A Derived Grade is a mark that is provided to NZQA that could be used to determine a result if a student misses an external exam at the end of the year due to an emergency or unforeseen event.

Usually a derived grade would be determined via a practice exam (also known as “mock” exam) as part of senior assessment week. As a fall-out from Covid-19 disruption, we have been forced to take a different approach to generating these derived grades. We will no longer be running a senior assessment week, nor practice exams in the traditional sense. Instead, teachers will run derived grade assessments within class time throughout Term 4.

It is important that your young person knows when they are having a derived grade assessment in class, and that they attend (if they are well enough to be at school), and complete these assessments. Teachers will be clear about when these assessments are to occur, and will give students time to prepare.

The latest Covid-19 lockdowns have proven that an unforeseen event may be just around the corner. Derived grade assessments give students the opportunity to lock away a good grade, just in case there are circumstances that prevent exams taking place at the end of the year, so it is important that they give their best effort.