Nau mai, haere mai!
Welcome to the March 2023 newsletter EmaiLink 2.
On this page
Key dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 March | Web Entries' Schools' access opens. Making entries for candidates (external link) |
| 3 March | Updated deadline for students submitting applications for NCEA reviews and reconsiderations. Reviews and reconsiderations (external link) |
| 9 March | Deadline for students submitting applications for NZ Scholarship reviews and reconsiderations. Reviews and reconsiderations (external link) |
| 10 March | Update of 2023 External Assessment Specifications online. Assessment Specifications (external link) |
| 13 March | Updated principal’s reports and other statistics accessible via school’s secure login. |
| 20 March | Data file submission opens. Data submission to NZQA (external link) |
| 23 March | NZQA advertises for Panel Leaders (marking external standards). |
| 31 March | Updated External Assessment Specifications released for pilot NZC Level 1 Standards. |
Go to an overview of 2023 key dates with instructions on how to link them to an Outlook calendar:
2023 Key Dates for National Secondary Qualifications (external link)
Latest circulars
See our latest Assessment Matters circular:
Current NZQA vacancies
NZQA is currently advertising Contracts for Service Moderators in Biology (Human Biology), Digital Technology, English, Gagana Tokelau, Korean, Media Studies, Religious Studies, Samoan, Te Reo Māori Kūki Āirani, Technology Materials – Resistant, and Vagahau Niue. Applications close 6 March.
Introducing our new Deputy Chief Executive, Assessment Division
Tēnā koutou katoa
Nau mai haere mai
Ko ahau Te Pouwhakahaere Tuarua mō Te Wāhanga Aromatawai
Kei Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa ahau e mahi ana
Ko Jann Marshall tōku ingoa
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa
Jann Marshall, Deputy Chief Executive, Assessment Division
Where have you come from?
I was most recently the Associate Deputy Secretary, Network and School Delivery at the Ministry of Education. My group’s main function was to support the regional Ministry teams in the areas of school performance, network, and school governance.
Can you tell us a little about your education?
I spent my primary school years moving between schools in Wellington and Auckland as my father was transferred with his job in the banking industry. I was fortunate to attend one secondary school, Bayfield High School in Dunedin. I loved school and played a lot of sport – basketball, netball, volleyball, tennis and softball.
I went on to the University of Otago where I studied Home Science. Most graduates went on to careers in the food or textile industry, or further training to be teachers or dietitians. I chose teaching for a range of reasons. I wanted to work alongside young people sharing the knowledge I had gained throughout my education journey. I also wanted every young person to experience the same quality education I had been fortunate to receive. I completed a one-year graduate Diploma of Secondary Teaching at Christchurch College of Education where my teaching subjects were food technology, textiles and design, and physical education. I started my teaching career at Tawa College and went on to Onslow College as Head of Department, before leaving to join NZQA. After 12 years at NZQA, I joined the Ministry of Education, where I held a number of roles and had the privilege of working with early learning services and schools across Aotearoa,
What are you most excited about, as you return to NZQA?
Supporting schools to deliver quality assessment for the benefit of all New Zealanders.
What do you see as the biggest challenge and opportunity we face in education?
Getting all students back into education after several years of disruption, whatever form that might take, be it in schools or other education provision.
How do you think NZQA can best support equity for Māori, Pacific and disabled students?
By understanding the unique needs of all students and working with the education sector to support them to tailor teaching styles/pedagogy, curriculum context/content and assessment to their needs.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?
Be authentic and most of all focus on building relationships because that is how we get things done.
Leading National Assessment (LNA) seminars
It has been wonderful to see so many Principal’s Nominees and school leaders at our seminars over the last couple of weeks. We apologise for any miscommunication about seminar times. They last from 8.45am until 12.30pm, except Cromwell, Greymouth, Invercargill which start at 9am.
The focus of this year’s seminar is getting ready for the implementation of the NCEA Change programme and the new Level 1 Achievement Standards in 2024. In it we discuss the implications of the new standards for your assessment policies and practice, and the steps you need to take this year in preparation.
The handbook and power point resources for the seminar are available on our web page below. Please contact your SRM if you have any follow-up questions.
2022 NCEA statistics
The Principal’s Report is available through the High Security Features/Principal’s Report link.
Statistical data is available via the Statistics link. Data is not dynamic and will be refreshed as follows:
| March | April |
|---|---|
| Data cut 3 March | Data cut 3 April |
| Update Released 13 March | Update Released 28 April |
Accessing NZQA online
Web browser tips
There are times when people find that NZQA links don’t work online. When this happens, it is always worthwhile trying an alternative web browser in the first instance. We also recommend clearing the cache on your computer.
NCEA Change Programme
Stay up-to-date by regularly checking the NCEA homepage. A Literacy & Numeracy Planning Document was issued in 2022 with further information on Literacy and Numeracy - Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau published on 21 February 2023.
NCEA website homepage (external link)
Resources to Support Literacy and Numeracy (external link) - Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau — NCEA website
Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy Transitional Year 2023 (external link) — NCEA website
Student Authenticity
NZQA has recently published a new online learning module for teachers called Tāku reo, Tāku mahi on Pūtake. This module provides guidance for teachers on managing authenticity of student work for both internal standards and submitted subjects. It also includes guidance on how to deal with Artificial Intelligence text and image generators.
