Solway College
Timor Dei Principium Sapientiae
NZQA Assessment guide 2016
This is a guide to assessment in NCEA for Solway College students, parents and caregivers.
The guide is in the form of frequently asked questions asked by students and parent/caregivers.
The assessment procedures used at Solway College are those recommended by NZQA.
The assessment procedures are reviewed by Solway College and NZQA
Students’ FAQs about NCEA
1) How do I know what standards I’ll be trying to get this year and how and when they’ll be assessed? What do I
need to get NCEA?
2) What are the rules around getting someone else to do my work, copying someone else’s work or plagiarising?
3) What can I do if I don’t think the grade I’ve been given is right or if I feel I’ve been unfairly treated regarding the
assessment?
4) What if I hand my work in late or I just don’t bother handing it in at all?
5) What if I miss an assessment or can’t hand in my assessment because I was away from school?
6) What are not legitimate reasons for missing an assessment?
7) What if I miss an assessment for a legitimate reason?
8) If I’ve missed an assessment for a valid reason or want to get a better grade, will I have another chance?
9) What if I made a small mistake in my assessment and I now realise that…..do I have to re-sit the whole thing?
10) Can I take time off school to finish assessment work?
11) Can I check I have the right grades for my work?
12) What are the rules for sitting NCEA assessments during the year such as tests, exams?
13) What happens if I can’t make it to the actual NZQA exams in November/December?
14) What happens if I break NZQA rules in the exams I sit?
15) Will I get told about and reminded of NZQA exam rules?
16) What happens if I need extra types of help in my assessments because of learning and/or
medical, physical difficulties?
17) How do I know that my internal assessments are not too hard or easy and that they are being marked
correctly and I am getting the right grade for my work?
18) When can I get my work back and where is it stored?
19) How do I know my results are being correctly recorded by NZQA?
20) What should I see on my result notice?
21) Why have I been given “Not Achieved” grade when I didn’t even try the assessment or I didn’t hand the work in?
22) We will do group assessment, but I’m worried that one of us will do little work but get the same grade as
those of us who did all the work!
23) What will happen if our teacher plans to do an assessment but we don’t eventually get round do it?
Will I get a not achieved even though it wasn’t my fault?
Student frequently asked questions about NZQA ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
2016
Subject Course Outlines
How do I know what standards I’ll be trying to get this year and how and when they’ll be assessed?
Each course will assess its students according to a schedule issued to the students during first four weeks of the school
year. For all national qualifications offered, the assessment schedule will contain:
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a list of achievement standards to be externally assessed,
standards to be internally assessed,
approximate dates of assessment and types of assessment of internally assessed standards,
credit values,
version numbers and
those standards that allow a further assessment opportunity that year.
Students will receive as part of their subject information a tracking sheet and a cover sheet for each assessment.
Students should record all results on a record sheet supplied by their teachers. The student should be given the
opportunity to “sign off” on their results to indicate that they accept them. If the student disagrees with a grade
awarded for an assessment they should follow the appeals procedure.
Teachers will ensure that students have clear criteria explaining what is going to be assessed and the minimum
requirements for presentation of work. (These may be given in conjunction with individual assessment details).
At the start of each course the subject teacher will also provide each student with a copy of the Assessment
Specification for the subject. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they have received a copy of the
Assessment Specification for each subject they are entering at Senior College level.
You should also be made aware if any assessment work that may be used for derived grade purposes.
SECONDARY SCHOOL EXTERNAL QUALIFICATIONS.
What do I need to get NCEA?
 For a student to be awarded NCEA Level 1 they must achieve 80 credits. Of these ten credits must be in literacy
standards and ten credits must be in numeracy standards.
 For a student to be awarded NCEA Level 2 they must achieve:
60 credits at level 2 or above; PLUS
20 credits at any level, even if gained for any other national qualification
Literacy or numeracy requirements for this qualification are as for level one
 For a student to be awarded NCEA Level 3 they must achieve:
60 credits at level 3 or above; PLUS
20 credits at level 2 or above, even if gained for any other national qualification
Literacy or numeracy requirements for this qualification are as for level one
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Breaches of assessment rules –academic honesty
What are the rules around getting someone else to do my work, copying someone else’s work or
plagiarising?
Assessment work for internally assessed standards completed must be the student’s own work.
Students and caregivers will be expected to sign an authenticity declaration for all work while being assessed against
the NQF. You will be asked to complete this form about “academic honesty” as soon as you are earning NQF credits.
Many subjects require you to hand in your assessment drafts as you complete it and as it is being reviewed, or for
you to submit working drafts and complete “checkpoints” so your progress can be observed. Please be aware that
these checkpoints help evidence that your work is indeed your own. Failure to submit checkpoint work may result in
a not achieved result bring given to you. ,
Some subjects may keep work onsite, and use oral questioning to ensure you have knowledge of your submitted
work and make the assessment a test under NZQA test conditions.
