Key dates and information
Please refer to the online version of the Key Dates to ensure you have access to the most up to date information.
Key dates for secondary assessment
9 October
CAAs Literacy Reading and intra-year assessment results released.
15 October
Exam admission slips for candidates sent to schools.
20 October
CAAs Literacy Writing, Numeracy and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau assessment results released.
Last day to submit evidence for external moderation – contact School Relationship Manager about late submissions.
22 October
Level 1 Visual Arts. Last day to enter provisional results. Submissions due through school portal.
23 October
Confirm three-way exam clash arrangements with NZQA.
29 October
Submission of candidate work and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau Kete Manarua due.
Level 2 Visual Arts. Last day to enter provisional results. Submissions collected.
31 October
Final date for school payment of NCEA & NZ Scholarship fees for international fee-paying candidates.
1 November
Data file submission due.
4-28 November
External exams and TAPā.
On this page
Latest circulars
A2025/9 Changes to paper-backups for digital NCEA examinations from 2025
A2025/10 History Level 1 92026 External Assessment
A2025/11 Calculator use for the Commerce examination
A2025/12 2026 Examination Timetable dates and intra-year Assessment Timetable
A2025/13 Technology and Digital Technology
Find NZQA publications
Term 4 online PN support sessions
Please see below the information for the upcoming Term 4 webinars. All resources from PN webinars are also available in the 2025 online PN sessions Google folder. You will need to be logged in to a Google account to access the folder.
Resources for 2025 online PN sessions (external link)
There is a new resource that you may find useful when reviewing your school’s approach to authenticating student work:
#14. Authenticity and internal assessment (external link)
We look forward to seeing you there. No need to register, just click on the link to join.
Term 4 PN priorities
Audience
All PNs
Agenda
- Data checks
- Exam processes
- Quality assurance: Derived Grades, external moderation
Dates and links
Tues 7 Oct, 3.30 – 4.15 pm (external link)
Weds 8 Oct, 3.30 – 4.15 pm (external link)
Thurs 9 Oct, 10 – 10.45 am (external link)
Submitted externals/portfolios
Audience
PNs, subject leaders
Agenda
Managing, saving, uploading, and submitting portfolio assessments.
Dates and links
Thurs 16 Oct, 2 – 3 pm (external link)
Fri 17 Oct, 2 – 3 pm (external link)
Term 4 PN wrap-up
Audience
All PNs
Agenda
- 1 Dec data file
- Visual Arts
- Review Quality Assurance processes
Dates and links
Weds 12 Nov, 11 – 11.45 am (external link)
Thurs 13 Nov, 11 – 11.45 am (external link)
Results and data Q&A
Audience
All PNs
Agenda
- Downloading results
- Adding late 2025 results
- Questions and answers
Dates and links
Download of results
You can download your Reading and intra-year Assessment results from 3pm Thursday 9 October. You can download your Writing, Numeracy and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau results from 3pm Monday 20 October.
We advise using the new process to “Generate For Externally Assessed Results Only”. Downloading external results will prevent any mismatches between internal results recorded in your SMS and what has been submitted to NZQA, avoiding potential issues.
You will be able to access results files at any point (including Candidate Results from Other Providers). However, from 26 September until 3pm on 20 October the “Other Qualifications” section won’t show whether students have met the NCEA Literacy and Numeracy co-requisite (but the file will continue to include the results of the co-requisite standards that students were entered for).
Updating moderation plans
If there are standards in your moderation plan that you are not assessing this year, and therefore have no material to submit, please contact your School Relationship Manager as soon as possible.
These standards can be removed and, where feasible, replaced.
Moderation plan status
There are various status comments that you see on your moderation plan. Below is a summary of what each status means at each step in the process.
Making a submission
Submission – Not Started - No one has started preparing this submission yet
Submission – In Progress - The submission is in preparation
Submission – Ready to Submit - The preparer has selected Ready to Submit and the Authoriser/PN will receive an email notifying them
Submission – Submitted - The Authoriser/PN has made the submission to NZQA
Submission with NZQA
At this stage of the process, a moderator might reject a submission – often because they cannot access a link that has been provided.
