S2009/034 - 20 October 2009

Implications for schools of changes to the way NSNs are generated

Background

In 2008, the Ministry of Education (MOE) made changes to the way National Student Numbers (NSNs) are created. The outcome of this project means that an NSN has now been assigned to all learners from Years 1-13 (Current Year Level), including all students at primary and secondary year level. This also means that from January 2010, NZQA will cease to generate NSNs for secondary learners entered into NCEA.

How to obtain an NSN

Schools will be able to retrieve NSNs out of ENROL using Get/Check or uploading NSID files. The Ministry will provide NSID files in April and August 2010, based on the .moe files provided by schools with the Roll Returns in March and July respectively.

It has been identified that there are some students who have two NSNs (duplicate records in NSI). These duplicate records will be merged by March 2010 and ENROL will be updated with the “master NSN”. The NSID files provided by the Ministry in April will contain the correct NSN and overwrite the NSN in the school system if needed.

After that, the NSNs at NZQA and in ENROL will be the same.

File submissions

Schools must supply the correct NSN for each learner in their entry file submission to NZQA. If schools do not have a learner’s NSN, they must use the ENROL system to obtain it. Schools without access to ENROL must contact MOE to resolve this.

SMS providers have been notified to make the inclusion of an NSN mandatory in their software, so that schools will not be able to generate a file for NZQA if an NSN is missing. If an invalid NSN is supplied, that learner’s record will not be able to be processed until the school makes the necessary corrections. Only then will the student’s enrolment be created with NZQA for that academic year.

Enquiries

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Previous circulars

• 033 - 13 October 2009 - Clarification of random selection procedures for external moderation
• 032 - 13 October 2009 - Derived Grade Process
• 031 - 13 October 2009 - Reporting Assessment Results to NZQA from Other Providers
• 030 - 29 September 2009 - Internal Moderation
• 029 - 15 September 2009 - Clarification for grading of "blank" answer booklets
• 028 - 8 September 2009 - Payment of National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Fees for 2009
• 027 - 1 September 2009 - Suggested Times for 2009 NCEA and Scholarship Examination Papers
• 026 - 18 August 2009 - Clarification of use of the "V" grade code in data files
• 025 - 18 August 2009 - Examination Period for 2010
• 024 - 3 August 2009 - Change Proposal for 2009 Compassionate Consideration Process
• 023 - 10 July 2009 - Managing Examination Clashes
• 022 - 3 July 2009 - New Rules & Procedures for Further Assessment Opportunities
• 021 - 3 July 2009 - Format of 2009 examination papers
• 020 - 11 June 2009 - 2009 National School Qualifications - Examination Centre Manager Recruitment
• 019 - 5 June 2009 - Special Assessment Conditions
• 018 - 26 May 2009 - NCEA Brochures
• 017 - 8 May 2009 - Fees and Financial Assistance - 2009
• 016 - 8 May 2009 - Alignment of Standards with the NZ Curriculum - Update
• 015 - 1 May 2009 - Top Art folio exhibition - full venue listing
• 014 - 1 May 2009 - Assessment Reports for the 2008 NCEA and Scholarship Examinations
• 013 - 29 April 2009 - 2009 National School Qualifications: Candidate Information Sheets
• 012 - 24 April 2009 - Memorandum of Agreement and Rebates for National Qualifications
• 011 - 3 April 2009 - New Statistics Online for Schools
• 010 - 30 March 2009 - Top Art folio exhibition on tour
• 009 - 27 March 2009 - Update: Assessment Specifications for the External Assessment of Levels 1, 2 and 3 Achievement Standards and Scholarship for 2009
• 008 - 13 March 2009 - Draft Guidelines for Further Assessment Opportunities
• 007 - 13 February 2009 - Survey of Teachers - NCEA External Assessments 2008
• 006 - 30 January 2009 - Feedback on the 2009 Top Art Touring Schedule
• 005 - 30 January 2009 - Key Dates for National Secondary School Qualifications 2009
• 004 - 30 January 2009 - School Information Collection 2009
• 003 - 30 January 2009 - Circular Distribution: Proposal to discontinue hard copy distribution
• 002 - 16 January 2009 - 2008 National Qualifications Framework Results Release
• 001 - 9 January 2009 - 2009 Examination Timetable

archive of previous circulars