Plagiarism (Copying) is considered cheating and is dealt with as a Breach of the Rules (refer to section). Plagiarised
work will be ineligible for a grade.
All resources used by the student are to be copied and attached to submitted assignments or fully referenced.
Sections of those resources used are to be highlighted. Use of other people’s work must be attributed.
Referencing: You are to acknowledge your sources and use the referencing procedures below (unless otherwise
directed to do so by your teacher):
 All primary (i.e., information you collect directly, e.g. surveys) surveys and secondary sources of written
information/material/data (e.g., from books, magazines, internet) must be referenced so they are able to be
checked by another person. As a guide:
 For written material:
Listing the author, the date of publishing, publication name, publisher, and page numbers.
This applies to all, material, such as: books, magazines, newspapers, internet, teachers’ notes, other students’
work, etc.
 For surveys:
A copy of the survey with, either the names or contact details of the people surveyed or the survey conditions
used.
Where you quote/ paraphrase written material:
 Use quotation marks at the beginning and at end of the quoted information/material
 Use a series of dots to indicate that some of the material has been removed (e.g., She said to Joan ……… that)
 Use brackets when extra information is added (e.g., She said to Joan [her sister])
 Cite the author and where this information can be checked by another person.
In most cases a student will not be assessed for any work that is not their own. Group work will be assessed with
stipulated conditions to ensure authenticity. Ensure that the subject teacher makes the rules around group work
assessment clear from the start.
You are entitled to seek help from friends, parents, caregivers, peers etc. Please be aware that their help must not
be undue. They should not be doing your work for you. The work you submit for assessment is to be your own.
Subject teachers have procedures to gauge if too much help has been given to you.
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Where evidence indicates work presented is not a student’s own work, the Solway College policy will be followed
and may result in a “Not achieved” grade and withdrawal of entry to other internally assessed standards that year.
See NZQA website for further information on Authenticity (http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providerspartners/assessment-and-moderation/assessment-of-standards/generic-resources/authenticity/
If during the course of an Internal Assessment, there are breaches of rules such as:
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Suspected cheating or copying of work / sharing answers
Disruption during an assessment or behaviour which could hinder the performance of others
Use of non-approved information sources or devices
...then, the student(s) concerned should be awarded with a ‘Not Achieved’ grade.
Teachers will be open to discussion with students about the marking processes or decisions made and will make a
written submission using the Misconduct Report Form which will be available to you and your family.
APPEALS:
What can I do if I don’t think the grade I’ve been given is right or if I feel I’ve been unfairly treated
regarding the assessment?
Students wishing to appeal the grade that they have received should first ask their teacher to check the marked work
before it is removed from the classroom. A student with any further concerns about their marked assessment may
take these concerns either to the Head of Department of the relevant department and teacher in charge. If the
student is not sure who these people are they are to make contact via form teacher.
Appeals of grades awarded may be made but must occur within 7 working days of the return of assessed work. The
appeal must be made on the appropriate form (available from the office) and the appeal application must be fully
completed by the student. If the class teacher and the student are unable to reach an agreement then the appeal
will be forwarded to the senior management/HOD within 2 working days. Where a grade is appealed, school policy
will be followed. This will generally mean that unmarked versions of the work will be taken to a subject specialist in
another school for marking.
Students wishing to appeal other assessment related decisions such as those relating to misconduct, authenticity or
other breaches of the rules and missed, and late assessments must do so within 7 working days of the assessment
related decision being reported to them.
The appeal must be made on the appropriate form (available from the office) and the appeal application must be
fully completed by the student. If the class teacher and the student are unable to reach an agreement then the
appeal will be forwarded to the senior management/HOD within 2 working days. Where an assessment related
decision has been appealed school policy will be followed.
Storage of work for evidence and appeal
Students are expected to regularly back up any work they create electronically. NCEA is an evidence based system
and if you lose your work due to equipment failure you will have no evidence of achievement unless you have
backed it up. You are unlikely to be granted an extension of time if you experience equipment failure as this is not
usually deemed an acceptable reason. It is recommended that work is backed up electronically in at least two
separate places cloud, and memory stick/external hard drive
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Missed Assessments:
What if I miss an assessment or can’t hand in my assessment because I was away from school?
What if I hand my work in late or I just don’t bother handing it in at all?
All assessments are given with a specific date/time for completion.
Assessments must be handed in on time ON THE DUE DATE.
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If work is late without reason and application for extension or following procedure, it will be given a not
achieved grade. Late work without an acceptable reason will not be considered.
If you have been given an adequate assessment opportunity then you will be awarded a grade, based on the
legitimate evidence you provided before the deadline, either; not achieved, achieved, merit, or excellence. All your
grades are based on the evidence you provide.
