Providers and partners

Applying for Consent to Assess Against Standards

This process involves the school completing a Quality Management System document that is evaluated and approved by NZQA. This document outlines how the school will ensure the guardianship of the national school qualification and maintain its credibility.

Legislative basis for the process

For the purpose of the Education Amendment Act 2011, NZQA provides a process for schools to apply for Consent to Assess Against Standards on the Directory of Assessment Standard Rules 2021 (CAAS). School considering applying should refer to the Guide to requirements for Consent to Assess for schools (PDF, 400KB)
Secondary schools under section 452 of the Education and Training Act 2020, which have been issued with a provider code, are entitled to apply for Consent to Assess Against Standards on the Qualifications Framework.
Consent to Assess against standards on the Qualifications Framework can only be granted to secondary schools after they receive an Education Review Office Readiness Report. This requirement is outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding between NZQA, the Education Review Office and the Ministry of Education.

Type of Consent to Assess Scope

Secondary schools can apply for consent to assess all standards under “Base Scope” consent or a reduced range for “Limited Scope”
Base Scope includes all domains that have Achievement Standards and commonly used Unit Standards to Level 3 of the Qualifications Framework.
Limited Scope is a group of standards selected by the school that reflects the programmes the school wants to offer. Having Limited Scope changes the range of the quality assurance processes NZQA applies to ensure the credibility of the qualification.
The school should discuss the most appropriate consent scope with the School Relationship Manager managing their consent application.
After consent has been granted a school can apply for standards outside of Base or Limited Scope through the NZQA extension to consent to assess process.

Preparing Your Quality Management System Document

To be granted consent to assess against standards a school must prepare a Quality Management System (QMS) document that addresses the requirements in Appendix 1 of the CAAS rules. This document requires the school to outline how, through their context, charter, strategic goals, policies and practices, they will ensure credible assessment of standards on the Qualifications Framework.
NZQA will support the school to prepare their Quality Management System document with a template: Template for schools to develop their QMS document (DOC, 185KB). The school can request a School Relationship Management to visit the school to provide advice in the preparation of the document.

How do you apply?

Contact School Quality, Assurance and Liaison (SQAL) at NZQA.
The schools will be asked to complete an Initial Consent to Assess Application Form (Link) to start the consent to assess process. This document, outlines their context and provides their contact details.

When the application is received by NZQA the SQAL Manager will send a letter confirming NZQA can support the school to prepare the Quality Management System document
The completed Quality Management System is sent to NZQA to be evaluated. A School Relationship Manager will visit to the school to check the evidence documented in the Quality Management Systems document to ensure the information provided meets consent to assess requirements as outlined in the CAAS rules.
Until the Quality Management System document is approved by NZQA the school cannot assess or report any results for the award of qualifications.
Once the document is approved by NZQA a letter from the SQAL Manager will be sent confirming that consent to assess against standards on the Qualification Framework has been granted. At this point the school can start assessing and reporting results.