ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION ACTION PLAN
for NZQA Pacific Islands Early Childhood Education
(version 4)
Contact
Administration Officer
National Qualifications Services
PO Box 160
WELLINGTON 6140
Telephone
04 463 3000
Fax
04 463 3112
Email
nqs@nzqa.govt.nz
Education > Pacific Islands Early Childhood Education
Domain
Standard IDs
Pacific Early Childhood Education:
Curriculum
18780-18785, 18789, 18792,
26353-26355, 26694-26697, 26747
Pacific Early Childhood Education:
Family
18797, 18798
Pacific Early Childhood Education:
Management
18800, 18803-18806, 26698
Pacific Early Childhood Education:
Professional Development
18794, 18795
ACCREDITATION INFORMATION (AI)
Introduction
The purpose of the Accreditation Information (AI) is to set out the nature of the
accreditation process and involvement of the standard setting body (SSB) in the
process, and to set out the SSB’s industry or sector-specific requirements for a
tertiary education organisation (TEO)1 or school’s quality systems in relation to the
criteria for accreditation.
Standard Setting Body involvement in accreditation process
Level 5 and above
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry,
an initial teacher educator in the same field from another
provider, and a representative from the New Zealand
Teachers Council.
1
Tertiary education organisation (TEO) includes public and private tertiary education providers,
industry training organisations, government training organisations, and other providers.
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2
Visit waiver conditions
A waiver for visits may be considered on application to NZQA in the following
circumstances:
 when the applicant organisation's history of teaching and assessment of unit
standards similar to those covered by the application is well known to the industry
and NZQA; or
 where an accredited organisation is seeking to extend an existing accreditation
and has a successful record of delivery; or
 other special reasons agreed to on a case-by-case basis between the applicant
organisation, the early childhood services sector, New Zealand Teachers Council
and NZQA.
All applicant organisations must provide satisfactory evidence to NZQA of capability
to effectively manage, deliver, and assess against the relevant unit standards before
a waiver will be given.
Areas of shared responsibility
Unit standards covered by this plan are designed specifically for teacher education
courses, and qualifications leading to teacher registration.
Under section 139AE (e) and (f) of the Education Act 1989 the New Zealand
Teachers Council is required to establish and maintain standards for qualifications
that lead to teacher registration and to conduct, in conjunction with quality assurance
agencies, approvals of teacher education programmes. Under section 124 (1) (c) of
Education Act 1989 the Teachers Council is required to determine whether or not a
person is satisfactorily trained to teach. In determining this, the New Zealand
Teachers Council may take into account any relevant matters but in particular shall
take into account whether or not the person has satisfactorily completed training
recognised by the New Zealand Teachers Council as suitable for people who want to
teach. With this legal authority, New Zealand Teachers Council requires that
programmes of teacher education meet certain standards for approval and review.
For initial teacher education programmes that lead to a Level 7 teaching qualification,
the content must be aligned to the Graduating Teacher Standards: Aotearoa New
Zealand (2007). Therefore, in addition to provider registration and accreditation to
assess the above unit standards all providers must also seek approval for individual
programmes of teacher education.
All requirements for approval, review, monitoring and moderation are outlined in the
Ngā mea tonoa mō ngā kaupapa whakangungu pouako hou, me ngā mahi whakatika
o to rātou whakaaetanga, mātakitanga me ngā tirotiro ā wā: Approval, Review and
Monitoring Processes and Requirements for Initial Teacher Education Programmes,
New Zealand Teachers Council (October 2010)
http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/te/.
Ref: 0182
3
Fees schedule for SSB involvement in accreditation process
The fees schedule is applicable to all applications for accreditation received by NZQA
from 1 November 2004.
Additional fees can be charged by NZQA, and the New Zealand Teachers Council for
involvement in accreditation and approval. Contact NZQA for information.
General requirements for accreditation
These are the general requirements for accreditation of providers gazetted in 1993.
Applicants should consult NZQA for details of the requirements.
Criterion 1
Development and evaluation of teaching programmes
There is a system for developing coherent teaching programmes and for their
evaluation, which should include evaluation by learners/consumers.
Criterion 2
Financial, administrative and physical resources
Adequate and appropriate financial and administrative resources will be maintained
to enable all necessary activities to be carried out.
Adequate, appropriate and accessible physical resources will be available for
supporting students to meet the required standards.
Criterion 3
Staff selection, appraisal and development
A teaching staff with the necessary knowledge and skills will be maintained through
staff selection, appraisal, and development.
Criterion 4
Student entry
There is a system for establishing and clearly publicising student entry requirements
that include no unreasonable barriers.
Criterion 5
Student guidance and support systems
Students have adequate access to appropriate guidance and support systems.
Criterion 6
Off-site practical or work-based components
There are arrangements for ensuring that any off-site practical or work-based
components are fully integrated into the relevant programmes.
