NCEA ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES 2025
Staff, Student and Parent Information
2026 Course Booklets:
Year 12/13
Year 11 (NCEA L1)
Staff, Student and Parent Information
NCEA - Years 10 – 13 Level 1, 2 & 3
It is important that students and their parents/caregivers take time to read this handbook.
It contains general information about NZQA qualifications and outlines St Thomas’ procedures surrounding the study towards NCEA.
Internally assessed standards have very clear requirements in terms of completing work. Each subject teacher will inform students of these requirements. All criteria for each standard will be notified and explained.
Mentor Teachers will ensure all students receive and discuss a copy of these assessment procedures
A course outline and assessment statement setting out assessment requirements for each subject will be shared with students from their subject teachers, at the beginning of the year or semester.
Firstly: WHAT IS NCEA?
Follow the link below to watch a short clip on 'How NCEA works' and how to understand it. This is also available in Samoan, Te Reo, Tongan via this link.
How NCEA works video
Watch this short and engaging video that explains how NCEA works.
Secondly: MATERIAL FROM NZQA
To find out more about what's happening, why it's important and how we're involving schools, we have developed a short flyer that talks about NCEA online.
Download the NCEA online flyer in Māori [PDF, 1.8 MB]
Download the NCEA online flyer in English [PDF, 1.8 MB]
NZQA QUALIFICATIONS – changes due to NEW L1 Achievement Standards
The structure of the qualification
Minimum of 80 credits for each Certificate, including
60 credits at a level or above
10 credit te reo matatini or literacy co-requisite required for any level
10 credit te pāngarau | numeracy co-requisite required for any level.
Once the 10 Literacy and 10 Numeracy have been obtained there is NO need to repeat this at every level.
The new Level 1 achievement standards
4 per subject
Total of 20 credits available per subject
2 internals – marked by the school / kura
2 externals – marked by NZQA markers –submission or examination or Tūmahi Aromatawai Pātahi,
Built-in accessibility and inclusivity for most ākonga with SAC entitlements.
ASSESSMENT VARIATIONS:
Internal Assessments – marked internally.
These are standards where the student is presented material for learning and assessment tasks are given to students during term time, who then have a certain date to submit this work to their teacher.
This assessment will be marked in-school, and students will receive their grade from the certain department.
The school will send these grades to NZQA.
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT and SUBMISSION OF WORK and LATE WORK
The deadline for all work will be advised when the exercise/task is set. Assignment work is to be clearly named and secured. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the class teacher receives their work.
Late work will get a ‘not achieved’ grade. If there is a valid reason for not meeting the deadline – illness/important family reasons - a student can apply for an extension of time or a further assessment opportunity… if it as possible to offer.
Extensions will not be given due to loss or failure of an electronic device. For assignments completed electronically, it is strongly recommended students save onto more than one device or their drive on the school’s network. Assignments must becompleted and handed in by a time specified by the teacher. Failure to do so will result in a Not Achieved result being awarded.
INTERNAL Assessment and ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
Absences affect classroom-based assessment, fieldwork and tests. When an absence is due to important family reasons, illness or school events, students will be allowed to attempt the assessment, where feasible or may be granted an extension. If neither is possible a grade may be awarded if the teacher has enough standard-specific evidence from other authentic work. Students with unexplained absences will receive a ‘not achieved’ grade and will not be eligible for another opportunity.
A note is written to the subject teacher from a parent/caregiver stating date of absence and reasons for absence. If approved, the subject teacher will arrange a further assessment opportunity, if practical. A medical certificate may be asked for. If an absence can be foreseen, the teacher must be informed as early as possible.
RETURN OF INTERNALLY ASSESSED WORK
Assessments will normally be marked and available within three weeks after the deadline for submission. They will be accompanied by sufficient oral or written information to allow students to see how well they have met the criteria of the standard. Students will be required to check their work and verify the grade by signing the cover sheet. If they wish to appeal, they should not sign for the grade awarded and follow the appeal procedures.
