From 17-21st October Year 11,12,13 students will be on Study Leave.

Students are preparing for NCEA External Examinations by having practice at the assessments. The timetable is attached. We collect evidence from these assessments to use in case the student is unable to sit the NCEA exams due to illness or unforeseen circumstances. We use the marks to determine places in class and for awards at prizegiving. We encourage students to try their best for these exams. Some teachers are running holiday tutorials- this will be shared with you next week. 

The extract below is NZQA information for students on examinations. There is a link at the end for any student who needs support in managing exam pressure. Students using computers for exams must make sure they are fully charged and in good working order. A chromebook can be requested from the librarian if a student needs to borrow one. 

Before an exam

The NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship examination sessions are three hours. The SCC exam sessions start at either 9 am or 12.40 pm. See the attached pdf.

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. There is a list of Approved calculators.

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, mask or other face covering, 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 Māori dictionaries or translators
• watches of any type (digital or analogue)
• 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 20 minutes before the exam starts to find out the location of the exam room. Our Derived Grade exams will be held in Rooms 3,4,6,7,8 in the Coolock Building.

If you arrive more than 30 minutes after the exam has started you 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. 
• When told, check that all pages in each exam booklet are printed correctly.
• If you have a problem, you should put your 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 students 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.

Managing Exam Pressure

https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/ncea-exams-and-portfolios/external/managing-exam-pressure/