DUE DATE means just that. Late work will not be accepted for assessment unless exceptional circumstances exist
and an extension has been granted by the HOD before the due date. Application forms for extension of due date are
available from the office and must be completed by the students as soon as is practicable, preferably as soon as
possible before the assessment due date.
2) Acceptable reasons for handing in work late (factors beyond your control) include, but not limited to:
medical grounds, family bereavement, accident, illness or similar legitimate events.
In cases of illness (written contact from parent or caregivers and a medical certificate may be required) and
emergency (such as family trauma) or a school endorsed sporting /cultural activity, extension of assessment time can
be applied for after the assessment date is missed. This must be on the appropriate form and be accompanied by
written evidence from doctors, family members, teacher etc.
Note that while all due consideration will be given to applications, extension of assessment date is not automatic.
Any illness or other legitimate absence that prevents a student from sitting an assessment or handing in an
assignment may result in a further assessment opportunity (this is further evidence of achievement of the standard
being sought). You will need to discuss this with your subject teacher but you will have been informed from the
course beginning as to those standards where there is only one assessment opportunity.
3) Reason known in advance: You may then apply for an extension of time to the HOD/TIC three full days prior
to the completion date, except in exceptional circumstances.
4) Reason occurring on the day of the assessment deadline: Then apply for an extension of time by completing
an Application for a Further Assessment Opportunity or an Extension of Time Form. These forms are
available from the office. This must be done within one school week of the event.
Note: Computer failures will not necessarily constitute a reason for an extension to be granted. You are required to
back up your computer based work regularly and store a copy of it in a separate physical place to where the original
was saved.
Handing Work in after the stated deadline If you are handing in work after an assessment deadline then you must
submit this to the subject teacher. The school will take no responsibility for late work not submitted in this manner.
Note: This does not necessarily mean your work will be graded, refer to details above.
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What are considered as unacceptable reasons for missing assessments?
Reasons given for absence such as:
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staying at home and missing school activities/lessons to finish work
family days,
girls’ days
birthdays,
non-major family occasions and visiting relatives
non-urgent travel (travel for boarders see Mrs Beech)
baby-sitting younger family members
non-urgent appointments that are reasonably transferable to out of school time
being late because they slept in
being tired due to a late activity the night before
shopping days
unjustified sickness (three days absence with no doctor’s certificate)
working
holidays in term time
travelling to non-school cultural activities
losing evidence of work (i.e. not backing up electronic work)
deliberate truancy by students of any age
helping at school events without permission from subject teacher giving assessment
Are generally not considered to be legitimate reasons for missing assessments.
What if I miss an assessment for a legitimate reason?
A request for extension or a further assessment opportunity should be supported by contact from a
parent/caregiver and a medical certificate may be required (cases of illness) or a written letter from home will be
sought (in the case of family trauma).
The student will make this request to the classroom teacher on the appropriate form available from the office.
If this is not possible for instance in the case of illness, this request will need to be made as soon as practicable. If
the student is in Year Eleven to Year Thirteen, or taking a subject at one of these levels, the student will need to
make the request within 48 hours of the assessment.
If possible this request will need to be made BEFORE THE EVENT. If you know you are going to miss an assessment
because of a legitimate reason, but make no attempt to arrange for this with your subject teacher then expect a not
achieved result or to be awarded a mark on work handed in before the deadline (not necessarily your finished work)
If I’ve missed an assessment for a valid reason or want to get a better grade will I have another chance?
One further opportunity for assessment of a standard for reporting purposes may be available that school year.
This second assessment opportunity will only be available after additional teaching and learning has taken
place. If a further assessment opportunity is offered it will be offered to all students in this category and all
assessment grades will be available. Further assessment opportunities may be scheduled at alternative times to
normal class times and if reassessment is sought to improve an achieved grade then students are advised seek
the input of subject teachers and form teachers.
For some standards, for example those entailing research or field trips, a second assessment opportunity will not
be available as it is not practicable. All details as to whether a further assessment opportunity will be available
or not will be documented for students when they receive their subject assessment grids at the commencement
of the school year.
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Consideration for a student who is absent from an internal assessment may be made if there is sufficient
evidence available from other work related to the same skill/content. If there is insufficient evidence and no
opportunity to re-sit the standard then you will achieve
“Not Achieved” in the standard. Collection of evidence will be documented.
What if I made a small mistake in my assessment and I now realise that…..do I have to re-sit the whole
thing?
A resubmission of work is limited to specific aspects of the assessment and no more than one resubmission per
assessment opportunity is available. This is when students have made mistakes which they should discover and
correct on their own. Resubmission must not compromise the assessment and can be offered after the first or
second assessment opportunity (if available) or both.