The indication that a submission has been rejected is the date in the ‘Submitted Date’ column on the moderation plan, with a status that has gone back to ‘Submission – Not Started’, so that it can be corrected and submitted again.
You should also receive an email explaining the issue.
Report – Pending Material - A moderator has requested materials for a physical submission
Report – In Progress - A moderator has accepted the submission and is working on the report
Report – Provisional - A moderator has completed the report and published it
Report – Final - After 30 working days, a report becomes final. The ability to query or appeal is no longer available. The report will also now be listed under the ‘Moderation history’ section of the moderation application
Queries and appeals
A Query does not change the status of the report. It goes to the moderator who completed the report. The provider can make up to three queries, then this option is closed.
Appeal – In Progress - The appeal is being prepared
Appeal – Ready to Submit - The appeal is ready and waiting to be submitted by the Authoriser/PN
Appeal Submitted - The Authoriser/PN has submitted the appeal for consideration
Report – Under Appeal - The appeal has been validated and assigned to an appeal moderator
Report – Final (Appeal) - The appeal has been authorised and returned to the school. The report is now final
Rejected appeal
If an appeal is rejected, the report status is set to Report – Final.
For more information about the moderation application, please refer to the:
Guide to the NZQA External Moderation Application [PDF, 3.6 MB]
External moderation - outcome statements
Outcome statements form part of your External Moderation feedback. They indicate the level of consistency of assessor decisions and understanding of the standard assessed, and whether assessment materials are suitable for use.
To help your teachers understand the statements, see a reminder of the explanation associated with each outcome statement:
Aromatawai Māori
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA) | NZC kaupapa ako Māori – Te Reo Māori, Te Ao Haka | Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau
To view the 2025 Tautuhinga (Assessment Specifications) for TAPā and Kete Manarua assessments, Kete Manarua Tūmahi (Task), and Tauaromahi (Exemplars), and other assessment material for the above subjects/wāhanga ako, please visit Te Pā Mātauranga and navigate to the subject page(s) you require.
About TAPā and Kete Manarua
For general information about both TAPā and Kete Manarua modes of assessment, visit:
Upcoming TAPā – Guide to preparing for Tūmahi Aromatawai Pātahi TAPā external assessments
To help manage the delivery of TAPā external assessments, we have summarised a list of important information and resources to prepare ākonga and kaiako.
Kete Manarua due 29 October
Kete Manarua assessments for the following subjects must be submitted to NZQA for marking by 29 October:
- Te Reo Māori
- Te Ao Haka
- Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa wāhanga ako
- Te Reo Matatini (Te Reo Whakaputa) 32415 and Te Reo Pāngarau 32412.
For information about digital submissions and how to submit Kete Manarua, please visit:
External assessment submissions
Visual Arts Levels 1 and 2 Verification, and Level 3 and Scholarship Submission Information
For Visual Arts (all levels), ensure you are using the 2025 information when submitting Levels 1 and 2 for verification, and Level 3 and Scholarship portfolio examinations. Use the following links, which are also located at the bottom of the NZQA subject home page.
Useful exam information
Candidate information sheet [PDF, 180 KB]
Visual Arts Level 1 and Level 2 submission instructions [PDF, 1.4 MB]
Visual Arts Level 3 and Scholarship authenticity declaration [PDF, 103 KB]
Visual Arts Level 3 and Scholarship submission instructions [PDF, 856 KB]
We will notify schools if a verification report has been issued. Reports will be uploaded to schools’ secure sites seven days after the conclusion of verification.
- For Level 1, the upload date will be Friday 21 November 2025, and for Level 2, Friday 14 November 2025.
- Final results for Level 1 must be submitted by Thursday 4 December, and for Level 2 by Wednesday 28 November.
The verification review report will be available in the school’s high security area until the end of December. Schools are advised to print out a copy of this report for their records before the end of Term 4. This report may be requested by a School Relationship Manager during a MNA visit to check what actions have been taken to support the marking and quality assurance process.