Student Privacy will be adhered to, at all times, in the returning of results to the student from the staff member.
The department will retain student assessment material until such time as it is no longer required for moderation purposes. Departments may wish to retain all student work for authenticity or benchmarking and in these situations parents and students will be informed at the beginning of the year.
Students should keep a record of their own grades.
ASSESSMENT INTERNAL and APPEALS PROCEDURES
Students should initially discuss any assessment problems with their classroom teacher.
Students are able to lodge an appeal if:
· they are unhappy about a grade.
· they have not been given every available opportunity where applicable.
· there is an alleged moderation inconsistency.
· they want to question a ruling on a breach of rules.
If the student is still unhappy, they may refer it on to the LOL – Leader of Learning for that subject..
If the student is unhappy with the decisions, then the student can take the appeal to the Deputy Principal. (Mr Biggs)
No appeal of grades will be considered after a one-week period dating from when the script/activity was handed back.
During this period, students who wish to appeal their results may not take the material out of the classroom but may be given a photocopy of their work, where appropriate.
No appeal will be considered for work which contains twink or work done in pencil.
The school may call in an outside expert to verify the grade.
FURTHER ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITIES
A further assessment opportunity will be a completely new assessment task and can only be offered after further learning has taken place.
The opportunity to have ONE repeat of an assessment towards a standard will differ from standard to standard as well as between subjects.
The course information provided by subject teachers at the start of the year will indicate if there are any further assessment opportunities.
In many subjects, standards cannot be reassessed before the following year. Where a further assessment opportunity is offered, ALL students will have access to this to try and improve their grade, including those who did not complete the original assessment with an acceptable reason.
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT and RESUBMISSION
Schools may offer a resubmission opportunity to students only when a minor error prevents them from reaching an ‘Achieved’ grade.
A resubmission opportunity may be offered for an assessment where a teacher judges that a mistake has been made by the student, which the student should be capable of discovering and correcting themselves.
By definition, the problem should be capable of rapid resolution.
The only change in grade boundary available for resubmissions is from ‘Not Achieved’ to ‘Achieved.’
On this basis, the highest grade that can be awarded because of a resubmission of an internal assessment is limited to ‘Achieved’.
This MUST take place as soon as possible after the assessment has been completed.
Further teaching and specific feedback cannot occur between the final submission date and the resubmission. Teachers must only give general advice and must take care not to over-direct the students. They must ensure that students’ work is authentic.
If there are a lot of changes to be made, or they are significant, it is NOT a resubmission.
Over-time Assessments – marked externally.
These are standards that are taught internally, and students complete the learning with their teachers but are assessed over a designated period.
Students who are absent from an OVER-TIME assessment
· There is NO derived grade.
· There is no re-assessment opportunity.
· If absent for a period of the learning time – there is NO extra time given.
INFORMATION – REGARDING OVER-TIME ASSESSMENTS
Schools must adhere to the published assessment specifications for each standard, including:
When students may have access to the assessment and/or the assessment resources
What resources students may have in the assessment
The extent to which teachers may discuss the assessment with students and/or provide feedback.
Whether students may discuss the assessment with each other while under supervision.
Over-time submission assessment specifications
NEW COMMON PHRASING:
The use of chatbots, generative AI, paraphrasing tools, or other tools that can automatically generate content is not permitted and material generated by these tools should not be submitted as part of the candidate’s work.
Teachers must closely supervise the process of evidence collection to ensure that candidates:
do not copy from another person or source without appropriate acknowledgement.
do not receive guidance, scaffolding, instruction, assistance, or assessment conditions beyond what is specified as permissible in the Assessment Specifications
Where a teacher cannot verify that the assessment submitted is the authentic work of the candidate, they must notify NZQA of a possible Candidate Breach of External Assessment.