Can I take time off school to finish assessment work?
Irregular attendance, truancy and frequent absence before assessment due dates may render that student ineligible
for both assessment and further assessment opportunities.
Absenteeism in the working days prior to assessment due dates will be monitored and referred to College senior
management. Irregular attendance, condoned absenteeism such as:
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Staying at home and missing school activities/lessons to finish work
family days,
girls’ days
birthdays,
non-major family occasions and visiting relatives
non-urgent travel
baby-sitting younger family members
non-urgent appointments that are actually transferable to out of school time
being late because they slept in
being tired due to a late activity the night before
shopping days
unjustified sickness (three days absence with no doctor’s certificate)
working
holidays in term time
travelling to non-school cultural activities
deliberate truancy by students of any age
may render that student ineligible for both the assessment and particularly further assessment opportunities.
Students who have absences approved by the principal (e.g. involvement in National level sports and activities and
representing the school) will be required to submit assessments before they take leave and will be eligible for
further assessment opportunities on their return on appropriate application.
What will happen if our teacher plans to do an assessment but we don’t get round do it? Will I get a not achieved
even though it wasn’t my fault?
Where there has is a change in the assessment programme because the school was unable to provide the assessment
opportunity, “Standard Not Assessed”, will be reported, as there has been inadequate opportunity for assessment.
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Why have I been given “Not Achieved” grade when I didn’t even try the assessment or I didn’t hand the
work in?
Where a student has presented work or evidence for assessment or been given adequate opportunity to achieve
the standard, the outcome of that assessment must be reported to NZQA as an “Not achieved”, “Achieved”, “Merit”
or “Excellence” (for achievement standards) or “Not achieved” or “Achieved” for unit standards.
By completing some of the work or providing some evidence during the assessment period it is deemed that they
have presented some work or evidence for assessment. If they fail to achieve by not handing in the completed work
or evidence then they will receive “N” for “Not achieved”.
Note that if a student is unable to attend a field trip assessment or EOTC assessment activity because they have
failed to provide signed EOTC permission slips, have not brought the requested equipment/attire or their behaviour
has precluded their attendance, it will be deemed that they have had an assessment opportunity but failed to
complete, so they will receive a “Not achieved” grade.
If a student is advised by their teacher, and in consultation with parents/ whanau / caregivers and curriculum
co-ordinator that they are not to be assessed against a particular standard and they make no attempt to provide
any work or evidence, then they will be withdrawn from that standard or be awarded a SNA (Standard Not Assessed)
if withdrawal deadline for NZQA has been passed.
If a student is in a course and decides on their own that they do not want to do the assessment, they will be
awarded “N” for “Not achieved”.
Can I check I have the right grades for my work?
Students are required to verify the sighting and acceptance of the grade awarded by signing the cover sheet
attached to each piece of internally assessed work. Students will also be required to verify the final grades awarded
that are submitted to NZQA.
Please refer to attached diagrams to help understand your position with regards to missed assessments and whether
you will be entered and what grade you might be eligible for.
We will do group assessment, but I’m worried that one of us will do little work but get the same grade as
those of us who did all the work!
If one student in a group contributes little and the combined group effort gets an “A” result or higher, this student
should be awarded a “Not achieved” grade as specified in the assessment outlines issued at the outset of the
assessment task.
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Rules for assessment work
What are the rules for sitting NCEA assessments during the year such as tests, exams?
These follow the rules for breaches of conduct in external exams as set out by NZQA.
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/our-role/legislation/nzqa-rules/expired-rules/assessment-and-examinationrules-for-schools-2014/7/1/3/
It is expected that in assessments such as exams and tests students will follow teachers’ and exam supervisors’
instructions. The following may be required in classroom assessments and will definitely apply in school exams and
NZQA exams and assessments.
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It is the student’s responsibility to make sure they have the correct equipment:
Bags are to be put outside the assessment room
Cell phones/i-pods/mp3 players and electronic communication devices are to be turned off and left in
receptacles at front of hall or classroom. Non-compliance with this rule could see a students work not
graded. No dictionaries or translators.
Pens, pencils etc. are to be in a clear plastic bag
Calculators may be used but must be of the type allowed and all calculators must have their memories
cleared by the exam supervisor as they enter the assessment room
There must be no communication with other students during the assessment
Students must not copy another’s work nor make it possible for another student to copy their work. All work
you hand in must be your own or properly referenced.
No notes- written or electronic (unless authorised in Solway College run exams)
It should be noted that poor behaviour in internal assessment situations e.g. talking to others, being loud and
abusive to supervising teachers, being late into the assessment are all considered breaches of the rules and
will be dealt with as per NZQA guidelines. This may result in use of standard school discipline procedure, no
grade being awarded for that piece of work, no grade awarded for the whole internally assessed component
in that course, recommending that NZQA cancel a student’s entry.
