Ngā mihi raumati ki a koutou katoa
Amanda Picken and the School Quality Assurance and Support team wish you all a safe and enjoyable summer break.
Key dates and information
Please refer to the online version of the key dates to ensure you have the most up to date information.
Key dates for secondary assessment
29 November
- NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams end.
- Literacy and Numeracy co-requisite results released for Assessment Event 2.
1 December
- Final data file submission for 2024 - include all final verified internally assessed results and derived grades at scale for an unexpected event. This file is the last opportunity to correct any remaining errors and warnings.
- Final date for withdrawals from internally assessed standards.
- Final date for assigning internally assessed standards to courses.
- Do not withdraw leavers.
- Update school emergency contacts with NZQA.
4 December
Visual Arts - Level 1, last day for entry of all final results.
5 December
- Data file submission links close at midnight (entry and result file processing ends). No further 2024 data files can be uploaded to NZQA after 11.59 pm.
- Te Reo Matatini me Te Pāngarau results released for Assessment Event 2.
- Derived grade online applications close.
- Assessment specifications for 2025 external assessment published online.
6 December
Final date to submit assessment plan for 2025 moderation.
12 December
- Provider access to ‘Late Internally Assessed Results’ for 2024 opens.
- Web Entries Schools’ access restricted to Internal Entries and Results.
On this page
Latest circulars
A2024/16 - Extension of Trial of optional Notifications Gateway for Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) into 2025
Derived grade application process
Derived grade applications are due to NZQA by 5 December.
NZQA may accept late derived grade applications in exceptional circumstances that are beyond the control of the candidate.
Please email us explaining the reason for the late application and to request a Late Application Form:
Please note, no applications can be accepted after results have been released in January (in accordance with Assessment Rule Schedule 2 3.1.5).
NCEA results
Early release of results for co-requisites assessment event 2
As in our 26 November email, results from September’s co-requisite assessments will be released on Friday 29 November, instead of 5 December.
Students will be able to see their results, and if they did not achieve one or more of the co-requisite standards, will be able to download a personalised feedback report. Schools will be able to download a file with the results of their students and a consolidated feedback report.
Accompanying the email was a message you might like to use (or adapt) for any students who did not achieve a standard.
Results publication and return to candidate processes
NCEA results for 2024 will be released online on 15 January 2025 and New Zealand Scholarship results will be released on 11 February 2025.
Details for return of and access to student assessment material and the release of provisional statistics will be published following the end of the 2024 external exams.
Reporting amendments and additions to internally assessed results
Review the Data File Submission error messages to confirm that no results are reported for which the school or assessing provider lacks consent to assess. Make sure you have used the correct external provider code or site code. Assign internal results to courses where required as you will not be able to do that after 5 December.
You can amend or add 2024 internally assessed results from 12 December until 11.59 pm on 28 February 2025 through the Add results link. Find instructions on how to do this in a Word document at the bottom of your Provider login page.
If you need to add a result for a standard for which you do not have entries, please contact a NZQA Learner Records Advisor (schools@nzqa.govt.nz) or your School Relationship Manager. Once your file has one entry for a standard, you will be able to report further results.
Note: Schools using the web entry process should refer to instructions sent to them about how they can add results.
New Zealand Record of Achievement (NZRoA)
The NZRoA for students will be updated with 2024 results when qualifications are released in January 2025. It is then available in electronic format, or can be ordered in hard copy, through the Learner login. Students are entitled to one hard copy free of charge, with further copies costing $15.30 each.
NCEA external assessment marking information
Grade score marking is used for externally assessed achievement standards.
Further information on grade score marking
Profiles of Expected Performance (PEPs) are used to indicate expected distributions.
To determine if a student achieves the standard, a thorough item-level analysis is conducted to assess performance. Cut scores are then set to ensure the performance criteria are met for each assessment.
This is a broad area, and more detailed advice on the marking process is being developed for the NZQA website.
NZQA does not use grade score marking for the Literacy Writing, Literacy Reading, Numeracy, Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau Common Assessment Activities (CAAs) because they are unit standards with only one level of achievement.
Reviews and reconsiderations
Review and reconsideration process
Students can apply for a review or reconsideration of their 2024 externally assessed achievement standards and New Zealand Scholarship responses. These options are available for candidates who believe their results may be incorrect.
Before applying for a reconsideration, candidates are encouraged to review the assessment reports, assessment schedules, and cut score documents to make an informed decision.
While reviews and reconsiderations are not available for Literacy, Numeracy, Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau CAAs, if teachers feel any of their students’ results are not consistent with earlier diagnostic results, they can apply to have these results confirmed through the Results Confirmation Process.
More information about the Results Confirmation Process
The deadline for submitting Results Confirmation requests for Literacy and Numeracy CAAs and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau TAPā from assessment event 2 is 21 February 2025.
Reconsideration application fees waived for students who meet income criteria
NZQA will waive the fee for students who meet the income criteria and apply for a reconsideration of an NCEA or New Zealand Scholarship result. The reconsideration fee waiver application form is available through the Student Login.
The fee will be waived for students:
- whose parent or guardian (or a person with relevant care responsibilities) is receiving a Work and Income or Study Link benefit; or
- where the joint family income would entitle the family to receive a community services card (as set annually by the Ministry of Social Development).
Information to students will be included with results release and alongside assessed responses on the NZQA website, so you do not need to take any action. However, you may also wish to use your own communication channels to let students and their families know. Some students may seek your advice about how to apply in February after their papers are available.
Credits for Supported Learning standards excluded from the award of NCEA Level 1
From 2025, students’ credits gained from achieving Supported Learning unit standards will no longer be eligible to contribute to the award of NCEA Level 1.
