What does NCEA mean for me?

You need to be aware of a number of elements which will be important to you as you study for your NCEAs, the major secondary school qualifications.

There are a number of things you can do to monitor your own progress.

Internal & External Assessment

Schools now use a mix of approaches to assessing your performance. Some work will be internally assessed - that is, assessed by your teachers at school. Other work will be assessed externally - by markers outside of your school. In some subjects this external assessment will use work you have done during the year and 'submitted' for assessment; this applies to subjects like Drama, Visual Arts, Graphics, etc. The other external assessments will be done using end of year examinations.

This means that your performance right throughout the year will count towards your final result for the year. You will also be entered for final examinations at the end of the year.

Keep your own records

Because your work will be assessed throughout the year, it is sensible for you to keep your own records. Many schools now provide record-sheets for their students to record their results against the standards for which they're entered. This allows you to monitor your own progress.

It is also a useful check that your school is recording your results accurately. You can check the results entered by your school by using the Learner Login.

Understand what's required of you

Your teachers may have given you copies of the "Standards" being assessed. These describe the level of performance you need to achieve the standard. You will probably also be shown the "assessment specification" for externally assessed standards which defines what the assessment activity will be and what resources or other information will be allowed to complete the assessment activity.

If you haven't got copies of these documents, you can find the standards by using the Search Standards & Assessment tool at the top-right of this page. You can also use it to find the specifications for the external exams.

UE & other requirements

There are also specific requirements for University Entrance, which include sprecific literacy and numeracy requirements.

Understand the procedures

Your school will have its own procedures and policies about things like the timing of assessments, opportunities for re-assessment, record-keeping, etc. It is important for you to understand them, and to know "what to do if ... ".

If you've not been told, ask.

Last updated: 12 February 2008