NCEA: The details
How do I enter for an NCEA?
Your school will enter you for an NCEA and tell you when to finalise your entries and pay your fees ($75 each year for all standards).
NCEAs are organised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), who will give you a unique National Student Number (NSN). You can use this to look up information NZQA holds about you sent in by your school, including your entries, results and Record of Achievement. See the NCEA homepage or phone 0800 697 296.
How should I choose my course or programme?
In year 11, you should take a broad range of courses that lead on to more specialised subjects. In years 12 and 13, you should start thinking about what areas you need to focus on for your future study or career. If you have a particular career in mind, check out what standards you will need.
How do I achieve a standard?
When you study a programme or course, your work is measured against pre-set standards using assessments. If you pass the assessment, you achieve that standard.
As you study a new topic your teachers will explain to you what is going to be assessed. Your teachers will tell you if you are on the right track or help you to improve your work.
Types of standards
Schools assess two types of standards – unit standards and achievement standards.
- Unit standards are tested at school by teachers, usually as internal assessments.
- Achievement standards can be tested internally at school by teachers, tested externally at the end of the year in national exams, or tested using a combination of the two.
Levels of standards
Standards are organised into levels of increasing difficulty. The standards assessed in schools are usually at levels 1, 2 and 3. Most year 11 students start at level 1, and progress to level 2 in year 12, and level 3 in year 13. NCEAs are awarded according to the level of the standards you achieve. For example, if you achieve a certain number of level 1 standards, you will gain level 1 NCEA.
Multi-level study
Many schools will allow you to study a mix of standards at different levels, depending on your ability. For example, in year 12 you may study most subjects at level 2, but do a new subject at level 1 and another advanced subject at level 3.
How will my work be assessed?
Assessments measure your performance against the standards in your programme or course. If you pass the assessment, then you have achieved that standard and you gain credits to go towards your qualification.
Some standards are internally assessed by your teachers during the year. In this case, NZQA checks that there is consistency across all schools. Most external assessments are by exam at the end of the year, although for some subjects (e.g. Technology, Visual Arts) you will need to submit a portfolio.
A Mathematics assessment programme at level 1 may look like this:
| Registration Number | Assessment | Name of standard | Credits earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5224 | Internal | Use decimals and percentages to solve problems | 2 |
| 5230 | Internal | Carry out a statistical investigation and interpret data | 3 |
| 5232 | Internal | Determine probabilities in practical situations | 2 |
| 90148 | External | Sketch and interpret graphs | 3 |
| 90149 | Internal | Solve problems involving measurement of everyday objects | 3 |
| 90150 | Internal | Use geometric techniques to produce a pattern or object | 2 |
| 90151 | External | Solve straightforward number problems in context | 3 |
| 90152 | External | Solve right-angled triangle problems | 2 |
| 90153 | External | Use geometric reasoning to solve problems | 2 |
How will I be graded in each standard?
Your grade will depend on the type of standard being assessed.
- For unit standards, there are two grades you can get: Achieved (A) for passing, or Not Achieved (N) if you don’t pass.
- For achievement standards, there are four grades you can get: Achieved (A) for a satisfactory performance, Merit (M) for very good performance , Excellence (E) for outstanding performance or Not Achieved (N) if you don’t pass.
What happens if I don’t achieve a standard?
For internally assessed standards, your school may allow you to be assessed again later in the year. For some standards, your school may delay your assessment until the final term, taking into account most of your year’s work.
For externally assessed standards, there is only one opportunity to achieve the standard each year – the exam or other external assessment at the end of the year.
How many credits do I need for NCEAs?
Each standard is worth a set number of credits. When you achieve a standard, these credits count towards an NCEA. They may also contribute towards other national certificates, such as a National Certificate in Mathematics.
What if I miss out on level 1 NCEA qualification?
You do not have to achieve a level 1 or level 2 qualification before you can study at the next level. Any credits you earn will count towards your level 1 or level 2 qualification. At the same time you can begin work towards the next level up. This means the credits you earn may contribute to more than one qualification at the same time. You may study some courses, or standards, at a higher level than others. Your school can help you decide what courses to study.
Recognising high achievement
You can gain an NCEA with Merit or Excellence. If you gain enough credits for your NCEA and 50 or more of them are at Excellence, you will earn an NCEA with Excellence. If you get 50 or more credits at Merit (or a mix of Merit and Excellence), you will earn an NCEA with Merit.
In 2008, 5.9% of candidates gained level 1 NCEA with Excellence and 23.2% gained level 1 NCEA with Merit.
Page updated: 18 August 2009