Nau mai, haere mai!
Welcome to the July 2022 newsletter EmaiLink 4.
On this page
Key dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 July | Data file submission due (correct any errors or warnings from previous submissions and send any additional candidate information in this file) Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - Attach SAC entitlements to external standards from now SAC and External Assessment (Exams) (external link) |
| 8 July | Term 2 Ends |
| 25 July | Term 3 Begins Translated Papers - Check all entries requiring 'Answer' or 'Request' flags are correct for 1 August Data file Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - Include as many exam entries for SAC candidates as possible and continue to attach SAC entitlements to examinations. Submission instructions published on the NZQA website for:
Check 1 August file contains all known external entries (including NZ Scholarship) for SAC candidates; MCAT Level 1, 91027; and DTHM CATs |
| 29 July | Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - Include as many exam entries for SAC candidates as possible and continue to attach SAC entitlements to examinations. |
| 1 August | Data file submission due.
Translated Papers – Final date for ‘Answer’ and ‘Request’ flags to be set in data file Making entries for candidates (external link) DCAT and MCAT – Deadline for schools to advise NZQA of Assessment Day and confirm number of entries Visual Arts: art bag order due |
General administration and data
Official Information Requests
From time to time NZQA receives requests from the public for information that we hold. Under the OIA we are obliged to release information in the format requested. We notify affected parties if their data is about to be released, but we are unable to customise data sets.
Find more about Official Information Requests:
Internal assessment administration
Kaiako Tutorials
To assist with a range of Principal Nominee tasks, we have published a series of video tutorials for Kaiako in Te Reo Māori.
Kaiako Tutorials (external link)
External Moderation
Anyone preparing a submission for moderation can now enter their email address to receive notification that a moderation report is ready to be viewed. The notification also goes automatically to the Principal’s Nominee.
If you select “Edit Submission” for a standard, on the moderation plan there is now a contact section where you may enter an additional email address. This is additional to main/authoriser contact section. Doing this is optional.
Please refer to the Guide to the NZQA External Moderation Application for Schools and TEOs.
NCEA review pilot assessments
Uploading files for moderation submissions
If you are uploading a file for a moderation submission and you get an Oracle Internal Server error, this indicates that the file is too large. The best option is to save the complete set of moderation materials to cloud storage, then you only need to share the link and the learner grades into the submission.
We have found that you are likely to have issues uploading files that are much more than 25MB to 30 MB in size, including videos, PowerPoint files and pdf files that may contain images.
Further, if you get this error, you should clear the cache and cookies in your browser otherwise it may keep giving you the error page even though things are fine.
Assessment Master (AM) login credentials
AM administrators for schools/kura must use the AM credentials to access the digital assessment platform (17 May email to PNs). Supervisors must use the credentials supplied by their AM administrator (24 May email to PNs).
You can also use the AM login link in the Education Provider Services section of NZQA’s Login Options page.
Do not use last year’s URL/credentials or google AM (which takes you to a training site).
Note: The link used in the AM guides is www.nzqa.govt.nz/RASSchool (external link). This redirects you to https://am.nzqa.sonet.com.au/login (external link)
Administrative and Submission Instructions
Administrative and Submission Instructions for each NZ Curriculum and TMoA pilot standard will be published on the relevant Te Aka subject page (excluding Literacy and Numeracy).
We aim to have these instructions available 4 weeks prior to an assessment date.
Student entries - digital flags
Please ensure that the correct assessment method is flagged when submitting student entries for pilot assessments.
The default method in the SMS is paper; please flag as digital examination or digital submission, as appropriate.
If student entries are not flagged as digital, they will not appear on Assessment Master. Consequently, students will not be able to log in.
Student access - NZQA external assessment website
Students new to NCEA need to create an account on the Login Options page. This should be done well before sitting an assessment.
If they already have an account, they need to remember their username and password. They should log in and check everything is correct.
The fastest and easiest way for students to access external pilot digital assessments is via the banner at the top of NZQA’s home page and use their student login details.
Student familiarisation - access to past Digital Exams
Accessing past digital exams is helpful when familiarising students with the Assessment Master platform. See “Accessing Past Digital Exams” for more on this.
External exams administration
Find out about:
- Accessing Past Digital Exams
- Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu - end-of-year exam students
- Digital Practice Exams
- Student Login
- Learning modules for schools participating in digital practice exams
- Translated Papers and answers in Te Reo Data File Flags
- Request for translation after 1 August
- NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship English
- NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship Te Reo Māori and Te Reo Rangatira
Special assessment conditions
Attachment of entitlements to external standards
This facility for 2022 examinations opened on 1 July.
External entries for SAC candidates
Please ensure that as many entries as possible for external standards for SAC candidates are submitted in the 1 August datafile. This will facilitate the attachment of entitlements and the planning for personalised papers for these candidates.
If any of your SAC students require Braille papers for exams, please ensure that their entries for external standards are submitted now. SAC needs to be attached to the exam sessions as soon as possible.
This must be completed by Friday 5 August. No SAC applications for Braille papers will be able to be approved after this date. There is considerable work and time involved in creating Braille papers.
Reminders
Processes for Transferring Students to Another School
Students can only have one active secondary school enrolment with NZQA each year. This means that when a student transfers schools the following procedures must be followed.
Students transferring away from your school
- The new school should request from your school a full transcript of the transferring student's results for the year.
- When making an enrolment for the student with NZQA, these results need to be reported using your school’s provider code to ensure the correct school is responsible for moderation.
- If unsure of the destination school, update ENROL with the leaving reason, but leave the NZQA enrolment active in your SMS.
- The new school needs to make entries for standards the student will complete for in the remainder of the year, including external assessment.
A list of contacts for Principal’s Nominees can be found in School’s Administration in the Provider Login.
A candidate's previous results, qualifications and endorsements can be obtained using the Candidate Results from Other Providers link in the Provider Login.
Students transferring to your school
The previous school is responsible for ensuring they withdraw all entries and the NZQA enrolment once they are confident the student has been enrolled with NZQA by your school.
When requested, the previous school must send your school a full transcript of the transferring student's results for the year.
Late External Entries for transferring candidates
Students who transfer after 1 September will not have personalised papers at the new examination centre.
The new school will need to follow the Late Entry process which includes adding the details of entries to the data submission but also requesting papers for the student.
University Entrance literacy requirements
On 31 December 2021, thirteen standards were removed from the list. An additional fifteen standards no longer count for one of either reading or writing.
The registered numbers of all assessment standards that currently contribute to UE literacy requirements are listed on our website.
This may impact upon student's being awarded UE as all requirements must be met at the time of the award.
More information
Information for Staff
NCEA Me Te Whānau Workshops
NCEA me te Whānau workshops are currently being offered to schools. Book a workshop with us by completing our Registration of Interest form.
Read more about NCEA me te Whānau (external link)
If you have any questions or feedback email us at nceametewhānau@nzqa.govt.nz
Resources for Teachers NEW to NCEA
You can find a PowerPoint and an accompanying handbook on our website.
PN Checklist
August 1 Data File
Please Ensure:
- The file contains all known external entries (including NZ Scholarship) for:
- SAC candidates
- MCAT Level 1, 91027
- DCATs
- Students have the correct flags set against entries for translated exam papers in Te Reo Māori.
- External standards for SAC candidates are submitted
- External Assessment entries for SAC candidates requiring Braille
Check for examination timetable clashes and confirm candidates’ entries
NCEA Pilot Assessments: ensure that the correct assessment method is flagged when submitting student entries for pilot assessments.