You are not to write to the marker including writing or drawing anything that could be viewed as offensive.
Rules for late entry and time of leaving will exams and other assessments will be stipulated at each occasion.
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What happens if I can’t make it to the actual NZQA exams in November/December or something
happens that affects my performance in the exams?
This relates to External Achievement Standards – NZQA guidelines will be followed. See Principal’s Nominee .
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The guidelines on how this procedure is carried out by NCEA will be followed.
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/assessment-and-moderation/managing-national-assessmentin-schools/derived-grade/information-for-candidates/
The process will now be named the ‘Illness & Misadventure’ process in keeping with international
conventions.
The outcome will be renamed a derived grade.
NZQA will publish guidelines on who should apply for ‘Illness & Misadventure’ using the same criteria as
currently used for compassionate consideration applications.
Schools will recommend a derived grade to NZQA for the candidate based exclusively on pre-existing
standard-specific evidence of achievement such as mock exams, formal tests, etc. held in the school’s SMS.
Students should be made aware of the assessments designated to comprise the derived grade.
NZQA will check the validity of reported grades and quality assurance processes as part of its other school
review visits and reports. The assessments designated to comprise the derived grade must be sufficient and
valid.
Any derived grades reported will be annotated on any results information reported by NZQA for reasons of
transparency.
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What happens if I break NZQA rules in the exams I sit (either practice exams in school, internal
assessments during the year and final external assessments at end of year)?
a. When it is alleged that a candidate or any other person has been guilty of any dishonest practice or any
other breach of these Rules and Procedures in connection with any Qualification, including in particular:
i.
impersonation - a person is alleged to have impersonated or dishonestly claimed to be a candidate
entered for a Qualification (these Rules and Procedures apply both to the alleged impersonator, and
to the candidate who has allegedly been impersonated)
ii.
assisting/hindering candidates - a person is alleged to have influenced, assisted or hindered
candidates, whether dishonestly, fraudulently or unwittingly
iii.
dishonest practice by a candidate - a candidate is alleged to have attempted to dishonestly or
fraudulently access information or materials not permitted in the examination, or access information
or materials or other help from another person, or altered an answer booklet prior to seeking a
review or reconsideration, or, in the case of performance based assessment, submitted material for
assessment that is not their own
these matters will be investigated by the Solway College Principal’s Nominee and be referred to NZQA.
b. An allegation of a breach of the rules will be investigated by the Qualifications Authority, if necessary in
consultation with the Principal's Nominee from the candidate's school or candidates' school(s). The official
dealing with the allegation will give the candidate written notice of the allegation, and will invite the
candidate to make written comment to the Qualifications Authority on the allegation within a period of days
from the date of the Qualifications Authority's notice.
c. The Group Manager Secondary Education may suspend the release of all or part of the results of any
candidates to whom an allegation of dishonest practice or any other breach of these Rules and Procedures
has been made, until the allegation has been dealt with.
d. If, following the investigation, the official considers that there is substance to the allegation; a formal hearing
will be convened. The candidate will be given reasonable notice of the date of any hearing and will be given
the opportunity to appear in person.
e. At the hearing, the candidate is found guilty of misconduct in respect of the allegation made, the Group
Manager Secondary Education may:
a. warn or censure the candidate; or
b. disqualify the candidate from entering further Qualifications; and
c. In either case, direct that all or part of the candidate's results be cancelled.
f.
The Qualifications Authority will give the candidate written confirmation of The Group Manager Secondary
Education's decision within 14 days of the hearing.
A breach of the rules may also be referred to the police for investigation and action.
Please note that any breach of assessment procedures at Solway College will be followed up following
NZQA guidelines.
A written report will be available from supervising teacher/assessor outlining the possible breach and you will be
asked for your explanation. You will be asked if the report is a fair account.
The investigation will be dealt with promptly and results for the standard that are the subject of the report will
be withheld until there is an outcome.
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You will be given the chance to reply in writing if you agree or disagree and you will be able to give an
explanation and the chance to state if you want anything else to be taken into account.
The outcome of the reported breach will look at loss of credibility of candidates result and this will be reviewed
at senior management level.
Will I get told about and reminded of NZQA exam rules?
All NZQA conditions will be met by the school to ensure fair assessment conditions for students sitting external
assessments.
What happens if I need extra types of help in my assessments because of learning and/or medical,
physical difficulties?
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/assessment-and-moderation/managing-national-assessment-inschools/special-assessment-conditions/info-for-parents-and-caregivers/what-are-sacs/
Candidates with permanent or long-term conditions or learning difficulties, which they believe will significantly
impair their performance in specified external assessments – in particular written examinations – may apply to the
Qualifications Authority for special assessment conditions (for example, a time allowance, modifications to question
and answer booklets, or the use of an examination assistant such as a reader/writer). Please see Principal’s
Nominee for further details and eligibility.
