The Tauranga Girls’ College Benchmark Exams are held from Monday 14 September to Monday 21 September 2020 for all students sitting the NCEA external exams.

The Benchmark Exams are important to your daughter for two reasons;

1. They are an early indicator towards achievement in the NCEA exams in November and signpost any work that still needs to be done.

1. The grade that your daughter achieves in the Tauranga Girls’ College Benchmark Exams could be used to apply for a derived if, due to circumstances beyond her control, she is either unable to sit an exam in November or, her performance in the exam has been impaired.

In a year that has been marked by school closures due to COVID 19 and remote learning, it is important that your daughter prepares herself well for the school Benchmark Exams. If the current situation in New Zealand changes by November, NZQA may evoke the unexpected event grade process. In this instance NZQA would use the school Benchmark Exam grade as her final external grade.

What is a derived grade?

A derived grade is authentic, standard specific evidence towards achievement in an external standard.

A derived grade is available for a student who for an approved reason:

• Has been unable to attend a NZQA external examination or submit a completed externally assessed portfolio.

• Attended a NZQA external examination and their performance has been significantly impaired.

• Has been unable to attend a NZQA external examination because of selection for national representation in a sport, cultural or academic event.

Approved reasons include:

• A temporary acute non-recurrent illness.

• Trauma – a significantly disturbing or distressing experience.

• Misadventure – an event beyond a student’s control or an exceptional circumstance.

• A sudden and significant change to a long-term illness occurring at the time of the examinations.

• Unexpected event – NZQA may evoke the unexpected event grade process following an exceptional event beyond the control of students. This could include situations such as a natural event, technical or systems failure, or public health emergencies.