More information is available on the:
Reminder for schools submitting entries for Design & Visual Communication and Visual Arts
Printed copies of the submission instructions will not be included in this year’s submission materials pack.
Schools can access the submission instructions online on:
Design and Visual Communication subject page
Technology and Digital Technology information
Please refer to Circular A2025/13 for information about NZ Scholarship Technology assessment (93601), Scholarship Digital Technologies (93604), Digital Technologies Level 2 (91898) and Level 3 (91908).
Management of possible breaches in external and school-based assessments
It is NZQA’s responsibility to uphold the integrity of external assessments. During external assessments, we work closely with schools to ensure this. Below are some key reminders as we approach submission deadlines and external examinations.
When needing to report a breach for school-based assessment:
DO
- Submit a possible breach form for any issue, behaviour or situation that may compromise the integrity of an assessment.
Breaches reply form [DOCX, 67 KB] - Keep the report factual, i.e. describe what happened.
- Include relevant details and context.
- Provide supporting evidence, if possible, (eg. notes, screen shots, video evidence).
- Report any situation that might be a breach – even if you're unsure. NZQA will investigate and determine the outcome.
DO NOT
- Restrict the student from completing/uploading or submitting the assessment following a possible breach.
- Make any judgement on a possible outcome.
For end of year exams, your Exam Centre Manager (ECM) will complete a possible breach form for incidents in an exam. If the school becomes aware of a possible breach and thinks the ECM knows nothing about it, discuss it with your ECM.
For possible breaches reported to NZQA we will:
- Make contact with the student using the email they have registered with NZQA, asking for their response to a report. This will happen even if the school or ECM has already talked to the student.
- Keep all communications between the student and NZQA only, unless we require further information or clarification from the school, supervisor or marker.
- Recommend the student talks to someone for support.
- Only inform the student of the outcome of an investigation. However, if an outcome is deemed to be “result withheld”, the Principal will be sent a copy of the letter.
Further information can be found on our website:
2025 candidate exams admission slips and exam information
Exam information
Exam Admission Slips will be available in Provider and Learner Portals from Wednesday 15 October.
Return of Marked NCEA and NZ Scholarship exam booklets
If candidates sat an NCEA or NZ Scholarship exam, their assessed exam can be accessed through their MyNZQA Learner portal in late January (for NCEA) or February (for NZ Scholarship) 2026.
It is important candidates have created an NZQA Learner account if they do not have one.
Exam booklets will not be returned in the mail.
See:
Special Assessment Conditions
Attaching SAC provisions to exam sessions
This process should have been completed by now. If not, please treat this as urgent and also inform your Exam Centre Manager, as they will have planned for exams with incomplete SAC information.
If the SAC attached to an exam session for a student needs to be changed, you can do this in most cases by clicking on the NSN of the student via the Special Assessment Exams Processing link and then clicking the Edit button at the bottom of the page.
You cannot edit an attachment if SAC Not Required (NR) has already been attached. In this case, email sac@nzqa.govt.nz to request the change.
This is also explained on page 40 of the:
SAC Online Tool Guide [PDF, 1.9 MB]
Please keep checking the status of these attachments regularly. If the school submits a late exam entry or you make a new SAC application, you must also update these attachments as they do not automatically update.
SAC exam timetables
You can access and print exam timetables to assist with your planning. Use the Special Assessment Candidate Exam Timetables link on your school’s SAC webpage or via Key Indicators.
You can print these out in various formats (many schools find that format 2 is the most useful).
Further 2025 SAC applications
Applications using the Notifications Gateway (including Computer Only Notifications) and all Learning category applications have closed for 2025.
Applications submitted under the Sensory, Medical or Physical categories can still be made using the Approvals Gateway until the end of the exam period. Please submit these as early as possible.
As we get closer to the exams, please also consider whether the derived grade process might be a more suitable option for students with injuries.
Contact NZQA’s SAC team
Please contact us with any queries at sac@nzqa.govt.nz.
