Examination timetable clash scenarios
How do I decide which examination a candidate should sit when?
Candidates should sit:
- the higher Level paper at the published time
- examinations with technology (eg listening to a CD, watching a DVD) at the published time
- Scholarship at the published time.
Examples
1. Level 2 Chinese and level 2 Health in the afternoon.
Resolution: The candidate must sit Health in the morning, be closely supervised over the lunchtime and sit Chinese in the correct afternoon exam session because this examination has a listening standard.
2. Level 1 German in the morning and level 2 English in the morning.
Solution: Sits German with the rest of the candidates because German has a listening standard, is supervised over the lunchtime and sits L2 English in the afternoon.
3. Level 2 German and level 3 Biology in the afternoon.
Solution: Sits L3 Biology in the morning because German has a listening standard, is supervised over the lunchtime and sits German with the rest of the candidates in the afternoon.
4. Level 3 Social Studies and level 2 Chinese in the afternoon and Scholarship Chinese in the morning.
Solution: If the candidate has the ability to enter Scholarship Chinese and L2 Chinese the candidate should be advised to retain the entry in Scholarship Chinese only. Otherwise this three-way clash will mean that the candidate has to complete both level 2 and 3 examinations also on the same day.
5. Level 1 Drama in the morning, with level 1 Te Reo Māori and level 2 Music in the afternoon.
Solution: The candidate sits their Music in the afternoon with the rest of the candidates because there is a listening standard. There is only one standard in L1 Drama. . They complete both L1 Te Reo Maori and L1 Drama in the morning exam session and are supervised over the lunchtime because L1 Te Reo Māori is an afternoon exam. Depending on the number of Te Reo standards the candidate is entered for there may be no need for extra time.
6. Level 2 Home Economics and level 2 Dance in the morning and level 2 Japanese in the afternoon. The candidate is entered for all of the external standards in Home Economics and both Dance standards, one of which has a DVD to watch. They are also entered for all external standards in Japanese.
Resolution: This triple clash is not possible to resolve within two exam sessions because the candidate has entries in two exam subjects which involve technology or listening to the teacher. For administrative reasons, these have to be sat at the designated time. The candidate may either start the morning examination early, or end the afternoon examination late and complete the standards for these three examination session entries with half an hour extra time. Sequestering over the lunch break is required. The student would need to attend the Japanese reading by the teacher. The Dance DVD can be viewed at a different time to the other Dance candidates.
7. Level 3 Drama and Scholarship Japanese in the afternoon.
Solution: The Scholarship Japanese examination must be sat at the published time. Level 3 Drama will have to be sat out of sequence in the morning exam session. The DVD can be viewed at a different time to the other Drama candidates. The candidate is supervised over lunchtime before going to the Scholarship Japanese exam.
8. Level 3 Accounting and Scholarship Media Studies in the morning and level 3 Calculus in the afternoon.
Solution: This cannot be managed within two sessions. The candidate may choose to complete three sessions over the course of the day, beginning the first examination early, finishing the last exam late and taking two rest breaks.
Questions and Answers
When will a candidate with a clash or "exceptional circumstances" be required to pay for supervision and/or sequestering?
When a candidate has elected to sit an examination at other than the published time and NZQA has agreed, any actual and reasonable fees associated with supervision, including sequestering, may be charged.
Non-clash “exceptional circumstances”: How do I know if the student’s request to sit their examination at other than the published time would be considered “exceptional circumstances”?
Exceptional circumstances include requests to sit an examination early in the day to be able to participate as a national representative in a sporting or cultural event. In such instances the candidate must have been selected by a national body and appropriate written confirmation of that selection provided to the school.
Self-interest requests will be declined. These include requests to sit an examination early in the day so that a cheaper airfare to an overseas destination may be purchased.