Learning recognition credits
Questions about LR credits.
Do the Learning Recognition (LR) credits come with a grade, or are they tied to a subject, course or level? For example, if a student achieves 5 credits at excellence in Level 2 Biology is the assigned LR credit also at excellence in L2 Biology?
Learning Recognition (LR) credits are not graded or linked to any particular standard, subject or course, but are linked to the level. They will count towards the credit requirement for the NCEA qualification at that level or lower.
Which results earn LR credits?
Any standards assessed in the 2020 academic year and results reported with a 2020 result date will generate 1 LR credit for every 5 achieved. LR credits can be earned from unit and achievement standards achieved through internal or external assessment.
Will NZQA require our student management system to be amended to record and show students and parents LR credits gained during this year?
No. We have no requirements for school student management systems to record LR credits. We will calculate and report them to students through their Learner Login. There are no changes required to the data files we receive from schools, or to the results file we send back.
Will students be given unexpected event grades for this year’s external exams in relation to the disruption from Covid-19 in Term 2?
No. The changes made have addressed the impact of the loss of learning and teaching time to date. Should the situation change either nationally or locally, NZQA will review the situation. Therefore, it’s important that you continue to collect standard specific evidence for externals.
Are tertiary students eligible to receive Learning Recognition credits?
Students who are enrolled in a Vocational Pathway programme at a tertiary education organisation are able to earn Learning Recognition credits towards their NCEA in 2020.
If a student leaves school with NCEA Level 1 and some Learning Recognition credits at Level 2, then continues with NCEA Level 2 at a tertiary education organisation next year, will their Learning Recognition credits contribute to that NCEA?
Yes, Learning Recognition credits persist and will be held on NZQA's system. NZQA will apply them towards an NCEA in future years, regardless of where the student is working towards NCEA.
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Qualifications
Questions about qualifications.
Where a student is working across two NCEA levels, what level LR credits and NCEA certificate will a student get if they achieve 25 Level 2 Credits and 33 Level 3 credits in 2020 (providing they have also met the literacy and numeracy requirements)?
In this example, the student has achieved a total of 58 credits and is entitled to the maximum number (8) LR credits for levels 2 or 3. All the LR credits will count to NCEA Level 2 as there are not enough credits to award Level 3 (33 achieved + 6 LR credits at Level 3).
The 6 LR credits at Level 3 will remain available for use at level 3 in the future.
Where a student achieved 12 credits at Level 3 in one University Entrance (UE) approved subject in 2019, and achieves 12 credits in two more approved subjects in 2020, do they need to achieve 2 more credits in the first subject to meet the 14 credits requirement?
No. For awarding UE in 2020 the subject requirement has been adjusted to 12 credits. We will award the student UE provided they meet the other requirements of NCEA Level 3 and UE Literacy and Numeracy. The award of UE in future years will need to meet the normal requirements.
We have a small number of students, who are here to get their Level 2 NCEA then transition into the workforce and apprenticeships. How will the LR credits work with them? As I read it, these LR credits won't be calculated until after external results are published next year. So just checking to see what will happen with a student that leaves before the end of the year.
For most leavers LR credits will be applied when 2020 results and qualifications are released in January, and so will not be visible on a student's Learner Login before then. Under special circumstances, students may request the award of an NCEA or UE earlier. Contact your School Relationship Manager if you have students in this situation, to find out about their eligibility.
A student completed NCEA Level 1 last year, which included achieving 9 credits at Level 2. This year they are on track to achieve 32 more credits at Level 2 and 12 credits at Level 3. What qualification will they be awarded?
They will be awarded their NCEA Level 2. They have 6 LR credits at Level 2 plus 2 LR credits at Level 3 from the assessment completed this year.
In this example, the student has achieved a total of more than 60 credits, made up of 9 from last year, 32 achieved + 6 LR credits at Level 2, and 12 achieved + 2 LR credits from Level 3 this year.
Their 12 credits from assessment at Level 3 and their 2 LR credits at Level 3 can also be used towards their Level 3 in future years.
Can a student use their Learning Recognition credits towards a qualification other than NCEA?
No, Learning Recognition credits can only be applied towards NCEA.
Course endorsement
Questions about course endorsements.
As the course endorsement requirement is now at 12 credits, do the same exemptions for L2 and L1 Visual Arts exist as at L3?
Yes. The exemption parallels the requirements for Level 3 Visual Arts.