In school, students study courses. Each course is assessed by standards.

Each standard covers a specific area of knowledge (for example, ‘Demonstrate understanding of usability in human-computer interfaces’), or a particular skill (such as ‘Assess the feasibility and viability of a potential small business opportunity’).

Assessments require students to demonstrate that they know or can do what is covered in a standard. When they achieve a standard, they earn the total number of credits that standard is worth, and it’s these credits that build towards NCEA.

Student work is assessed and awarded one of the following four grades, depending on the quality of the student work, namely: Not Achieved, Achieved, Merit or Excellence. Some standards (Unit Standards) only result in Not Achieved or Achieved.

To be awarded an NCEA qualification, students need to achieve at least 60 credits at a level and 20 credits in literacy (or te reo matatini) and numeracy (or te pāngarau). These literacy and numeracy requirements are known as the ‘co requisites’.

An NCEA qualification will not be awarded until a student achieves their NCEA literacy and numeracy co-requisite requirement. Students have a number of opportunities to achieve their NCEA co-requisite requirement.

Assessment

Assessment measures what someone has learned. A student might show this in different ways, such as by analysing a text, writing an essay or giving a speech or a performance. Their work may be assessed internally or externally.

Internal assessments are set and marked by teachers at the school. External assessments are set by NZQA and marked by panels of NZQA contracted experts (mainly teachers). This includes end-of-year exams (digital or on paper), Common Assessment Activities, and portfolios of work or kete manarua which are done at school and then submitted to NZQA for marking. 

External assessment happens at specific times during the year, including the end-of-year exam period.