This year the NCEA external examinations run from 7 to 30 November.

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. Eating nutritious food, drinking plenty of water and doing some exercise every day will help students stay well over the exam period.

Work hours and shifts, distractions and social events should be kept to a minimum over the exam month. A little focus and application now will reap great rewards.

Your daughter has a full examination timetable (attached in this newsletter). Please go through this with her. Students attend NCEA examinations in full summer school uniform.

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.

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:

• correcting fluid

• books, written notes or electronic notes

• cell phones or pagers

• English dictionaries, foreign language dictionaries, or te reo Māori dictionaries or translators

• any electronic device which has the capability to store, communicate and/or retrieve information except approved calculators. No watches please.

On the day of the exam

Arrive at least 30 minutes before the exam starts. Assemble in the designated area at least 20 minutes before the examination begins. Maintain silence when teachers are calling your rooms.

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 you.

• Check all the answer booklets have your student number on them.

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

• If you have any problems, you should put up your hand.

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.

• 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 you fill up your answer booklet, you may request extra paper.

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

At the end of the exam

Stop writing when the supervisor tells you to. Hand all material to be marked to the supervisor before you leave. If you take any work outside the examination room, it will not be marked.

If students prepare well and follow these instructions above, they will ensure maximum success in the examinations. Please refer to the school Careers website : https://sites.google.com/otagogirls.school.nz/careers for excellent study tips and support material. Tutorials are underway and a full timetable for tutorials will be available for the study leave period. Girls should be confident and calm going into their exams if they have worked hard over the exam period.