Derived Grade Updates

August 2019
- 15 Aug 2019

Derived Grade Update 3

Copies of Derived Grade Updates are available in the Derived Grade area of the school’s secure provider login. Updates will be published each term and complement online information.

Please ensure you pass relevant information to teachers, as appropriate.

Key Dates

Suggested things to do

• Review Derived Grade Update #2 – available in the Derived Grade area of the school’s secure Provider login
• Brief staff on the process to manage student absence for verified subjects of:
  • Level 1 and 2 Visual Arts
  • MCAT (Mathematics Common Assessment Task)
  • Verified Languages (La Faka Tonga, Korean, Cook Island Maori)

• Ensure Digital Technology/Hangarau Matihiko teachers are aware of the derived grade process for the Common Assessment Task
• Ensure those working with unwell students are aware of the derived grade eligibility criteria
• Remind students and staff of the pre-approval process for students selected for national representation
• Make pre-approval applications for students selected for national representation
• Remind staff managing practice (derived grade) exams of NZQA’s requirements
• Share the Derived Grade Mythbuster 9 with staff
• Ensure teachers of portfolio subjects check submission instructions on subject pages
• Ensure markbooks are set up to send Unexpected Event (Emergency) Grades
• Use the Derived Grade Self Review tool to review derived grade processes

Topics in this Derived Grade update

• Reminders from Derived Grade Update #2
• Unexpected Event Grades (NEW)
• Setting up markbooks for Unexpected Event Grades
• Managing student absence for Verified subjects
• Derived grade information for portfolio subjects
• Managing student absence from the Digital Technology/Hangarau Matihiko Common Assessment Task
• Derived grades for injuries to an arm or hand
• Ensuring school practice (derived grade) exams produce authentic standard specific grades
• Derived Grade Self Review Tool

Reminders from Derived Grade Update #2

• The updated derived grade application form for illness and trauma is here
• The eligibility criteria requirement for students selected for national representation
• The derived pre-approval form for national representation is here
• Managing the assessment programmes of unwell students

NEW FOR 2019 - Derived and Unexpected Events Grades

An Unexpected Event describes events that impact on multiple students’ attendance or completion of an examination. This term replaces emergency and bulk derived grades. There is no change to the principles for awarding an emergency or a derived grade result.

For derived grades the evidence of the event and impact is supplied by the student using the derived grade application form. The school makes the application at the student’s request and on the student’s behalf.

For an Unexpected Event Grade, the evidence of the event and assessment of the impact is supplied by the school. NZQA’s Chief Executive (or their delegate) must approve the circumstances for an Unexpected Event Grade. Evidence of disruption can come from a range of sources (eg Examination Centre Manager, digital examination logs, Ministry of Education, Local Council, Civil Defence).

Further information is available on our website.

Unexpected Event Grades replace Emergency Grades Circular

Unexpected Event Grade information for Principal's Nominees (webpage)

Ensuring Unexpected Event (Emergency) Grades are submitted to NZQA

Schools are required to send Unexpected Event Grades (formally Emergency Grades) to NZQA (Rule 7.1.6).

Please ask your Heads of Department/Learning to check that your student management system markbooks are set up to include Unexpected Event Grades with your monthly data file submission to NZQA.

Your SRM will be able to provide information on the grades NZQA is holding.

Managing student absence for verified subjects: MCAT, Verified Languages and L1 and 2 Visual Arts

Schools are reminded that while these are external assessments, the derived grade process is not available.

The following processes apply:

For Level 1 and 2 Visual Art

The school’s late assessment policy is to be applied, including providing the candidate with an extension, where appropriate. The grade submitted by the school is to be derived from valid, authentic, standard-specific evidence demonstrated in the candidate's submitted portfolio. Further information can be found on our website.

Visual Arts - verification submission instructions for levels 1 and 2 (webpage)

For Level 1 MCAT and Verified Languages; Lea Faka-Tonga, Korean and Cook Islands Maori

The school’s missed assessment policy is to be applied for students who are absent or impaired for the MCAT or language assessment. The final grade reported by the school must be from pre-existing evidence gathered before the day 1 MCAT or the language assessment was held and be valid, authentic and standard-specific.

Further information can be found in the MCAT Administrative Guidelines and on the Lea Faka-Tonga, Cook Island Maori and Korean Verified Languages subject pages.

MCAT Administrative Guidelines (PDF, 263KB)

NCEA subject resources (webpage)

Managing derived grades for portfolio subjects

Applies to:

• Levels 1,2 and 3 Design and Visual Communication (DVC) and Technology
• Level 3 Visual Arts and Education for Sustainability

A candidate who, after 1 October, has suffered a temporary impairment including a physical injury or an emotional trauma, which has impaired the candidate’s preparation for submission can apply for a derived grade.

The school submits a derived grade based on an assessment of the candidate’s work to date and where the work would have reasonably been expected to be, had the work been completed.

Further information is available on the Visual Arts subject page or in the Administrative Guide for Technology and Design Visual Communication and Derived Grade Handbook.

Visual Arts Level 3 and Scholarship portfolio submission instructions (webpage)

Administration Guide for Technology (PDF, 798KB)

Administration Guide for Design Visual Communication (PDF, 885KB)

Derived Grade Handbook (PDF, 425KB)

For Level 1, 2 and 3 Digital Technology/Hangarau Matihiko Common Assessment Task (DTHM CAT)

Candidates who suffered a temporary illness or impairment including a physical injury or an emotional trauma, that impairs their preparation for or prevents their attendance at the DTHM CAT can apply for a derived grade.

The derived grade reported by the school must be from pre-existing evidence gathered before the DTHM CAT was held and be valid, authentic and standard-specific.

Further information is available in the DTHM Administrative Guidelines (PDF, 240KB)

Injuries to an arm or hand prior to a candidate’s examinations

Where the injury occurs prior to 1 October – the injury must be managed through Special Assessment Conditions. An application for Writer/Computer or Extra Time must be made.

Where the injury occurs after 1 October – a candidate should apply for a derived grade. Special Assessment Conditions are not usually available because of insufficient time to practice working with a writer/computer.

Management of school practice exams

The schools’ practice examination papers and procedures should ensure:

• authentic, standard specific evidence covering all the criteria of the standard is collected;
• the grades submitted are consistent with the standard by being subject to a quality assurance process including:
  • critiquing of the assessment task;
  • a marking process involving a verification or justification process.

Further information of these processes is available in the Derived Grade Handbook (PDF, 425KB).

Derived Grade Self Review Tool

NZQA has developed a Derived Grade Self-Review Tool that schools may like to use to review their processes. The Tool can be used either before or after your school’s practice examinations by Heads of Department or the Principal’s Nominee.

The tool provides the opportunity to check that:

• derived grade processes ensure credible grades are reported to NZQA;
• the transfer of derived grade application information and grade data to NZQA is accurate and complete;
• communication processes support clear understanding of the derived grade process and eligibility criteria.

Derived Grade Self-Review Tool (DOCX, 30KB)

Enquiries

Please refer any enquiries relating to this circular to your School Relationship Manager.

School Relationship Manager
School Quality Assurance and Liaison
Telephone: 04 463 3000
Email: firstname.lastname@nzqa.govt.nz