The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the main national qualification for secondary school students in New Zealand.
NCEAs are recognised by employers and used for selection by universities and polytechnics, both in New Zealand and overseas.
Each year, students study a number of courses or subjects.
In each subject, skills and knowledge are assessed against a number of standards. Each standard describes what a student needs to know, or what they must be able to achieve, in order to meet the standard. Having met it, they will gain credits towards national qualifications. For example, a Mathematics standard could be: Apply numeric reasoning in solving problems.
For Achievement Standards, there are four grades:
Achieved (A) for a satisfactory performance
Merit (M) for very good performance
Excellence (E) for outstanding performance
Not Achieved (N) if students fail to meet the criteria of the standard
Schools use a range of internal and external assessments to measure how well students meet these standards
When a student achieves a standard, they gain a number of credits. Students must achieve a certain number of credits to gain an NCEA certificate
Most subjects at Kavanagh would offer around 20 credits. This means that during a full year of study a student would have the potential to gain around 120 credits
There are three levels of NCEA certificate, depending on the difficulty of the standards achieved. In general, students work through levels 1 to 3 in years 11 to 13 at school
Students are recognised for high achievement at each level by gaining NCEA Endorsed with Merit or NCEA Endorsed with Excellence. High achievement in a specific course is also recognised
The "Understanding NCEA" brochure is useful for further information
Students must achieve 80 credits
Certificates can be Endorsed with Merit or Excellence
Merit - if 50 or more Credits are at Merit or Excellence
Excellence - if 50 or more Credits are at Excellence
The Level 1 certificate will not be awarded until students have also gained
10 credits in Literacy (English)
10 credits in Numeracy (Mathematics)
Students must have a minimum of 60 level 2 credits and they can “carry over” 20 level 1 credits from previous years. In addition, students must also have met the Numeracy and Literacy requirements of Level 1, i.e. a minimum of
10 credits in Level 1 Literacy (English)
10 credits in Level 1 Numeracy (Mathematics)
Students must have a minimum of 60 level 3 credits and they can “carry over” 20 level 1or 2 credits from previous years.
Students will need the following to be awarded University Entrance:
attain NCEA Level 3
achieve 14 credits at level three in each of three subjects from the list of approved subjects. The list of approved subjects will consist of subjects derived from the New Zealand Curriculum & with achievement standards at Level 3. This list is available on the NZQA website.
achieve UE numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 and above from specific achievement standards, or three specific numeracy unit standards
achieve UE literacy - 10 credits (five in reading and five in writing) at Level 2 and above from specific standards.
If a student gains 50 credits at Excellence, their NCEA will be endorsed with Excellence. Likewise, if a student gains 50 credits at Merit (or Merit and Excellence), their NCEA will be endorsed with Merit.
Course endorsement provides recognition for students who perform exceptionally well in individual courses.
Students will gain an endorsement for a course if, in a single school year, they achieve:
14 or more credits at Merit or Excellence, where
at least 3 of these credits are from externally assessed standards and 3 credits are from internally assessed standards. Note, this does not apply to Physical Education, Religious Studies and level 3 Visual Arts.
Each course provides a hand-out to students outlining the teaching, learning and assessment of the course. This handout looks similar to the table below. All courses can be found in one document as well if needed. This allows parents to be aware of any upcoming assessments for their son or daughter and it is a useful tool for parents to help students manage their workloads.
Please note that there is very limited flexibility around the timing of assessments. Please contact the school if students are having extended periods of leave.
| Standard number | Title & Description | Credit Value | Internal or External | Completion Date | Assessment Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS 91011 | Conduct geographic research with direction | 4 | Internal | Due Friday 8th May | Individual take home project |
| AS91008 | Demonstrate geographic understanding of population concepts | 4 | External | Suspended Timetable 19 - 25 Aug | Exam paper |
| AS91013 | Describe aspects of a geographic topic at a global scale | 3 | Internal | 23 Sept - 17 Oct | In class time |
Our experience would suggest that planning for, and managing their workload is one of the biggest issues that face students as they become more independent learners
Students are young adults and need some guidance and help to learn about self-control and self–management
Students need some help in setting priorities around managing the tensions between academic study and extracurricular activities, work and social life commitments. We would ask that you help them by ensuring that they put all of their due dates in some form of a diary, be it a Wall Planner, Electronic Diary, Book or Cell Phone
Check the online assessment calendar and their Course outlines so you can help them monitor their workload and manage their time
For parents and students to know what’s coming up can avoid unnecessary stress
Have a study space set aside for their personal use
The following entry fees apply in 2018. Please pay these to the school office by the 13th August. Financial assistance is available – please contact the school office.