This exclusion applies to all standards in the Community and Work Skills - Supported Learning - Personal, Community and Work Skills Domain, currently 29299 to 29310, 32927 and 32929. This change to the qualification will be published on the NZQA website on 10 December.
New Zealand Certificates
Schools need to report completion
Schools with programme accreditation must report the successful completion of a New Zealand Certificate to NZQA. The school is the awarding body.
Reporting the achievement to NZQA will enable NZQA to issue the certificate to the student and to maintain the student's New Zealand Record of Achievement.
How to report completion
Schools will need to:
- enrol their students in the normal way, through the submission of student enrolment data in a data file to NZQA by 1 December each year
- email NZQA a spreadsheet of students and certificate completions by 8 December each year.
New Zealand Qualifications template for schools [XLSX, 9 KB]
Email School Quality Assurance and Support team or your School Relationship Manager
NZQA will verify that any standards-based New Zealand Certificate has been correctly awarded.
More information
New Zealand Curriculum
2025 Assessment Specifications
The 2025 assessment specifications for NZC NCEA and Scholarship subjects are on the NZQA website:
Find 2025 assessment specifications
Assessment reports, assessment schedules and cut scores
Each year NZQA publishes several documents to assist schools and teachers in their understanding of the previous year’s external assessment and to contribute to the planning and preparation of the new year’s programme.
Three documents will be published on 3 February 2025. They are:
- assessment reports
- assessment schedules
- a list of the cut-scores.
The 2024 assessment reports are developed for each subject and level. These reports provide both information about the requirements of each grade on a standard-by-standard basis and a commentary based on the observations of the markers.
The 2024 assessment schedules for each externally assessed standard were used by markers to determine the appropriate grade for each candidate response. These schedules will also include the cut-scores for the standard.
A table showing the cut-scores for each 2024 externally assessed standard will be published on the NZQA website on 3 February 2025.
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa | Te Reo Māori | Te Ao Haka | Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau
2025 Ngā Tautuhinga Aromatawai | Assessment Specifications (Provisional)
2025 Assessment Specifications (Provisional) for all Te Marautanga o Aotearoa wāhanga ako, Te Reo Māori, Te Ao Haka, and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau standards will be published on 13 December 2024.
2025 publication dates
The following assessment material for all Te Marautanga o Aotearoa wāhanga ako, Te Reo Māori, Te Ao Haka, and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau standards will be published on:
3 February:
- pūrongo aromatawai (assessment reports for the 2024 TAPā and kete manarua assessments)
- mahere aromatawai (assessment schedules)
- 2025 kete manarua guidance documents for Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau.
3 March:
- 2025 kete manarua guidance documents for other standards.
NCEA changes
The Ministry of Education recently carried out its regular Review and Maintenance Programme (RAMP). This resulted in changes to some achievement standards for assessment from 2025.
View the amended standards (external link)
The NZQA website will be updated accordingly by 24 January 2025.
Removal of exemplars for updated internally assessed standards
Due to these revisions, NZQA will remove current versions of exemplars where they are no longer fit-for-purpose. The current Level 1 exemplars will be available until 10 December 2024. Updated exemplars will be published as soon as suitable work from 2025 external moderation becomes available.
Sample assessment materials
Following the Ministry of Education’s announcement about the discontinuation of a submitted report as an external assessment method from 2025, and changes to the mode of assessment for standards in two subjects, sample assessment material for Level 1 standards with changes are available on the NZQA website:
These resources are designed to give teachers an indication of how the requirements of an achievement standard may be applied in an examination.
Visual Arts level 3 Sculpture, and Visual Arts Scholarship Sculpture update
Visual Arts level 3 Sculpture (91459) and Scholarship Sculpture (93308) have a change in assessment method for 2025. The portfolios for both standards and the scholarship workbook will only be by digitally submission.
Further details relating to these standards, and the requirements of the submissions, is in the 2025 assessment specifications. These can be found on the Visual Arts page:
2025 Japanese external exams
Use of Furigana
The use of Furigana in the 2025 external exams will be as follows:
- Level 1: Furigana will be provided in AS91958
- Level 2: Furigana will not be provided in AS91136
- Level 3: Furigana will not be provided in AS91556
Resources for parents and whānau
We have begun producing a series of short articles aimed at parents and whānau that cover key questions and areas of interest in a clear, easy-to-read way.
The articles are available in a new Resources for parents and whānau section on our website:
Resources for parents and whānau
The first topics covered are:
- How NCEA Works - a short summary of the recently refreshed Guide to NCEA resource,
- Choosing a Tertiary Provider - some key considerations whānau might have when helping a young person consider tertiary education.
- Understanding the Code for International Learners in New Zealand - The key information you need to know about the Code that supports the wellbeing and safety of tertiary and international learners enrolled with New Zealand education providers.
We would appreciate you promoting the availability of these articles in your own newsletters and distribution channels.
Future articles will cover topics such as Special Assessment Conditions, Quality Assurance and studying overseas. If there are topics you would like to see NZQA communicating to parents and whānau about, please suggest them to us:
PN checklist - Nga māhi
Action items for Principal’s Nominee by calendar month
1 December data file
- Ensure results for candidates studying with Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu and a Health School have been reported.
- Check results from other providers have been reported with the external provider's number.
- Check whether unassigned standards should be attached to courses. Remember for course endorsement, results in standards assigned to courses must have been assessed this year.
Internal results
Remind teachers that following the 1 December data file, results for internal standards can only be entered by the PN using the late entry process.
External exams
Review external examination processes with your ECM.
External moderation
Submit your assessment plan for 2025 external moderation.