Setting up markbooks for 2023
Please defer setting up markbook entries in your student management system for:
- New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa pilot subjects
- Te Ao Haka
- Literacy and Numeracy |Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau co-requisite standards.
Schools/kura will be notified when the standards are ready to be assigned to markbooks.
Where markbooks have already been set with these standards, your school/kura may need to change the version number at a later date, as the new versions of the standards for the above weren’t available for inclusion in the standards file sent by NZQA to Student Management System vendors and on to schools/kura in January.
These standards are also not currently in your Consents file.
This delay should have no impact on your planned teaching and learning programme.
Accommodating Course Endorsements
Please ensure that you consult with your School Management System provider about the best practice for setting up courses. This is particularly pertinent for semester courses.
NCEA ma le Pasifika
NCEA information for Ngā iwi o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa - Pasifika can be found in one place online. You can also access our new online resource called Rising Stars: Navigating Future Pathways for Pasifika young people and their families.
Go to the new Pasifika section homepage
Ma le Pasifika workshops
Pasifika facilitators are available to deliver NCEA ma le Pasifika workshops to both junior and senior secondary school students. An invitation is extended to all schools below.
Invitation to NCEA ma le Pasifika workshops
Kia ora, Talofa lava, Mālō e lelei & a very warm Pacific greetings!
The Office of the Deputy Chief Executive - Pasifika at NZQA would like to extend warm greetings to you and your school as you prepare your students for another year of learning. We recognise this is not an easy task, particularly for the senior students who will be completing NCEA in 2023; and we acknowledge your hard work.
In 2020, NZQA launched its Takiala Pasifika Action Plan for Pacific Learner success with the vision that “Pacific learners qualify for the future world”, underpinned by Equity in both access and opportunities and enabling Pacific lifelong learning and wellbeing. A key action of this plan is to ensure Pacific learners and families can confidently navigate education and employment pathways.
A series of NCEA workshops by our Pasifika facilitators is now available for your students both in Junior and Senior schools. These workshops can be face to face or online, with the purposes of:
- building a holistic understanding around NCEA, Endorsements and University Entrance.
- supporting students to navigate educational & career pathways.
- empowering parents and communities to support their children as they go through NCEA.
The NCEA ma le Pasifika workshops can be done either during school time or in the evenings - depending on what is convenient for the school - and are approximately 1-1.5 hours long.
They are designed to be interactive, with time for discussion and questions.
If you are interested in our team facilitating a workshop at your school for Pasifika students and parents please email us at: Pasifika@nzqa.govt.nz and one of the team will be in touch with you. Please see the process below and note that these workshops are free of charge.
- School expresses interest in a workshop
- Team sends out a form to collect information
- School completes & returns form
- Team & School arrange logistics
- Workshop delivery
- Workshop evaluation.
Please note, in accordance with the NZQA exam timetable date range, our workshop programme for the year begins in mid to late-February and concludes for the year at the end of November.
Soifua ma ia manuia,
Office of the Deputy Chief Executive - Pasifika
New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Exam Centre Manager (ECM)
On Monday 8 May, the Exam Centre Manager Recruitment link will be open for you to nominate your school’s Exam Centre Manager for this year. Schools recruit and nominate an ECM who will then be contracted and trained by NZQA.
An outline of the skills needed for the role, particularly the need for the ECM to have good computer skills and the ability to competently manage digital exams, can be found on our web page below. If you are looking for a new person or planning to continue with your previous ECM, please check that they have the appropriate skills.
Examination Centre Manager Role (external link)
Full details of the ECM nomination process will be available in the next EmaiLink in May.
Derived grades
Ensure that your school has processes in place to assure NZQA that any reported grades are based on pre-existing, valid, authentic, standard-specific evidence that meets the requirements of the standard and has been subject to quality assurance process. Further information can be seen in Assessment Matters circular A2022/11 and the Derived Grade Update #1, August 2022.
Reaffirming Derived Grade Quality Assurance Processes - A2022/11
Derived Grade Update - August 2022 (external link)
Derived Grade Profile
Your school’s profile data can be accessed in your Provider Login under Reports after 10 February.
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC)
Literacy and Numeracy - Te Reo Maori Matatini me te Pāngarau co-requisite
Read our instructions on the provision of SAC for the assessment of the new co-requisite under the heading 'Quicklinks' on our web page:
Special Assessment Conditions (external link)
Please note that this applies for 2023 only at this stage.
Email sac@nzqa.govt.nz if you have any queries.
Trialling text-to-speech and other assistive technologies
NZQA will continue the trial of text-to-speech (Polly) and other assistive technologies during the assessment of the Literacy and Numeracy co-requisite this year.
Further information will be provided by email soon.
Please consider participating in this trial as this will support the progress to make these technologies widely available for digital assessment.
International students
The Code Office recently sent the first issue of Code News for 2023 to your school’s nominated Code of Practice Contact. Further information about the Code of Pastoral Care for International Students is available on our website.