Portfolio Assessments
– these are completed internally and have mixed assessment methods.
These are normally completed in subjects like Technology and Art subjects – seek more information from these subjects.
There are NO derived grade.
There is no re-assessment opportunity.
External Assessments – marked externally.
These are standards that are taught in school time and where students are examined, normally in a digital manner at the end of year by a formal NZQA examination.
Students with disabilities, learning difficulties may be offered special assessment conditions for external assessments. The school has these students identified by independent specialists.
Teachers will record standard specific evidence during the year in case a derived grade is sought.
Students will receive their answer booklets after marking and will be able to request a review or reconsideration.
AUTHENTICITY - BREACH OF RULES / PLAGIARISM
Material completed and handed in for assessment must be the student’s own work. If work is found to have been copied the student will receive a ‘not achieved’ grade for that assessment and no other opportunity will be given.
If the work has been copied from another student, then both students will get a ‘not achieved’ grade for that assessment and no other opportunity will be given. Students who copy work or allow their work to be copied will be referred to the Assessment Co-ordinator who will inform parents/caregivers.
Material sourced from reference books/internet must be appropriately acknowledged. Bibliography conventions are provided by the subject teachers. Parents and tutors should realise that a student’s work must remain their own and offer only advice on assignments. Wherever possible, assessments will be done in controlled and supervised conditions.
For items of work which are produced over an extended period, students may be required to keep any plans, drafts, worksheets or logbooks used in the preparation of the work. Teachers may monitor the development of the work by sighting from time to time the material used by students in their preparation or by discussion of the work with individual students. Where necessary, students will be required to complete an assessment cover sheet indicating that the work is their own.
In internal assessments or practice assessments where students breach the rules the student may have the standard given a NOT ACHIEVED grade and not allowed a further opportunity. The student does have the ability to appeal this with the subject teacher, head of faculty or Principal’s Nominee. The student’s parents will be informed by the Principal’s Nominee of the breach and what has eventuated.
In practice external assessments – the SAME rules apply as with external NCEA and examination assessment. If the breach is serious enough the student will not be able to sit the external standard and be removed.
AUTHENTICITY and AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENTS
Given changes to technology, standards, and processes, it is timely to review how we all understand and manage authenticity. Authenticity concerns may be addressed in a range of ways. These will depend on the assessment context and the nature of the evidence being collected.
Staff and students need to develop an understanding of authenticity.
Authentic | Tūturu means:
Work is produced by the student.
There is evidence of independent development from a student.
Each student is enabled to produce their best work, in a way that is appropriate for them.
The task assesses the standard directly and supports students to produce their own evidence.
Policies and procedures are continuously reviewed.
AI Acceptable Use policies
Authentication procedures – for demonstrating that student work is their own
Hard copies submitted to teachers for initial checking before over-time submissions to NZQA
Breach procedures – for where there is evidence that work is inauthentic.
Policies and procedures that fit your own context – with awareness of the tools and resources available as technology develops.
Expectations of teachers and students will be continuously reviewed that promote and demonstrate authenticity.
Staff will use strategies to promote authentic work
Contexts are changed every year.
Monitor progress – drafts, logs, version histories, feedback, conferencing, planned next steps.
Promote student choice and agency – choice of contexts, personal interest and prior knowledge, presentation options, voice / video recordings, pre-assessment planning and proposals.
Limit use of templates and carefully consider offering guidance close to the assessment period.
Document explicit authentication instructions for each assessment task.
Allow different authentication procedures for different tasks and different students.
AUTHENTICITY and BREACHES
NZQA has published a new webpage with helpful information for kura and schools on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and when its use is acceptable in assessment.
You can view this page here.
Report a Not Achieved grade if there is evidence that work is not their own.
Ask for further evidence of authenticity, if in doubt.
If a breach of assessment rules is suspected that could affect the authenticity of student work, schools must notify NZQA and submit the student work as usual.
