Because being in COVID-19 lockdown has affected learning and assessment, changes have been made to NCEA, NZ Scholarship and University Entrance. These changes help give students a fair opportunity to gain the qualification they are aiming for.

These changes will take effect if our school is in Alert Level 3 or 4 for a total of 20 or more school days this year. By the end of Tuesday 7 September, this will be 15 school days only, so the following changes will only occur if we are at Level 3 for a further week or go back into lockdown again after Tuesday. 

What this could mean for students?

The more credits you achieve the more you are entitled to.

• For every 5 credits you achieve through internal or external assessment, you are entitled to 1 extra credit. These extra credits are called Learning Recognition Credits (LRCs)
• Up to 10 of your LRC’s earned this year can be used towards the 80 you need for NCEA Level 1.
• Up to 8 LRC’s earned this year can be used towards the 60 you need at Level 2 and Level 3.

Endorsements are still achievable.

• To get a certificate endorsement you will need 46 credits at Merit or Excellence level, instead of the usual 50.
• To get a course endorsement you will need 12 credits at Achieved or Merit or Excellence level in a course, rather than 14. You still need to achieve at least 3 credits in externals and 3 in internals.
• Your LRCs don’t come with Merit or Excellence, so they can’t count towards an endorsement.

University Entrance has been adjusted.

• For 2021 the UE requirements have been adjusted from 14 down to 12 credits in three UE-approved subjects. You still need to have NCEA Level 3 and the usual literacy and numeracy standards.

You’ve got more time to study.

• Most portfolio due dates and exams for NCEA and Scholarship have been moved later, to give more time for students to learn and prepare.

What do our students need to do?

Keep working to make sure that they achieve as many standards as they can. Ako teachers are able to help track progress if needed when students return to school.

Students don’t need to do anything else to get their LRCs. NZQA will do the calculations before they get their results.

There has been an adjustment in dates so students need to make sure that they know when their portfolios are due, the change to the Year 11 MCAT date for those students who are sitting this exam, and students will need to double check the new exam timetable for their new examination dates. (https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/ncea-exams-and-portfolios/external/national-secondary-examinations-timetable/).