises its responsibility for ensuring the sub-contractor meets the
holder’s obligations in relation to Appendix 1 of the CAAS Rules, the sub-contracting
arrangement is approved for three years.
Withdrawal of approval to use a sub-contractor
NZQA may require the consent holder to withhold reporting results or withdraw already
reported results if it is satisfied that the consent holder has not exercised its responsibility
for ensuring the sub-contractor meets the holder’s obligations in relation to Appendix 1 of
the CAAS Rules.
NZQA may withdraw its approval for the consent holder to use a sub-contractor to deliver
standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards if it is satisfied that the consent
holder or the sub-contractor is in breach of CAAS Rules 8.3.
Related documents

Consent to Assess Against Standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards
Rules 2011 (CAAS Rules) – copy attached.

Guide to Requirements for Consent to Assess for Schools (CAAS Guidelines) – copy
attached.

Assessment (including Examinations) Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess – see
NZQA website.
Consent Holder/Applicant details
School/kura name
Ministry of Education
profile number
Street address
Postal address (if
different from street
address)
Phone
Contact person and
position
Contact email address
Sub-contractor details
Organisation name
NZQA provider number
(if applicable)
Street address
Postal address (if
different from street
address)
Phone
Contact person and
position
Contact email address
Section 1 Standards
List the standards for proposed delivery of study, training or assessment by the sub-contractor. Use additional pages as required.
Standard
registration
number
Version
Level
Title
___________________________ ____________________________ _____________________________ ___________________________
(Name)
(Signature)
(Position)
(Date)
Section 2 Sub-contractor background and experience
Briefly outline the proposed sub-contractor’s history, experience, capability and credibility with
regard to delivering study, training or assessment against the standards you have listed in
Section 1.
Section 3 Consent holder obligations (See CAAS Rules 8.3)
The school is responsible for the quality assurance of off-site components of programmes, no
matter what delivery arrangements are in place.
Outline how the consent holder/applicant will exercise its responsibility for ensuring the subcontractor meets the holder’s obligations in relation to Appendix 1 of the CAAS Rules.
Specific information is sought on the following:
1. Personnel
How do you ensure the sub-contractor’s personnel have sufficient:
–
–
–
–
teaching and subject knowledge
assessment and moderation expertise
educational management experience
student support skills? (See CAAS Guidelines 2.2.i)
2. Premises, facilities and other physical resources
How do you ensure the sub-contractor’s premises, facilities and other physical resources are
adequate to cater for the number of students and the standards listed in Section 1? (See
CAAS Guidelines 2.3.i )
3. Teaching and learning resources
How do you ensure the teaching and learning resources are adequate to support delivery of
study, training or assessment for the standards listed in Section 1? (See CAAS Guidelines
2.3.ii)
4. Development, delivery and review of programmes
How do you ensure the teaching and learning for the standards listed in Section 1 have:
a) appropriate content, teaching and learning strategies, teaching and learning resource
requirements and assessments? (See CAAS Guidelines 2.5.i)
b)
learning outcomes that are achievable within the timeframe of the programme?
5. Assessment processes
How do you ensure the sub-contractor applies appropriate procedures for managing
assessment processes, including resubmission, further assessment and appeals of
assessment results? (See CAAS Guidelines 2.6.i and the Assessment (including
Examinations) Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess section 6)
6. Evidence of achievement
How do you ensure assessment methods are appropriate, fair, manageable, and evidence of
achievement is valid, authentic and sufficient? (See CAAS Guidelines 2.6.ii)
7. Internal moderation
How do you internally moderate assessment materials and judgements? (See CAAS
Guidelines 2.6 iii)
8. Storage of materials
How do you ensure samples of student achievement are adequately stored to meet
moderation requirements and to respond to student appeals? (See CAAS Guidelines
2.6.vi)
Section 4 Other obligations (See CAAS Rules 8.3)
I confirm that:

The sub-contractor will meet all relevant obligations in the Act and in rules made under
section 253 of the Education Act 1989 (The Act) in relation to the consent. Note - these
include but are not limited to:
o
providing ongoing development and support for staff (CAAS Guideline 2.2.iv)
o
ensuring its premises, facilities and other physical resources are adequate to cater for
the number of students and the range of courses offered (CAAS Guideline 2.3.i)
o
ensuring the teaching and learning resources are adequate to support delivery of
courses offered and requirements of assessment processes (CAAS Guideline 2.3
iii)
o
dealing with students fairly and equitably (CAAS Guideline 2.4 ii)
o
providing a safe physical, cultural and emotional environment (CAAS Guideline 2.4
iv)
o
having appropriate content, teaching and learning strategies, teaching and
learning resource requirements and assessments (CAAS Guideline 2.5.i)
o
reporting appropriately and regularly to the consent holder. (See CAAS Guidelines
2.7 ii)

there is an agreement between the holder and the sub-contractor that includes provisions
to ensure that NZQA is able to exercise its quality assurance and enforcement powers and
functions in respect of the acts or omissions of the sub-contractor relating to the consent

the information and advertising for the study or training will clearly state that it is provided
through a sub-contracting arrangement

all student enrolments are through the holder, and the holder maintains all student
enrolment and academic information

the holder will report credits for the learners and pay the relevant credit reporting fee

the sub-contractor will not further sub-contract the delivery of study, training or assessment
in respect of these standards.
For the consent holder/applicant
___________________ ____________________ ________________________ ________
(Name)
(Signature)
(Position)
(Date)
For the sub-contractor
____________________ ____________________ _______________________ ________
(Name)
(Signature)
(Position)
(Date)