Criterion 7
Assessment
There is a system for ensuring that assessment is fair, valid, and consistent.
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4
Criterion 8
Reporting
There is a system for providing students with fair and regular feedback on progress
and fair reporting on final achievements, with an associated appeals procedure.
There is a reliable system for archiving information on final student achievements.
Industry or sector-specific requirements for accreditation
Criterion 1
Development and evaluation of teaching programmes
Applicant organisations must have policies and procedures to ensure that approval is
sought for individual programmes of teacher education. It should be noted that
ongoing programme approval is dependent upon satisfactory annual reports from
Initial Teacher Education (ITE) provider and programme monitor. Further detail of
the monitoring process is set out in Ngā mea tonoa mō ngā kaupapa whakangungu
pouako hou, me ngā mahi whakatika o to rātou whakaaetanga, mātakitanga me ngā
tirotiro ā wā: Approval, Review and Monitoring Processes and Requirements for
Initial Teacher Education Programmes.
Applicant organisations must ensure that all ITE Programmes include teaching
and/or practicum experience of a minimum of twenty supervised working weeks at a
variety of licensed ECE centres/services of which a minimum of eight weeks of
practicum must be away from the “home centre/service”. All teaching and/or
practicum experience must be completed in licensed ECE centres in New Zealand.
Further details related to this requirement can be found under Criterion 6 below.
Applicant organisations must have policies and procedures to ensure that graduates
and their employers are involved in the regular evaluation of ITE programmes.
Evaluation including feedback from these stakeholders must occur at least once
every six years to meet Ngā mea tonoa mō ngā kaupapa whakangungu pouako hou,
me ngā mahi whakatika o to rātou whakaaetanga, mātakitanga me ngā tirotiro ā wā:
Approval, Review and Monitoring Processes and Requirements for Initial Teacher
Education Programmes.
Applicant organisations must have policies and procedures to ensure teaching
programmes reference the principles, strands, and goals of Te Whāriki, he whāriki
mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: early childhood curriculum. Ministry of
Education (Wellington: Learning Media, 1996).
Applicant organisations must have policies and procedures to ensure that for initial
teacher education programmes which lead to a Level 7 teaching qualification, that
the content is aligned to the Graduating Teacher Standards: Aotearoa New Zealand
(2007). Therefore, in addition to provider registration and accreditation to assess the
above unit standards all providers must also seek approval for individual
programmes of teacher education.
Ref: 0182
5
Criterion 3
Staff selection, appraisal and development
The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure that:
 teaching and assessing staff have had training in standards-based assessment.
They will either have obtained credit for unit standard 4098, Use standards to
assess candidate performance, or will be able to demonstrate equivalent
knowledge and skills
 teaching and assessing staff have obtained credit for adult education unit
standards or have evidence of their ability to use learner centred techniques
consistent with those referred to in the unit standards classified in the Delivery of
Adult Education and Training domain.
 teaching and assessing staff are provided with opportunities to maintain currency
with the principles, strands, and goals of Te Whāriki, he whāriki mātauranga mō
ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: early childhood curriculum. Ministry of Education
(Wellington: Learning Media, 1996)
 teaching staff are encouraged and supported to be active in undertaking research
relevant to their area of teaching.
Criterion 4
Student entry
The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure that
candidate selection is guided by the New Zealand Teachers Council Good Character
and Fit to be a Teacher Policy (2007).
The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure that
candidates are made aware of academic entry requirements as set out in the
Graduating Teacher Standards: Aotearoa New Zealand (2007). These include:
 University Entrance (UE), international equivalent, or, for candidate over 20 years
of age, comparable literacy and numeracy requirements as those entering with
UE.
 Literacy – English language competency
 Numeracy competency
 Information technology competency.
The applicant organisation must also have policies and procedures to ensure that
candidates are made aware of the requirement to have a Police vet satisfactory to
the New Zealand Teachers Council.
Criterion 6
Off-site practical or work-based components
In teacher education off-site practical or work-based components are blocks of
practicum completed in the home centre/service and an away centre/service.
Teaching and/or practicum experience must be ongoing and integrated into the
formal education programmes to enable people to be able to apply and reflect on the
theory and practice of teaching and to have the opportunity to integrate early
childhood curricula theory and practice.
Ref: 0182
6
Teaching and/or practicum experience must involve a minimum of twenty supervised
working weeks at a variety of licensed ECE centres/services and give exposure to a
wide range of teaching models applied to situations which include but are not limited
to:
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
infants and toddlers (birth to two and a half years);
young children only (two and a half years to school entry age);
different socio-economic environments and age groups;
different sized rolls;
different ECE services;
different educational approaches and philosophies.
