English language schools quality assurance

About quality assurance in English language schools, and agreements between NZQA and English New Zealand

English New Zealand and NZQA have arrangements in place for quality assurance in schools that teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL).

These apply to both EFL schools and 'hybrid' private training establishments that combine EFL with vocational training.

The agreements recognise the contribution EFL schools make in New Zealand. They also help us carry out our quality assurance responsibilities.

However, they don't change the overall policy intent of evaluative quality assurance, or external evaluation and review (EER).

The agreements cover 4 main areas. The first 2 apply to all EFL and 'hybrid' schools, while the latter 2 apply only to English New Zealand member schools.

  • Clarification of the use of NZQA outcome indicators in EFL schools.
  • Clarification of what constitutes reasonable expectations for assessment practice in EFL schools and how achievement data in the sector might reasonably be identified and interpreted.
  • Recognition that English New Zealand’s periodic audits constitute an input into those schools’ self-assessment, and that the resulting audit reports should inform the EER process of those schools.
  • Involvement of NZQA evaluators and English New Zealand auditors in a selection of each other’s training. This gives English New Zealand auditors familiarity with the expectations for evaluative quality assurance, and NZQA evaluators familiarity with English New Zealand's perspective on quality assurance.

More information

You can find full details of these quality assurance arrangements in the memorandum of understanding between NZQA and English New Zealand.

Read the memorandum of understanding [PDF, 80 KB]

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