The fee structure for domestic candidates:
Entry for all NQA standards - $76.70
Scholarship entries - $30.00 per subject
Fees structure for foreign fee-paying candidates
Entry for all NQF standards - $383.30
All Scholarship entries - $102.20 per subject
Students and parents should be aware that it is the student’s responsibility to check that their Achievement Standard and Unit Standard entries are correct. This is done through the NZQA website.
Students will need the password they chose in class and their National Student Number (NSN).
NSN will be given to students in June. Students can also access this information to see how many credits they have been awarded to date.
In addition to this, students’ results to date are e-mailed out on the three weekly Snapshots. These are e-mailed out each term in weeks 3, 6 & 9.
If you are not receiving these please contact Maria Menzies on 477-3408 extn 204 or e-mail menziesm@kavanagh.school.nz
It is important to read the assessment procedures that are applicable to Kavanagh College.
Approximately 120 if all the courses taken are NCEA courses.
Up to four weeks. This is because the process involves a) marking b) cross-checking c) moderation meetings d) further possible marking and moderation meetings to be confident the students' work has achieved the grade awarded. Much more time is needed now for staff to meet as a team to work through this process. The grades awarded are "Excellence", "Merit", "Achieved" or "Not Achieved"
An Appeal must be lodged within 10 days of the work being handed back to students. Check the 'Appeals Procedure' in the assessment procedures on the college website. In brief, the process is: See your subject teacher first. If still unsatisfied see your Head of Department. You may also work with your Dean to discuss and assist you to resolve your concerns. If you still have concerns, present your concerns to the Deputy Principal. Remember to check out the expected time frames.
A grid is on the three weekly “Snapshots” that are e-mailed home in Weeks 3, 6, and 9 of each term. By adding up the credits for the Achievement Standards your daughter/son has already with "Achieved", "Merit" or "Excellence" you will be able to work out how many credits are already awarded. You can also use the grid to see how many they could have achieved so far.
It depends! It may be important and very sensible to complete the reassessment task and gain an "Achieved" grade or better ("Merit" or "Excellence). The material involved may be important prior knowledge for further learning in the same course or as a pre-requisite for the next course. It may also be at this stage that the student is also still learning about what is involved in meeting the standard and another opportunity is well worthwhile to cement that understanding.
On the other hand, it may be sensible not to take up that opportunity, as it is an extra task completed over and above the ordinary workload. It may be better to focus on the achievement standards to come, aim for better grades in the ones still to be completed and to learn from the experience to date.
Before deciding which way to go, discuss this with any of the following - the subject teacher, the Head of Department, the appropriate Dean or the Deputy Principal (NCEA Co-ordinator).
Is it appropriate, necessary or even wise (in terms of overall workload) for my son or daughter to complete a reassessment task/opportunity when s/he has already gained at least an "Achieved" or "Merit" for an achievement standard?
If the grade earned already is "Achieved" or "Merit" then our advice is to think very carefully before deciding to complete the reassessment task. The main aim with reassessment is to give another opportunity to those who were awarded "Not Achieved" in the first assessment. Where a reassessment opportunity is offered anyone who wishes to can complete it. Do remember that this reassessment opportunity is completed on top of the course's expected workload.
Students may be disappointed and believe they could get a better grade (e.g. a "Merit" or an "Excellence") by completing a completely new task where there is a reassessment opportunity offered. However, the time spent completing the reassessment opportunity may be at the expense of getting a better grade with the next achievement standard due for completion.