Once the student work is submitted to NZQA, the school should complete a breach notification form.
CERTIFICATE ENDORSEMENT
NCEA can be gained with Merit or Excellence. If you gain enough credits for your NCEA and 50 or more of them are at Excellence, you will earn an NCEA with Excellence.
If you gain 50 or more of them at Merit or a mixture of Merit and Excellence you will earn an NCEA with Merit.
COURSE ENDORSEMENT
Course endorsement will provide recognition for performing exceptionally well in individual courses. You can gain an endorsement for a course, if in a single school year, you achieve:
14 or more credits at Achieved, Merit or Excellence
Course endorsement requirements for 14 credits including a minimum of 3 external and 3 internal credits. All standards completed by a student will be included in endorsement calculations, including those used to complete the co-requisite requirement.
Level 1 course endorsement exceptions for Religious Studies and Physical Education have been removed.
A course endorsement can be awarded even if a qualification for that level is not achieved. For example, a student may achieve a Merit endorsement for their Level 2 Mathematics course regardless of whether they achieve NCEA Level 2.
Course endorsements are calculated separately to the co-requisite and the NCEA qualification. Students can use credits to meet the requirements of a course endorsement or certificate endorsement regardless of whether these credits have been used towards meeting the 20-credit co-requisite.
CO-REQUISITES
The dedicated co-requisite unit standards
Literacy – 32403 (Reading) + 32405 (Writing) and
Numeracy – 32406 (Maths)
2025 Dates: 19th – 29th May and 1st – 12th September
These exams will be run in the school hall by a team of staff.
All students will complete these exams via their student NZQA Portal.
Each entry is digital by default.
Students who have not achieved in one assessment can be entered in the next assessment opportunity after further learning.
Results will be released about eight weeks after each assessment opportunity. They will remain visible for schools and students unless they are replaced by an improved grade from another assessment opportunity.
DERIVED GRADES
Derived grades (DGs) are evidence-based grades that we may award to students when they can’t attend an examination or external assessment, or their performance is impaired.
Schools need to collect student evidence for the purpose of DGs and submit grades to NZQA before the start of external examinations.
Derived Grades = Evidence-based
Derived grades are based on authentic, standard-specific evidence.
This means evidence such as a student’s performance in a formal practice assessment at school.
QUESTION - What assessments are allowed DERIVED GRADES?
Examined standards are eligible for derived grades.
NB: Submitted standards completed over time are NOT eligible for derived grades.
Common reasons why students apply for derived grades:
a temporary acute illness or injury
a significantly disturbing or distressing experience
a sudden and significant change to a chronic illness that happens no more than 4 weeks before the student’s first affected assessment
national representation in a sport, academic or cultural event. If you have been selected for national representation, you need to get NZQA approval before applying for a derived grade.
National representation and applying for derived grades
Students try to take your exams whenever possible.
If we approve your application for a derived grade but you still take the exam, you will receive the higher of the 2 grades.
LEARNERS and FEES
This link will allow you to see what fees there are for things such as: International charges, reconsiderations, return of portfolios and printing of ‘Record of Learning”. NZQA Link to FEES
LEARNER LOGIN to NZQA
Students will now be required to be DIGITAL very often in their approach to NZQA and their assessments, examinations and results.
completing co-requisite examinations for Literacy and Numeracy
uploading finished over-time class assessments to NZQA for marking
completing final external assessments at the end of a year
assessing past digital papers and assessment from NZQA
obtaining their final results from NZQA
Here is a Learner Login video resource for students – creating their NZQA learner login (1 minute 39 seconds)
How to create a new learner account
LEARNER REVIEWS – External reviews and reconsiderations
Available through each student’s learner login
NCEA Reviews and Reconsiderations
LEARNER / PARENT and STAFF - EXAMINATION TIMETABLE
If you are planning holidays already – this link will help you to know the dates of examinations for NCEA
National secondary examinations timetable
STUDENT’S FINAL RESULTS
New Zealand Record of Achievement (NZRoA)
The NZRoA updated with 2024 results is available in electronic format, or it can be ordered in hard copy, through the Student Login.