In approving applications for special assessment conditions the Qualifications Authority uses two main criteria.
 Candidates identified as having permanent or long-term conditions such as
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physical disability
sight impairment
hearing impairment
medical conditions which are long-term illnesses such as eating disorders, depression,
diabetes and epilepsy
significant proven reading or writing difficulty.
Candidates who have already been diagnosed as requiring special assessment conditions
assistance and receive ongoing support from the school.
Students who are accepted for special assessment conditions are entitled to these for all their internal assessments
(unless on exception list as per NZQA).
HODs will liaise with the Principal’s Nominee and/or Curriculum Committee to determine whether assistance will be
applied for. Students who have previously been identified as above, and who have received on going learning
support from the school as well as having been tested by either a registered Psychologist or SPELD will be considered
for Special Assessment Conditions.
The reader and /or writer will be appointed by Solway College and there are criteria around this appointment from
NZQA and these will be adhered to.
Application for special assessment conditions must be made by requisite time each year.
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How do I know that my internal assessments are not too hard or easy and that they are being marked
correctly and I am getting the right grade for my work?
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/assessment-and-moderation/managing-national-assessment-inschools/secondary-moderation/external-moderation/
All assessment tasks will be moderated within the school to ensure required, national standards of assessment and
marking and consistency of marking are met. Selected standards will also be moderated externally by the NZQA.
Solway College works hard to ensure that all assessments tasks meet the national standard and are marked fairly
and consistently. If a student is concerned about any aspect in relation to assessment they should use the school’s
appeals process to address these issues.
PRIVACY ACT
What about my personal information with regards to NCEA?
When can I get my work back and where is it stored?
The Privacy Act is design to safeguard your personal information.
Information about you will be collected in a number ways, including: when you do an assessment; if you lodge an
appeal; if you apply for special assessment conditions or apply for a derived grade; apply for financial assistance; or
involved in a breach of the rules.
Only authorised school staff are allowed to view this information about you. All other people must be prevented
from seeing your personal information by the law.
You can gain access to information about yourself by applying to Mrs Beech. If any information is incorrect, then you
can ask Mrs Beech to correct your personal information.
Your results are concealed from other students view. Your results or details are not to be shown to other students
without your consent. We will make all efforts in this area. Conversely students should not attempt to discover
others’ results and communicate them.
Student internal assessment material will be retained by the department in a safe place (usually one year) until it is
no longer required for moderation purposes and that the grading is accurate. In some cases work will be used by
the department as exemplars and benchmark exemplars*. In these cases permission will be sought and all names
will be removed from work and/or work will be re-formatted, as per the Privacy Act. You may be asked to sign giving
permission.
After this date your assessment material will be discretely disposed of, unless you put in a request to your teacher
before December, to have it returned to you. In this case it is your responsibility to collect your work on an agreed
date.
Students are encouraged to keep several back-ups of electronic files and evidence of any internal assessment work
in case this is required in the event of emergencies/faults in equipment etc.
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Monitoring your NZQA records
How do I know my results are being correctly recorded by NZQA?
Monitoring Your Results:
You can check and monitor your results directly on the NZQA website mid April using the learner login facility.
To use Learner Login, you need to register, if you have not already done so, and set your own password. To do
this:
1 Go to http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/login/
2 Go to the Students and Learners section:
If you have registered before then click on “LOGIN”
Or if you have not registered your password then click on “register now”
Enter your NSN and date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) then register
3 Then follow the instructions on screen.
Once registered, you can login and view:
 your personal details
 your entries and results (click on the name of your school) including:
 your internally assessed results that your school has reported to NZQA so far
 your entries for external assessment (exams and portfolios)
 your results for external assessment once they are available
 your Record of Achievement (all previous years’ results).
NOTE: The NZQA database may not contain all your results as it is updated at the end of month, so results
entered since the last update will not appear. Also, results are only sent to NZQA once they have been
internally moderated – this may cause a delay in some subject areas.
Students are advised to keep their own personal record of achievement in each course. At various times students
will be required to check their marks and sign these off with their individual course teachers. All student records
and results are covered by the Privacy Act.
All individual assessments will be returned to students to enable them to check accuracy of results.
Before entries /results are sent to N Z Q A, students will at times receive a copy to check for accuracy. Any corrections
will be made. Students will sign them to verify that they are correct. Students run their own NZQA accounts to verify
records are being updated correctly.
You will also be given a number of opportunities throughout the year to check your personal details, results and
information on the School’s Database. You can also ask your teacher, form teacher, or Mrs Beech to show you your
results and details. HOWEVER, THE NZQA WEBSITE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE FOR YOU TO CHECK YOUR
RESULTS, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE YOUR OFFICIAL QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE GENERATED FROM.