Feel free to seek advice from Heads of Departments, the appropriate Dean or the Deputy Principal (NCEA Coordinator) before any decision is made.
While it is true they get the same number of credits towards their NCEA Level 1 certificate whether they are awarded "Achieved", "Merit" or "Excellence" there are very good reasons why we should be encouraging our students to achieve as well as they can personally. Please also note that attaining the grade: "Achieved" will be a pleasing result in many situations.
Students should be striving for “Merit” or “Excellence” grades so that they can be awarded NCEA endorsed with Merit or Excellence.
A student can also be awarded an endorsement in a particular subject, so there is plenty of reason for a student to strive for the best result possible. The Achievement Standards' grades are now the important signs as to whether or not the student is likely to achieve at the next level.
In the course outlines on the college website all NCEA Level 1 subjects indicated what the pre-requisites were for Level 2 courses. This varies from subject to subject and may include a range of "Achieved" grades or an indication that "Merit" in a particular Achievement Standard will be likely to be needed to succeed at the next level. As well we expect that now that students know explicitly what is required to gain each of the standards that they will be motivated to set goals and challenge themselves to try to be awarded the best standard they possibly can.
These “practice” assessments are held during the year and in the August Suspended Timetable. We expect and hope our students will study well and treat these opportunities really seriously. They provide the opportunity to see how much they know already in terms of understandings, skills and content. The "estimated" grades they receive give them an indication of where they are at currently. As well students are receiving valuable feedback from teachers about what they still need to learn and work on. These practice opportunities also assist them to become more assured and confident about their examination skills. The results from these “practice” assessments may be required should a student be unable to sit the NZQA exams in November.
The weighting of internal to external varies from subject to subject. Check out each course on the Three weekly Snapshots that are e-mailed home in weeks 3, 6 & 9 of each term. Each standard is listed with a particular Credit value and whether it is Internally or Externally assessed. Please note - some courses have no external achievement standards. They have internal achievement standards only - such as Physical Education and Religious Education.
It is imperative that the college is phoned at the beginning of the day (before 8.30am) and that you ask that this urgent information is to be passed on to Mr Waterworth, our person responsible for NZQA Liaison issues. As well a Derived Grade Form must be picked up from the school office, completed by a medical practitioner and then returned as soon after as possible. "Compassionate Consideration" is then taken into account. This involves NZQA asking the college to produce the student's internal examination results and this is then considered for the grade s/he is awarded. Please note - forgetting the time of an exam and not turning up results in no grade at all for that examination.
To be Awarded NCEA Level 1 Students must achieve 80 Credits including 10 credits at Level 1 in each of these areas (literacy and numeracy). The credits are achieved within their English & some English rich subjects (literacy) and Mathematics (numeracy) level 1 courses. Note that until these 20 credits are achieved the certificate will not be awarded - even if, for example, they have achieved more than 80 credits.
Our Year 11 NCEA Level 1 students should be doing all they can this year to achieve the literacy and numeracy requirements so that they are eligible to be awarded their Level 1 certificate as soon as they achieve 80 credits. It would be advisable to try this year if at all possible to be aiming to achieve the minimum in Mathematics requirements for university entrance as outlined above. As well students should be planning to meet the minimum requirements for reading and writing skills for University Entrance via their courses next year.
Deputy Principal Steve Read on 477 3408 Extension 207 or sread@kavanagh.school.nz
NZQA Liaison Mike Waterworth on 477 3408 Extension 226 or waterworthm@kavanagh.school.nz
Year 11 Dean – Tim Lucas 477 3408 Extension or tlucas@kavanagh.school.nz
Year 12 Dean – Rachel Mortimer on 477 3408 Extension 231 or rmortimer@kavanagh.school.nz
Year 13 Dean – Jean Allibone on 477 3408 Extension 231 or jallibone@kavanagh.school.nz
The NZQA website is www.nzqa.govt.nz or 0800 623243
To update your contact details please contact Maria Menzies
Phone 477 3408 Extension 204 or menziesm@kavanagh.school.nz
