Introducing NCEA taumata matauranga a motu kua taea for students

Introducing NCEA National Certificate in Educational Achievement taumata matauranga a motu kua taea for students

By the end of this discussion you should be more familiar with some of these terms: NCEA NZQA standards standards-based assessment credits Level 1 Achieved Merit Excellence Endorsement

It is a qualification (National Certificate in Educational Achievement) using a standards based assessment system. Standards based assessment means that students are not ranked against one another. They are compared to a standard - like a driver’s licence test. If you reach the standard then you pass. NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) administer NCEA.

There are two types of standards: Unit standards are internally assessed and are usually either achieved or not. Internally – done during school year. Achievement standards are internally or externally assessed. The student can gain: Not achieved, Achieved, Merit, or Excellence. The external assessments are done at end of year after school finishes.

A standard may be worth only a few credits, if it assesses a small amount of work, or it may be worth many credits if it assesses a lot of work. A typical subject will assess credits in a course, covering about six standards.

Level 1 requires 80 credits including numeracy and literacy requirements. Usually done in Year 11. Level 2 requires 80 credits with 60 at level 2 and 20 from any other level (usually 20 from the year before). Level 3 requires 80 credits with 60 at level 3 and 20 from Level 2 (usually 20 from the year before).

Numeracy for level 1 Either Unit standards: (11MAP) Package of three numeracy unit standards (total of 10 credits - all three required) Or Achievement standards: Specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects (minimum total of 10 credits)

Literacy for level 1 Either Unit standards: (11ENP) Package of three literacy unit standards (total of 10 credits - all three required) Or Achievement standards: (11ENA and 11ENG) Specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects (minimum total of 10 credits)

Reassessment Students will be offered a maximum of one reassessment Reassessment may be offered if it is practical If a reassessment is offered, then it must be offered to all students Any grade can be gained on reassessment If the reassessment grade is worse that the grade for the original assessment, it is not used.

Resubmission If a student can look at an assessment and immediately see what is wrong, without out any assistance, then if it is a trivial mistake, the student may be allowed a resubmission to correct it.

Endorsement Students can gain their NCEA endorsed Merit if at least 50 credits are at Merit level or better Students can gain their NCEA endorsed Excellence if at least 50 credits are at Excellence level

Course endorsement Course Endorsement Students will gain an endorsement for a course where they achieve both of the following criteria in a single school year: 14 or more credits at Merit or Excellence, and at least 3 credits at Merit or Excellence from externally assessed standards and 3 credits at Merit or Excellence from internally assessed standards. Some courses at college will not qualify as they assess only internal standards. (Physical Education is excluded from this rule as all the standards are internal standards)

There is a student handbook that all students receive detailing policies and procedures for NCEA requirements. For example, page 7 deals with the requirements when application for an extension of time is made (at least 3 days before the due date). Students should keep this handbook for reference.

Assessment procedure Students must not: Communicate with other students Be disruptive, or distract others Copy from others Allow others to copy their work Have a cell phone turned on In school exams and in external NCEA exams have study material on them

Special assistance Special assistance in the form of readers, writers or the use of computers is available for some students in both internal and external assessments. This is available only if the student has been assessed by an approved assessor. This assistance needs to be approved very early this year, unless it has already been approved for the student in previous years.

Financial assistance Financial assistance may be available for students in low to middle income families. The application form is available from the student office, and needs to be handed in by September. For further information please contact Mrs Buckland.

Please refer to page 5 of the Student Handbook for details. If a student is absent on the day of an internal assessment the subject teacher must be informed either prior to or on the assessment day. During school exams, if a student is absent Mrs Buckland should be contacted.

School Exams If a subject has a school exam scheduled in either the May or August exams, then students must attend it, unless the principal has given prior permission to not attend.

Employers and tertiary institutions prefer students who demonstrate more than just achieved. Aiming high and raising expectations is a key to success. Intention to succeed raises the chances of success.

Are you now more familiar with some of these terms? NCEA NZQA standards standards-based assessment credits Level 1 Achieved Merit Excellence Endorsement

Introducing NCEA National Certificate in Educational Achievement taumata matauranga a motu kua taea I hope so!