Getting Your Record of Achievement and NCEA Certificate
What should I see on my result notice?
NZQA will NOT post your Record of Achievement or NCEA Certificate to you unless you register online and request
them. You can only request your Record of Achievement or NCEA Certificate when they become available.
NZQA allows you to have one free Record of Achievement each year and one free NCEA Certificate at each level.
You are only allowed one free School Results Summary in your life. Most senior students will order this when they
leave school. NZQA will charge a fee for every School Results Summary you ordered after the first one. It is
recommended that you order this at the end of your schooling.
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Students can request a University Entrance certificate when they qualify for this qualification. However NZQA does
charge a fee for this.
You can order your Record of Achievement and NCEA Certificate in January when they become available by following
the instructions on your NCEA login.
Challenging Exam Results:
If you are going for a review or a reconsideration of your external examination results then it is best to hold off
requesting either a Record of Achievement or NCEA Certificate until your results have been finalised.
Further Information On Qualifications:
You can see what qualifications the school offers and what qualifications these courses lead toward on the school’s
web page. Also you can see the course pathways, requirements for certificate endorsement.
For a range of information on the National Certificate of Educational Achievement,
University Entrance, and Scholarship go to http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/index.html
“Not achieved” results for internally assessed standards will be reported on students’ Result Notices. They will also
appear on a new School Result Summary produced when a student leaves school, but not on their Record of
Achievement. Printed notices must be ordered on line by December.
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/results-2/ncea-annual-results-notice/
Key NZQA Dates
Apply as soon as possible as students are only allowed
these conditions for their internal assessments
after NZQA has approved their applications.
You should apply by April 1st.
Special Assessment Conditions
External Exam Reviews and Reconsiderations
Late February 2016
Scholarship Exam Reviews and Reconsiderations
Early March 2016
Start checking your results on the NZQA Database
Early April 2016
(Updated on the 5th day of each Month)
Charged/invoiced July 2016
NZQA Fees School’s deadline
Early August 2016
Financial Assistance School’s deadline
Last Date to Withdraw from External
Exams School’s deadline
Last Date to Withdraw from Internal Standard
Mid August 2016
Mid November 2016
Unless you have been given an adequate assessment
opportunity- School’s deadline
Results of externals
Mid January 2017
Key dates updated annually http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/events/key-dates-for-schools/
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NZQA Fees
As at 2015 the following was current. Please use link below for updated information :
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/entry-into-ncea/fees-for-ncea/
NZQA Fees for Domestic Candidates
Entry
Fee
Entry for all NZQF standards including Scholarship
subjects
Domestic student entry for a Scholarship subject
$76.70
$ 30.00 per subject
NZQA Fees for International Fee Paying Candidates
Entry
Fee
Entry for all NQF standards
$383.30
Entry for each Scholarship subject
$102.20 per subject
Financial Assistance
To apply: Obtain a financial assistance form from the student office.
For updated information see:
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/entry-into-ncea/fees-for-ncea/financialassistance/
To be eligible for financial assistance the applicant (normally the parent or guardian of the candidate) must be
the fee payer and meet at least one of the following criteria:
 Be receiving a Work and Income or Study Link benefit (benefit-based applications).
 Have a joint family income that would entitle the applicant to receive a Community Services Card (income
based applications).
 Have more than one child undertaking these qualifications in the same year, irrespective of income and the
total fees to pay are higher than $200 (multiple candidate applications).
Eligible for beneficiary or
income-based assistance
One child who is
a candidate
More than one child
who are candidates
$20.00
A maximum of $30.00 per family.1
Not eligible for beneficiary or
income-based assistance
Full fees2 ($76.70 for all NCEA
standards, $30 for each NZ
Scholarship subject entry)
A maximum of $200.00 per feepayer3.
International fee paying students are not eligible for financial assistance.
1 "Family" is defined as parents, including sole parents or legal guardians, and their children living together.
2 Each domestic candidate will pay $76.70 for all NCEA standards and $30 for each entry into a NZ Scholarship subject. This means that most fee-payers
with two candidates assessed against NZQF standards this year will not be eligible for multiple candidate financial assistance as the total will be less than the $200 max.
3 “Fee-Payer” is normally the parent or guardian of the candidate, and must be the person paying the NZQA fees.
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External Examination Timetable:
This can be viewed on the NZQA Website.
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/ncea-exams-and portfolios/external/nationalsecondary-examinations-timetable/
University Entrance
The requirement for University Entrance is that students must have:
 NCEA Level 3

Three subjects - at Level 3, made up of:
14 credits each, in three approved subjects
 Literacy - 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
 5 credits in reading and
 5 credits in writing
 Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
 achievement standards – specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or
 unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required).
