Assessments

Assessment is collecting and evaluating evidence to establish the level of an individual's performance. In other words, what a teacher does to determine if 'learning' has occurred. This can be done using a wide range of techniques - tests, essays, experiments, speeches, performance (eg. in drama or music), assignments, research reports, etc.

These are the 'assessment methods' - particular strategies used by teachers to gather evidence of achievement.

Students are assessed for NCEA by a combination of external and internal assessments. The external assessments are examinations for subjects like English and Maths - just like in the past. More than half the assessment for regular school subjects is by exam. For some subjects like Visual Arts or Technology, portfolios are handed in (or 'submitted') for assessment by 'NZQA'.

Internal assessment

There are internal assessments for things that can't be tested in exams, for example, speeches, research projects and performances. These are run by the schools and are assessed by the teachers. To find assessment resources that have been developed by the Ministry of Education for use with the internally assessed achievement standards you need to visit their Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) website.

Teachers are skilled at managing internal assessment. They have been assessing speeches, research and performances in class for many years. Schools have systems in place to quality assure assessments.

You can be sure that your school is assessing at the same standard as other schools because each school's assessments are checked to make sure everything is fair and consistent across the nation.

1. First of all, the standards, explaining what students have to do to earn credits, can be seen by using the search tool on every page. Teachers also have to samples of student work that meet standards, samples of assessment activities they can use, and they have been trained in this style of assessment.
2. Moderators check a sample of the student work marked in every subject in every school. This checks that the standards in your school and the school down the road are equal and fair.
3. Finally, NZQA has specialist staff who visit each school to monitor and advise. All of this ensures that no matter which school your children go to, their NCEA will be nationally recognised.

External exams

Skills and knowledge that can be assessed by examination are included in normal end of year examinations run by NZQA.

How are the exams set? How are they marked?

Specialists are contracted by NZQA to write examination papers. All papers go through a series of checks to ensure they are error-free, aligned to the Standard being assessed, easily understood, and so on. When candidate scripts are ready to be marked they go through a similar process. Trained contractors mark scripts, and samples of their work are checked, so they can adjust the way they are marking if necessary. Both processes are illustrated in these diagrams.

Last updated: 12 February 2008