Quality Assured Assessment Materials (QAAM) trademark

NZQA has established a quality assured assessment materials (QAAM) trademark to ensure the quality of assessment materials used when assessing secondary school students for qualifications. The QAAM trademark is designed to identify assessment materials for secondary school subjects only, that have been certified by NZQA as meeting the requirements of the national standard.

The procedures set out the requirements for applying and using the QAAM trademark, see QAAM procedures.

Assessment materials include:

• an assessment activity (instructions and tasks)
• an assessment schedule (including evidence judgements and a sufficiency statement)
• other assessment materials that are used by schools and tertiary education organisations to assess students against a registered standard.

The key advantage of using assessment materials that have a QAAM is that teachers will know that the assessment schedule they are using to make judgements are at the national standard and students will be completing assessment tasks that are fit for the purpose and give them the best opportunity to achieve at each level.

To check that assessment materials have an authentic QAAM approved by NZQA, see the online register (PDF, 48KB).

The QAAM is a quality assurance process for assessment resources, it is not moderation. Assessment materials are quality assured to the same standard as an external examination paper. Post-assessment moderation still takes place to ensure that assessment judgements are at the national standard.

How to apply for a QAAM

To apply:

• read the  QAAM procedures.
• complete an Application for Issue of a Quality Assured Assessment Materials Trademark form (DOC, 194KB).
• include all the required assessment materials, the application form and payment of $960 plus GST per assessment activity.

The application and assessment materials can be sent electronically to accountsreceivable@nzqa.govt.nz. To make payment electronically, please contact our Finance team at accountsreceivable@nzqa.govt.nz for more details.

Alternatively, please send the application, payment and assessment materials to:

Finance
New Zealand Qualifications Authority
PO Box 160
Wellington 6140

What happens next?

Once the full fee is received, NZQA moderators will begin work on the application.

An application will be rejected if the moderator determines that the assessment materials do not meet the national standard. The moderator will give guidance about what is required to resubmit the material. You will not be charged for the first resubmission.

Further information

You can contact us during working hours (+64 (4) 463 3000), or email us at: qaam@nzqa.govt.nz or write to us at:

QAAM Enquiry
Secondary Moderation
New Zealand Qualifications Authority
PO Box 160
Wellington 6140