Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements from 2011
This document defines the requirements for NCEA Level 1 from 2012 and transitional arrangements for 2011.
The Ministry of Education and NZQA have changed the literacy requirement for NCEA Level 1 from 8 credits to 10 credits and the numeracy requirement for NCEA Level 1 from 8 credits to 10 credits. The changed requirements come into effect in 2011 in a transition arrangement, and will be in full effect in 2012.
Students can meet the new requirements by achieving specified achievement standards or new unit standards in literacy and numeracy.
New literacy requirement for 2012 onwards
Minimum of 10 credits through either:
- Achievement standards - Specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects (minimum total of 10 credits), or
- Unit standards - package of three literacy unit standards (total of 10 credits - all three required).
New numeracy requirement for 2012 onwards
Minimum of 10 credits through either:
- Achievement standards - Specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects - (minimum total of 10 credits), or
- Unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards (total of 10 credits - all three required).
Transition for 2011
There will be a transition year in 2011 before moving totally to the new requirements from 2012. A transition year will give schools time to adjust to the new requirements and the two methods of achieving the requirements.
For the transition year in 2011 students can achieve the literacy and numeracy requirement for NCEA Level 1 by meeting the:
- literacy requirement using either the new 10 credit literacy requirement (see for 2012 above) OR the current 8 credit literacy requirement using specified unit and internally assessed achievement standards.
- numeracy requirements using either the new 10 credit numeracy requirement (see for 2010 above) OR the current 8 credit numeracy requirement using specified unit and internally assessed achievement standards.
However, a student cannot mix and match between the new and current requirement within the literacy or within the numeracy requirement.
Literacy and Numeracy using te reo Māori
The introduction of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa for Māori-medium schools from 2011 will identify any changes needed to provide standards aligned with this curriculum from 2012, and will consider literacy and numeracy requirements for NCEA Level 1. The aligned achievement standards have been designed for use in English-medium schools.
Except for standards that specifically require the use of a specified language, students can be assessed against all standards using te reo Māori or English as their language of use.
In 2011, current requirements continue with all existing Reo Māori sub-field unit and achievement standards being eligible to count to the literacy requirement and Pangarau domain standards being eligible to count to the numeracy requirement.
The new achievement standards developed for te reo Māori will be eligible to count to the literacy requirement for NCEA Level 1.
New Literacy and Numeracy Unit Standards
These standards have been designed to be used in schools, tertiary and workplace programmes and support the principle of embedded literacy and numeracy.
The standards have been designed using the following definitions:
Literacy is the written and oral language people use in their everyday life and work. It includes reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Skills in this area are essential for good communication, active participation, critical thinking and problem solving.
Numeracy is the bridge between mathematics and daily life. It includes the knowledge and skills needed to apply mathematics to everyday family and financial matters, learning, work and community tasks, social and leisure activities.
See a range of resources for the literacy and numeracy unit standards.
To access the literacy and numeracy unit standards 26622 - 26627.
Literacy and Numeracy Achievement Standards
A wide range of achievement standards have been identified as eligible to meet the requirements.
The standards have been selected using the following definitions:
Literacy to meet the demands of the New Zealand Curriculum at Level 6. These standards provide the scope for students to demonstrate reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
Numeracy to meet the demands of the New Zealand Curriculum at Level 6. These standards provide the scope for students to demonstrate number, measurement and statistical skills.
For lists of the registered numbers and titles for the specified achievement standards see Literacy and Numeracy Achievement Standards.
Reporting achievement of the Literacy and Numeracy requirement
The reports showing that students have achieved their literacy and their numeracy requirement will indicate how they were achieved, that is through achievement standards at level 6 of the curriculum or through the purpose built literacy and numeracy unit standards.
On the School Results Summary and the Results Notice a statement will say either:
- 'Literacy requirement met by achievement standards'; or
- 'Literacy requirement met by unit standards'; or
- 'Numeracy requirement met by achievement standards'; or
- 'Numeracy requirement met by unit standards'
If a student has met the requirements through both the unit and achievement standards methods, the statement will show that the requirement was met by achievement standards.
Further information
For further information see Questions and answers.