Plans in place provide confidence in NCEA results

Plans in place provide confidence in NCEA results

The Qualifications Authority today announced steps to ensure the upcoming NCEA exam round runs successfully and is fair for all students. This follows a briefing last week about changes to New Zealand Scholarship.

Acting Chief Executive Karen Sewell says the steps include closely monitoring the results daily from the start of marking.

"We have done extensive analysis to develop profiles of what we expect the distribution of results to look like in every externally assessed standard for NCEA levels 1, 2 and 3. We will be monitoring results so that very early on in the process we can identify any that differ from what we expect.

"Results may vary from those expected for a number of reasons. In some cases the guidelines we give to markers may need to be adjusted. The emphasis is on making sure we have the best process in place to accurately recognise whether or not students have reached the required standards.

"We are determined to continue to improve the system every year, and to be open and transparent about those improvements. The interests of students are paramount, and they can have every confidence that their results will fairly represent their performance," says Karen Sewell.

NCEA levels 1, 2 and 3 exams start on Tuesday November 15. Students can expect to receive their results in the post between 26 and 28 January. They will be available on the NZQA website after they have been distributed by post.

"Schools have been advised that the results will be out later next year. This gives us time to monitor the marking process closely and remark if necessary.

"The focus is on getting the results right, not early," says Karen Sewell.

ENDS

National secondary qualifications examination guide for students

To do now:

- Check exam timetable and admission slip for exam times

- Check your examination entries on line

- To register now go to www.nzqa.govt.nz/login.html and select the link for Secondary Learners

- To register you need your National Student Number (NSN), which is on the top right hand corner of your admission slip

Exam time:

- Have a calm start to the day, and a decent breakfast

- Arrive at the exam room in plenty of time

- Only take pens and approved equipment into the exam

- Take your admission slip into each exam

- Only write on those papers you want assessed

- A blank answer booklet will be recorded as not attempted. This is the first time NZQA has recorded not attempted. In the past a blank booklet was recorded as not achieved

Release of results

- From 28 October results for your internally assessed standards will be available through the secure learner login. You should check that your results are accurately recorded. If you have any queries you should contact your school.

- NCEA levels 1, 2 and 3 interim results will be in the mail between 26 and 28 January 2006

- Results available on www.nzqa.govt.nz after results have been delivered by post

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