COVID-19 inclusions

We discuss situations with responses for COVID-19 inclusions

Category A response

We have 3 students who were identified as close contacts of a confirmed case in late October and are now isolating at an MIQ centre for 14 days

A.2.a Apply for LRC+ and remind them to sit their end of year exams as planned to maximise the benefits of their LRC+, if possible.If they become a confirmed case and remain in isolation beyond 14 days while they recover, consider applying for a UEG under Category C.1.a

A student living in Christchurch is immune compromised and followed Ministry of Health guidelines to remain at home during Alert Level 2. The student has returned to school now that we are back in Alert Level 1. 

A.2.b Apply for the student to receive the LRC+ Covid Inclusion if you know that their absence was due to health issues and you establish that the effect was equivalent to students at Auckland schools.

B.1.a Apply for pre-approval for Derived Grades in case your region returns to Alert Level 2 or higher, and they are unable to sit their NCEA exams.

My school is outside Auckland. Several of our boarders live in Auckland and returned home to be with family for the duration of the Alert Level 3 Lockdown. Their parents didn’t know if the lockdown would be two weeks or three months. Remote learning opportunities were not provided as most of our students were present in school.

A.3.b Apply for the LRC+ if you establish that the effect on each student was equivalent to that of students at Auckland schools.

A student who was at an Auckland school during the August lockdown has now moved with their family to attend school in Napier.

A3b Our system is designed to pick this up from enrolment records, but the new school is encouraged to make an LRC+ Covid Inclusion application.

Several of our teachers live in Auckland and were unable to cross the border to attend school in person during the August lockdown. Their students continued to be taught via Zoom sessions and were able to submit assessments.

A In general, students are not eligible for LRC+ as they were able to continue with their learning and assessment programme.If an individual student had several teachers unable to deliver face-to-face teaching, consider an LRC+

A Dunedin student did not attend school during the August Lockdown. The school was open and there is no evidence that the student or their family were at heightened risk.

A As there was no valid reason for the student not to attend when the school was open they do not meet the criteria for LRC+.

A student who was at school in Christchurch during the August Lockdown has moved with their family to my school in Auckland.

A The student is not eligible for LRC+ as they were not in Lockdown in August and were able to continue with their learning programme while at their Christchurch school. NZQA will use enrolment data to check eligibility. 

A student from an Auckland school did not attend school after the August lockdown ended and Auckland was in Level 2. We know that the student has a medical condition that puts them at additional risk from Covid-19.

B.1.a The student will receive the LRC+ Covid Inclusion (no application is necessary).

Apply for pre-approval for Derived Grades in case of a return to Alert Level 2 or higher, and they are unable to sit their NCEA exams.

A student with a condition that puts them at additional risk from Covid-19 has requested separate accommodation for the exams.

B.1.a Special Assessment Conditions are not available. Separate accommodation does not remove the risk. Apply for pre-approval for Derived Grades in case your region is in Alert Level 2 or higher, and they are unable to sit their NCEA exams.

A.1.b High risk students may also be eligible for LRC+ if they missed 10 days of schooling by following MoE or MoH guidelines.

Category C response

On 21 November we had to close the school for three days for deep cleaning, as a student was identified as a close contact of a confirmed case. We were not able to hold exams on these days.

C.1.a The close contact is entitled to a UEG for exams missed while they are in isolation.

Contact your School Relationship Manager to discuss if this is an Unexpected Event Situation

A student turned up to her English exam with symptoms similar to Covid. The Principal’s Nominee and Exam Centre Manager sent her home.

C This a standard Derived Grade situation, using the normal process. There is no requirement for the student to provide additional medical evidence to support the decision made by the Principal’s Nominee and Exam Centre Manager.

We had a case at our local primary school in late October and our school has closed for three days for cleaning. Several of our students are being tested and cannot attend school until we have the results.

C Students at home awaiting the results of their tests may be entitled to a UEG depending on the length of time away from school.

There is no UEG for the remainder of the students.