9 November – 2 December 2016

NCEA external examinations begin on  9 November and finish on  2 December. Girls will be on study leave from Monday 7 November and come back to school for Prize-reading, Leaver’s Assembly and Prizegiving rehearsal on Tuesday 6 December.

Students should return any school books, library books and sports uniforms they are not using prior to Monday 7 November, as well as pay outstanding school accounts. Any other books or materials should be returned to their teachers prior to Tuesday 6  December.

All NCEA examinations are three hours and will start at either  9.30am for morning examinations or 2pm for afternoon examinations. It is advisable for girls to be at school at least 30 minutes before so that they are not stressed or rushed going into the examination. Please put all examination dates on your family calendar and re-check them leading up to the examinations.

Because formal examinations are different to the way students learn in everyday classes, they need to understand the conditions under which the exams occur. They need to reflect fully on the importance of working independently to prepare and study for the exams.

Please talk to your daughter about her study plan. Go over the following exam conditions with her. Allow plenty of time for your daughter to arrive at her exam. Make sure she has had a good night’s sleep and a breakfast that will sustain her over three hours.

Some of the important NZQA rules for examinations are as follows.

Exam materials

Students are responsible for taking the correct equipment to the exam and making sure that it is working.

Bring equipment into the exam room in a clear plastic bag. Students can bring:

· pens (black and blue colours are permitted) pencils and an eraser

· an approved calculator for subjects where a calculator has been used during the year.

You can confirm what is allowed in a specific exam by reading the relevant assessment specification. To find this, see NCEA subject resources.

Calculators must be silent, hand-held, non-printing and work from their own power. Students cannot keep notes, routines or store files in the calculator memory. Teachers or supervisors will check the calculator memory is cleared before it can be brought into the exam room.

Emergency evacuation and student pack

Students are allowed to bring items for an emergency evacuation into the examination room in a clear, sealable plastic bag. This pack must stay under the chair and not be touched or opened without the permission of the supervisor. Contents could include a mobile phone (switched off) or other electronic device, keys, money, bus pass and medicines.

Banned items

Do not bring the following items into an exam room unless sealed in the emergency evacuation pack:

· blank paper or refill paper

· correcting fluid

· books, written notes or electronic notes

· cell phones or pagers

· English dictionaries, foreign language dictionaries, or te reo Mäori dictionaries or translators

· any electronic device which has the capability to store, communicate and/or retrieve information except approved calculators.

On the day of the exam

Arrive at least 30 minutes before the exam starts to find out the location of the exam room arranged by the school.

If a student arrives more than 30 minutes after the exam has started they will not be able to sit the exam or enter an exam room.

In the exam room

· At all times, listen to and follow the instructions of the supervisor.

· Sit at the desk allocated. The exam booklets at this desk will have been selected and coded specifically for the individual student.

· Check all the answer booklets have the student’s NSN and Examination Code on them as listed on their Admission Slip.

· When told, students should check that all pages in each exam booklet are printed correctly.

· If a student has any problem, they should put their hand up.

· Students cannot leave in the first 45 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the examination, even to use the toilet.

During the exam

Students should

· not borrow equipment from someone else.

· not talk to, communicate with, or do anything to disturb other students.

· not read or copy another student's work.

Writing answers

Students should:

· follow all the instructions on the front cover of the exam booklet.

· use only black or blue pen.

· not write in pencil unless instructed to do so. Work in pencil or erasable pen will not be accepted if a student applies for review or reconsideration.

· write neatly, so the marker can read the answers.

· cross out any work they do not want marked.

· not write or draw anything that may be regarded as offensive.

· not write to the marker or write in the part of the answer booklet 'For assessor's use only'.

· not write answers for one standard in the answer booklet for another. Where  they fill up their answer booklet, they may request extra paper.

· fill in their details at the top of any additional sheets of paper provided and put them inside the answer booklet.

At the end of the exam

Students must stop writing when the supervisor tells them to. They must hand all material to be marked to the supervisor before they leave. If they take any work outside the examination room, it will not be marked.

Students can keep resource booklets and separate question booklets.

If students prepare well and follow these instructions, they will ensure maximum success in the external examinations. Good luck to all girls for their examinations. Remember it is just like preparing for a sports event – it is less painful and you do better if you have done some training.

Please see the exam timetable attached.