Special assessment conditions - best practice guidelines summary timeline

Month

Note

   Action

At the end of the year ask your staff to assist you establish your list of potential special assessment candidates for next year.

• Refer to the spreadsheet from the current year and delete the names of school leavers and record the names of any new potential applicants that you have been providing assistance to.
• Note those candidates on the current spreadsheet for whom a new application is required for the following year.
• Check to see if each candidate on the spreadsheet has a valid report from an independent assessor. A valid report must have been written within the last four years. If they do not have such a report they need either a reassessment or an initial report. Send a letter to the candidate's home informing them of the need for a current report and keep a copy.
• If it is a medical problem (e.g. arthritis - they need more time to write) send a letter to the candidate's home requesting they get an updated medical report at the time of their next scheduled appointment and keep a copy of this letter.
• You should trial a reader or writer or reader/writer for internal assessment purposes for potential applicants and retain this evidence along with any documentary proof of need from a suitably qualified independent registered professional, such as a psychologist or a Level C Assessor.

At the start of the year, confirm the list of candidates for whom you will be seeking entitlement for special assessment conditions.  Candidates with a current valid report can start using special assessment conditions for internal assessments.

• Conduct your annual needs analysis of candidate behaviour and achievement in both internal and external examinations with regard to the special assessment conditions that were provided.
• Refer to the information gathered by your Examination Centre Manager about how the candidate used the special assessment in the external examinations.
• Consider the results obtained using special assessment in the external examinations and from your internal assessments
• Discuss with the candidate, and their parents if appropriate, whether the same special assessment conditions should be applied for this year given what they did or did not use last year
• Amend your spreadsheet where necessary.
• Identify and train appropriate teacher aides to act as assessment assistants (reader/writers) for internal assessment and for external examinations.

New applications for entitlement can be sent in from February. By the end of Term 1 you must have the full list of names and valid reports for all your special assessment applicants.

• Write to remind parents of candidates on the spreadsheet who have not yet provided you with a report of the need to have a current report to be eligible to apply for special assessment conditions for external assessment. Set a deadline of the end of February but encourage an early return. File the reminder letter.
• Complete the application for entitlement for each new candidate and email it to the Special Assessment Conditions mailbox. File a copy of the application on the student's file.
• Complete the application for any candidates noted on the spreadsheet as requiring a new application this year.

For some potential applicants who have not provided you with a valid report it may be appropriate to consider making an application based on alternative evidence.

• Contact your School Relationship Manager to discuss documentation to support Alternative Evidence applications.
• Compile and send the necessary documentation to NZQA for any applications based on Alternative Evidence.

Applications for entitlement close

• The last day of Term 1 is the final day for submitting applications and an up to date spreadsheet.

First entry file due at NZQA.

Confirmation of entitlement for applicants.

You will be informed of any candidates whose applications have been declined and the reason for this.

Confirmation of entitlement for applicants using Alternative Evidence must be given before Special Assessment Conditions applications for external assessments are made online.

• Inform candidates and their parents that their entitlement has been confirmed, amended or declined.
• Circulate the spreadsheet to appropriate teachers so that they are aware of each candidate’s entitlement.
• Ask your staff to check and sign that entries for examinations have been made for each potential applicant or that the applicant is not doing examinations.
• Note the reasons and file any applications which have been declined.
• Appeals against decisions to decline entitlement may be made between now and August.

Any candidate who arrives from another New Zealand school should bring documentation and their latest report with them on enrolment. Applications for special assessment conditions should not be made through your online facility until you have a valid report.

Any candidate who arrives from overseas should have an application made using Alternative Evidence.

• Contact this candidate's previous school to discuss their assessment needs, add this candidate to your list, make appropriate applications for external examinations and inform NZQA that the candidate is now at a new examination centre. Contact sac@nzqa.govt.nz if the student has been previously approved for entitlement by NZQA.
• Compile and send the necessary documentation to NZQA for any new applications based on Alternative Evidence

1 August online applications for Special Assessment Conditions for external examinations open.

• Make appropriate applications online for each candidate for each examination session for which they are entered to attach SAC entitlements.
• File copy of application on student's file.

1 September online applications for Special Assessment Conditions for external examinations close

• Ensure all teachers have made complete entries into externally assessed standards including Scholarship for all candidates entitled to Special Assessment Conditions.
• Note and file any amendments to conditions made by NZQA.
• Inform candidates of special assessment conditions for external assessment.
• Identify and train suitable Examination Assistants to act as Readers or Writers.

Late notifications - a rare occurrence may be a newly identified physical or medical condition.

• Contact SRM for advice and guidance

November

Examinations underway.

Start applications for the next school year by referring to the  November note above.

• Liaise with your ECM to ensure suitable accommodation is available for all candidates

Special Assessment Schedule available from your ECM.

• Ask your ECM for a copy of your Examination Assistants’ feedback on the use candidates made of their Special Assessment Conditions.