Students are entitled to one hard copy free of charge, with further copies costing $15.30 each.
MODERATION and STUDENTS
Students will not see the actual mark appear in the school’s reporting system until staff have completed the Internal Moderation process.
Reports will show grades as “Progress” and/or “Result”.
The “Progress” result is where the student is provisionally working at during the standard.
The “Result” is the final result reported to NZQA.
MODERATION EXTERNAL – Random sample of student work
National external moderation
Parents and students, be aware that national external moderation provides an assurance that assessment decisions, in relation to assessment standards, are consistent nationally.
External moderation of internally assessed standards in schools and kura ensures that assessment judgements (marking of students' work) are consistent with the standard and provide feedback for future assessment decisions.
Where issues are identified with assessor judgements, the assessment materials used (tasks, activities, or tests) may be moderated to check that they are at the national standard.
SCHOLARSHIP
Scholarship provides recognition and monetary reward to top students in their last year of schooling. Scholarship exams enable students to be assessed against challenging standards and are demanding for the most able students in each subject.
To be eligible to receive a Scholarship award, you must be enrolled in tertiary study in New Zealand for the years in which you receive monetary awards.
There is NO fee for a Scholarship subject.
SPECIAL ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS (SACs)
Some students will have the need for special assessment conditions. Generally, students requiring SACs are identified in Year 9 and 10, but any student diagnosed for the first time irrespective of year level should contact the Head of Learning Support to activate the next steps.
Call Mr Dean Smith
What are Special Assessment Conditions?
Special Assessment Conditions are available to meet a range of physical, emotional, sensory, medical, and learning needs. Every student has a right to express their knowledge, skills and understanding without being unfairly disadvantaged.
They do not make assessments easier or impact their validity.
Special Assessment Conditions make the ways learners can access and demonstrate their learning more flexible. Special Assessment Conditions apply to both internal and external assessments towards NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship.
Special Assessment Conditions can include the use of a reader or writer assistant, rest breaks, access to quiet spaces, Braille or enlarged papers. Specific Special Assessment Conditions, such as a Reading assistant may be included in the learning support a student receives during the year. As a student may require different support in different assessments, the supports, including SACs, will be adjusted as needed.
When the SACs are approved, they are offered in the school’s practice assessments, internal assessments and external examinations. At the start of each year, the Head of the Learning Centre will notify subject teachers of any student who requires SACs. Students are encouraged to speak with their teacher prior to any assessment to confirm that the SAC has been arranged and where it will take place.
UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE UE is still under review as of 2024
University Entrance (UE) is the minimum requirement to go to a New Zealand university. Students will need all of the following to be awarded UE:
NCEA Level 3.
14 credits at Level 3 in each of three approved subjects. Approved subjects for University Entrance
Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 and above from specific achievement standards.
UE Literacy - 10 credits (five in reading and five in writing) at Level 2 and above from specific standards.
The list of approved NZQA subjects, and specified Literacy and Numeracy standards can be found following the following link. http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/awards/university-entrance/
QUERIES
The Assessment Coordinator is available for advice on procedural matters and enquiries concerned with this document. For issues relating to policy contact Brendan Biggs bbiggs@stc.school.nz
REVIEW
Review - This document is to be reviewed annually and in consultation with the School’s Relationship Manager – NZQA.
Privacy - Information about one student’s results should be made available only to that student and staff who need that information. Individuals’ results should not be available to other students.
The above assessment procedures aim to ensure that all students are treated fairly.
They have been developed by St Thomas of Canterbury College to ensure that the regulations of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority are met.
Assessment Convenor – Mr B J Biggs (Deputy Principal / Principal’s Nominee)
Principal – Mr Steve Hart
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