Approved subjects for University Entrance are:
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/awards/university-entrance/approved-subjects/
Scholarship
Scholarship is externally assessed. It is designed to extend the very best students and to financially reward very able
students who are going on to tertiary study. It is not a qualification. Students sitting Scholarship will be assessed on
their ability to think laterally and in the abstract. The exams cover the same knowledge and skills as Level 3
achievement standards, but the standard of performance required is much higher. Please discuss Scholarship
requirements with your teachers.
(See http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/awards/scholarship/).
Record of Achievement
A Record of Achievement records all standards achieved during your time at school. The standards you achieve each
year will be added to your Record of Achievement. You can continue to add to it once you leave school and complete
new qualifications or undertake workplace training.
Course Endorsement
Students will be able to have their strengths in individual courses recognised with a course endorsement at Merit or
Excellence. Students will gain an endorsement for a course where they achieve:
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/assessment-and-moderation/managing-national-assessment-inschools/course-endorsement/
1.
14 or more credits at Merit or Excellence at the lower level that supports the endorsement for Example:
 Endorsement with Merit in English with 14 merit credits in English
 Endorsement with Merit in English with 4 merit credits and 10 excellence credits in English
 Endorsement with Excellence in Science with 14 excellence credits in Science
2. at least 3 credits from externally assessed standards and 3 credits from internally assessed standards (Physical
Education, Religious Studies and level 3 Visual Arts will be exempt from this)
3. Gain sufficient credits in a single school year.
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Certificate Endorsement
Students studying for NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3 certificates will be able to achieve these qualifications with Merit or
Excellence endorsements.
1. Merit endorsement = 50 credits at Merit (or Excellence) at the same level, or higher.
2. Excellence endorsement = 50 credits at Excellence at the same level, or higher.
3. Credits can be accumulated over more than one year for the purposes of certificate endorsement.
4. In any one year a learner will be awarded an endorsed certificate only at the highest level of endorsement
recognised that year except when a learner has achieved two or three NCEA qualifications in a single year.
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/understanding-ncea/how-nceaworks/endorsements/
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Assessment grades for different situations
Situation
Missed the majority of
teaching of the topic
Reason
Legitimate reason
 Illness/surgery
 Death of close family member
 Away on school activities
 Away on representative sport
No legitimate reason
 Truancy
 Family holiday in term time
Missed the assessment
Legitimate reason – as above
student eligible for catch up assessment
(SLT to approve anything that is not
school on school calendar)
Student may choose to be withdrawn
from standard instead of sitting catch up
only after teacher/parent/CC discussion

Student not ready to sit
assessment with class
(they are not likely to
pass)
Family holiday in term time
No legitimate reason
Truancy
Illness, but no evidence
Taylor Swift concert
Legitimate reasonStudent struggling with level of work
presented in class, but is trying their
best
No legitimate reason
 Student has been truant from class so
professional judgement cannot be
made about their abilities.
 Student has not attempted enough
work in class for professional
judgement to be made about their
abilities
Assessment sat
Result
Withdraw
Not Achieved
Grade awarded or withdrawal
Not Achieved
Not Achieved
Student sits alternative
assessment (US) and withdrawn
from this assessment only after
teacher/parent/CC discussion
Student sits assessment
with class and is awarded earned
grade
Grade recorded
Note:
1. Students that enrol during the year will need to have their credits checked and have any removed that
they will not be able to sit due to time. This process is done under Curriculum Committee procedures.
2. It is vital that when a withdrawal is completed that contact is made to
Parents/Student/HODs/Mentors/TICs. This is to ensure that there is an overview of student assessment
profiles. Withdrawal is therefore only permitted through Curriculum Committee.
3.
When in doubt…..see PN.
Missed Assessments
Unplanned
Absence
Planned
Absence
Unjustified
Self -interest absence
Planned
Planned
School related/initiated
Self interest
Examples:
Examples:
Examples:
Tournament week,
sports trips,
Driving tests/lessons
Travel/Family plans
with insufficient notice
or no notice
Field trips, science
trips, Matharapa.
Non urgent medical
and dental
appointments
Agreed careers visits
and workshops
Holidays during term
time
Cultural workshops/
exams
Arrangements
for submission
agreed
No notice
given or
arrangements
made
Grade
awarded
Not Achieved
grade may be
awarded
Wilful non attendance
Justified
E.g. Illness,
bereavement, urgent
medical
Medical certificate or
authenticated
documentation from
family/whanau required
Birthday/days off
because of fatigue
Absence because of a
previous late night or
busy weekend
Babysitting younger
siblings
Employment
Arrangements for
submission agreed or
alternative evidence
sought
Unjustified Days off
immediately prior to
assessment
Not Achieved
grade may be
awarded
Not Achieved
grade may be
awarded
Grade
awarded