Key requirements for supporting ECMs with SAC planning
Our Exam Centre Managers (ECM) are now planning exam sessions based on submitted entries. Please support them by:
- Advising of any further entry changes, especially SAC entries.
- Providing a list of school-paid staff who are available during school contract hours to support SAC supervision. Note: Staff not paid by NZQA do not require onboarding. However, if staff are to be paid by NZQA (i.e. exam supervision of SAC students outside of their school contract hours), they must be fully onboarded, including police vetting by NZQA. This onboarding is required so NZQA can make prompt and accurate payment to the person for their work.
- Reviewing and managing any potential conflicts of interest declared by your school-paid staff and advising your ECM of the appropriate mitigation measures. Note: Conflicts may include the school-paid staff member having a dependent sitting an exam. Please check with our Assessment Delivery team (email to: examcentremanagement@nzqa.govt.nz) if you would like further advice or guidance.
- Supplying external Exam Assistants for SAC candidates as a priority, since all NZQA-paid staff must be police vetted (3–4 week turnaround).
- Confirming room availability for End of Year exams, with larger rooms preferred for bigger sessions.
Exam centre quality assurance reviews
School Relationship Managers will conduct on site exam centre reviews during the external exam period from 4–28 November. Schools selected for a review will receive a notification in advance.
Last term, schools received a Pre-examination Review Form to complete by 12 September. The reviews will be based on the school’s responses to that form. If you have not completed the review, please email examcentremanagement@nzqa.govt.nz to request the link.
Reminder to submit Derived Grades
You must report grades for all candidates entered into externally assessed standards so they can be used as derived grades if required.
If your school has just completed practice exams, please ensure that the derived grades are submitted to NZQA before the start of exams in November. This is done through the file submission process.
You can confirm the derived grades that we hold through your Key Indicators using the Reported Derived Grades for Unexpected Events link. From this link, you can run an Excel report showing the derived grades held for each subject, standard and student.
As a reminder, NZQA’s new Derived Grade Application tool, available through the new Provider portal, will draw on these grades.
Resources to support changes to Level 1 external standards and assessment methods
For Level 1 standards where there has been a change in assessment method, or a shift from internal to external, sample assessment materials were published on our website in November 2024. These include sample assessment items, resource material (where applicable) and assessment schedules.
You can access these materials from each subject page under the heading Changes to Subject name.
Please note:
- If the sample resources contain copyrighted material (Agricultural and Horticultural Science 91931, Geography 91934, Mathematics and Statistics 91946, Physics, Earth and Space Science 92046, Religious Studies 91919, Science 91923) they are redacted on our public website.
- Unredacted copies are available in your Provider Login under Access copyright assessment materials > Find PDF past exam content, then selecting 2025.
- An unredacted sample for NZ Scholarship Psychology 93405 is also available in the same location.
- Digital exam versions have not been created for these sample assessments.
N4L support
N4L takes network resiliency seriously, particularly during critical periods like exams.
To ensure service continuity, N4L and their partners avoid maintenance and network configuration changes at schools who are undertaking exams, unless absolutely necessary.
To help avoid disruption to your exams, we also recommend checking that NZQA assessment links aren’t blocked by any custom web filtering or blocking rules set at your school. If you notice something is blocked that shouldn’t be, get in touch with your IT support or N4L on 0800 532 764.
Hosting full-time Te Kura ākonga for end of year exams
This notice is included at the request of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu.
Ngā mihi nui to all the schools who have kindly agreed to host Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu ākonga for their end-of-year exams – your support is greatly appreciated.
Ākonga will bring photo ID and their exam admission slip to each session.
Te Kura provides their ākonga with the slip. If they arrive without it, please call Jo on 0800 65 99 88, option 3, for a signed replacement to be emailed to you.
For digital exams, ākonga are instructed to:
- Contact you before the exam period to discuss network access.
- Follow Te Kura digital exam checklist to prepare.
- Bring a fully charged device, charging cable and headphones for Language listening standards.
- Bring black or blue pens in case they need to switch to paper.
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before the session starts.
For paper-based exams, ākonga are instructed to arrive at least 20 minutes before the session begins.