If a person is employed by an ECE centre/service and is enrolled in an Initial Teacher
Education (ITE) programme, then there must be a minimum of eight weeks of
practicum away from the “home centre/service”. This away practicum should be in a
centre/service which is not part of the same national chain of centres/services. There
must be at least one block of practicum of a minimum three weeks length. It is
desirable that at least one centre is a Pasifika ECE centre.
People must be supervised and assessed by staff of the teacher education institution
who are teachers registered in New Zealand.
The applicant organisations must have policies and procedures to establish
meaningful and genuine dialogue with associate teachers towards briefing them on
the focus and context of the practicum. Associate teachers must be fully registered
teachers who hold a current practicing certificate.
Criterion 7
Assessment
Applicant organisations must have policies and procedures for RPL and crosscredit/credit transfer that follow those required by New Zealand Teachers Council as
outlined in section 17 of Ngā mea tonoa mō ngā kaupapa whakangungu pouako hou,
me ngā mahi whakatika o to rātou whakaaetanga, mātakitanga me ngā tirotiro ā wā:
Approval, Review and Monitoring Processes and Requirements for Initial Teacher
Education Programmes, New Zealand Teachers Council (October 2010).
Applicant organisations must have policies and procedures to ensure that trainees
are supervised and assessed during teaching and/or practicum experiences, by staff
of the teacher education institution who are teachers registered in New Zealand.
Criterion 8
Reporting
The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure that credit
achievement is reported to NZQA within three months of completion of the
programme.
Ref: 0182
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Non-compliance with accreditation requirements
Where there is evidence of non-compliance with the requirements for accreditation
the QAB (NZQA, ITP Quality, or CUAP) will seek remedial action. In cases where this
action is ineffective and non-compliance continues, or in cases of repeated noncompliance, the QAB will take action that can ultimately lead to the withdrawal of
accreditation.
Implementation
The NZQA National Qualifications Services is able to provide sufficient trained
participants to service the requirements of accreditation processes.
MODERATION INFORMATION (MI)
A centrally established and directed national external moderation system has been
set up by NZQA.
Introduction
The purpose of the Moderation Information (MI) is to provide details on the national
external moderation system, developed by the NZQA National Qualifications
Services, to ensure that assessment decisions of accredited TEOs are consistent
with the national standard. All accredited TEOs assessing against the standards in
this Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) must meet the requirements
for moderation outlined in this MI.
NZQA manages moderation systems for accredited TEOs assessing against the
standards covered by this plan.
Accredited TEOs intending to assess against these standards need to make contact
as below so that national external moderation of assessments can be arranged.
TEOs contact the
Operations Officer
Tertiary Assessment and Moderation
NZQA
PO Box 160
Wellington 6140
Telephone
04 463 3000
Fax
04 463 3114
Email
tam@nzqa.govt.nz
Moderation System
Moderation is post-event, ie approval of assessment material and verification of
assessor judgements are completed simultaneously after assessment has occurred.
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Each TEO must have a named person for moderation contact with NZQA.
NZQA will confirm standards for moderation and allocate moderator(s) to the TEO.
The TEO is required to submit materials to the moderator(s) by the due date in the
moderation plan.
Moderators complete moderation reports and send them to the TEO and a copy to
NZQA.
Coverage and Intensity of Moderation
The level of moderation required and selection of standards, which forms the
moderation plan, depends on a combination of:
 the amount of assessment being carried out
 the number of standards used
 the moderation history of the organisation
 NQF assessment and other moderation commitments, and
 any other contributing quality assurance factors or requirements
and will focus on:
 the highest level at which assessment is occurring
 newly registered standards and/or areas of accreditation
 high ‘risk’ standards
 targeted moderation systems, if applicable.
Material required for moderation
Assessment materials (assessment activities and assessment schedules) and a
sample of assessed candidate work will be required to be submitted for moderation.
Comprehensive details
Comprehensive details of the moderation system and relevant documentation can be
accessed through the following link:
TEOs:
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/assessment-and-moderation/tertiarymoderation/
Reporting
An annual report, summarising moderation outcomes and any required future
actions, is provided to the TEO at the conclusion of each complete moderation cycle.
NZQA reviews all national external moderation systems on an annual basis.
NZQA reports annually to the NZQA Board on the national external moderation
systems it manages.
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Funding
Costs associated in establishing and centrally managing the national external
moderation system will be funded by NZQA.
Non-compliance with moderation requirements
Non-compliance in meeting the requirements of this moderation system will result in
further action. Ongoing unresolved non-compliance will be referred to the
appropriate QAB and may ultimately result in the withdrawal of accreditation.
Appeals
NZQA has an appeals procedure in place for situations where disagreement
concerning moderation decisions cannot be mutually resolved.
NQF Registration Information
Process
Registration
Revision
Revision
Revision
Version
1
2
3
4
Date
30 August 2002
17 September 2002
25 November 2005
December 2010
The next AMAP review is planned to take place during 2011.
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