Getting ready at the start of the year
Schools need to ensure that mark books and courses in Web Entries are set up correctly at the start of the year.
Examination timetable
NZQA publishes an examination timetable for external assessment in December for the following assessment year. Teachers and students need to be aware of the timetable and understand the implications for course selection and assessment programme planning.
National secondary examinations timetable
Attendance requirements
There are no attendance requirements for entry into assessment against standards, but candidates should only be entered into assessment against standards that they are definitely being assessed against and not standards which may be optional. Use of the correct standard version is essential, and this needs to be checked each year against course outlines.
File submission requirements
It is important that the 1 September file submission contains all entries into externally assessed standards.
Teachers need to check that entries are correct using the Reports in the school's Provider Login, and that entries and withdrawals are made in a timely manner to meet published deadlines.
On this page
Candidates with dual enrolment through Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (The Correspondence School)
Candidates who are also enrolled with Te Kura need to have their results and entries reported by their home school. These results and entries are reported using the Te Kura provider code (498). This allows Te Kura to enter the provisional and final results for non-exam external standards which are examined by portfolio, such as Graphics.
Consent to Assess
A school must not make entries for assessment of a standard for which it does not have consent to assess unless the standard is being assessed by another provider who has been given consent.
Results will need to be reported using their provider code. A standard will show as unaccredited in 'Reports' if even one candidate out of the class is missing the code of the provider with consent to assess.
Schools need to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the provider with consent to assess.
When you report results with another provider’s code, that provider is notified and will query the results if you do not have a MOU with them or the MOU states that the school must not report results.
You can also check if anyone else is using your provider code through the Key Indicators.
Find out more about sub-contracting and consent to assess (external link)
Use of te reo Māori
Most external assessment can be undertaken in te reo Māori. NZQA can arrange to provide translated examination papers in te reo Māori or students may respond in te reo Māori.
This information needs to be included in the 1 August data submission file.
You are asked to enter the two types of te reo Māori entry requirements (flags) into your school’s software system or web entries.
These are:
- Te reo Māori paper flag – this identifies candidates who have requested an examination paper in te reo Māori.
- Te reo Māori answer flag – this identifies candidates who will answer in te reo Māori on the English version of the “flagged” examination.
If candidates from your school/kura expect to receive an examination paper in te reo Māori and will also answer in te reo Māori, both flags must be set.
Please remember to include and update this information on your school management system during the year.
Entries for candidates using special assessment conditions
Schools need to make an application for candidates to use special assessment conditions, such as Reader/Writer, by 1 April. These applications are made on the website and, once approved, need to be used for internal assessment.
NZQA needs to be notified by August if a candidate with approved use of special assessment conditions is entered into External Assessment, so that resources can be allocated. This information is also entered using the website.
Late Entries
Entries for externals, including entries for candidates who have transferred school, after 1 September are late entries. These students will not receive personalised exam papers. The Late Entries process must be followed.
Late or additional external entries
Any late or additional entries need to be added to ensure that markers are allocated and results can be entered.
- Late entries means entering a candidate for a new exam session after the 1 September close-off. This will apply to transferring students as well as those already on your roll.
- Additional entries (a candidate needs an additional paper for an examination session): means a candidate already entered in the 1 September file, is entered for an additional standard(s) in (a) particular exam session(s).
NZQA will notify you on how to request extra papers or assessment materials. Check to see if the late or additional entries require audio/visual resources in the subject resource. This is important for languages, Drama and Music because NZQA needs to send audio/visual resources to the exam centre.
Keep a record of the candidate name, NSN and standard(s) for these late entries to check that the Exam Centre Manager is aware of them.
Add all late external entries to your data file and submit to NZQA immediately.