Please send any queries to ncea.registration@tekura.school.nz.
SAC ākonga
We realise that separate accommodation is becoming difficult to accommodate for all schools, and we are grateful for your consideration of these requests.
- Te Kura will provide any reader/writer/typists unless you advise us otherwise.
- Ākonga with Computer Use will bring their own device and charging cable unless you advise them otherwise.
- If an ākonga requests SAC after you have already approved their request to sit at your school, we will contact you to request any changes before proceeding with exam linking.
- If you have any concerns or queries about our SAC ākonga, please contact us at SAC@tekura.school.nz with [Exam ākonga, ākonga name and NSN] in the subject line.
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA) University Entrance – English-medium school requirements
Students in English medium schools who are studying in a kaupapa Māori setting (for example, in an immersion unit) can use certain Te Marautanga o Aotearoa subjects to meet the requirement for the three approved subjects for University Entrance.
If this applies to your school, please let your School Relationship Manager know which students are taking these TMoA subjects for University Entrance by 1 December:
- Hauora
- Ngā Mahi a te Rēhia
- Ngā Toi Ataata
- Ngā Toi Puoro
This notification ensures that NZQA can accurately determine whether these students meet the three approved subjects requirement when University Entrance is awarded in January.
Find out more:
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa University Entrance subjects and notification process
Opt-out of printed 2026 key dates calendar
Schools will receive printed copies of the 2026 Key Dates Calendar during the first week of Term 1 2026. If your school does not require printed versions of the 2026 Key Dates Calendar, please use the Opt-out form to notify us.
Go to the opt-out form (external link)
The deadline for opting out of receiving the 2026 calendar is Friday 31 October 2025.
Expressions of Interest – Hosting Leading National Assessment (LNA) Seminars 2026
Planning is underway for the 2026 Leading National Assessment Seminars and we are inviting expressions of interest from schools and kura able to host a seminar in their region. Thank you to those who have already offered to host seminars next year.
- The seminars will be held between 17 February–6 March 2026.
- Specific dates for each location will be confirmed later in the year.
The deadline for expressions of interest has been extended to 26 October. To register your expression of interest, please use the following link:
Expression of Interest to Host LNA 2026 (external link)
Please note it is essential that adequate parking is available.
Key Ministry of Education communications
Two Ministry of Education communications that may be particularly helpful are available:
- Te Poutāhū Curriculum Centre school update –
Bulletins (external link) - School Leaders Bulletin –
Bulletins (external link)
Subscribe (external link)
Holistic marking
Following our release of guidelines about the use of top-down and bottom-up approaches to marking, we received a further request for advice about making holistic judgements.
We have developed additional guidance to support teachers in making holistic judgements when assessing against internally assessed standards.
Checklist
The following checklist provides a quick reference of the actions associated with information in this email link.
Action items for Principal’s Nominee by calendar month
PN support
Note dates and times for PN online support sessions.
External moderation
Complete the submission of material for external moderation before 20 October.
Inform your School Relationship Manager if material for external moderation will not be submitted before 20 October, or if you need to update your moderation plan to reflect changes from your planned assessment.
External portfolios and reports
Ensure all material for portfolios and reports has been submitted by the required dates.
Exam timetable (external link)
External examinations and SAC
Meet with your Exam Centre Manager to:
- arrange student exam briefing
- confirm accommodation arrangements, including for students with clashes
- finalise SAC accommodation and allocations.
Download and share with candidates the resource material for L1 Geography 91935 end of year exam (available 6 October).
Meet with students to confirm arrangements for any 2, 3 or 4-way exam clashes.
Confirm with NZQA 3- and 4-way exam clash arrangements.
Check accuracy of your digital entries for exams.
Confirm with students their SAC attachments for exams. Hold a signed acknowledgement from students of their preferences.
Check for any late entries for SAC students and update the SAC attachments as needed. Consult with the ECM about these changes.
Derived grades
Ensure quality assured results from school practice exams are submitted to NZQA.
1 November data file
Submit data file.