Key dates
1 December
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Final data file submission for 2022 - include all final verified internally assessed results and results for derived grades. This file is the last opportunity to correct any remaining errors and warnings.
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Final date for withdrawals from internally assessed standards.
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DO NOT WITHDRAW leavers.
2 December
- NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams end
- School emergency contact details to NZQA
- Final date to submit assessment plan for 2023 moderation
Assessment plan (external link) - MCAT Level 1, 91027 - 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 2022 data files can be uploaded to NZQA after 11.59pm.
- Web Entries Schools' access closes
- Derived grade online applications close (external link)
- Assessment specifications for 2023 external assessment published online
12 December
- Provider access to 'Late Internally Assessed Results' for 2022 opens
20 December
- Term 4 ends (no later than)
On this page
PN checklist
December Datafile Submission
- Check accuracy of students’ reported results.
- Check the status of any internal entries that do not have results. If the student has had an adequate assessment opportunity, then a grade should be reported.
If there has not been an assessment opportunity, then the entry should be withdrawn. Entries cannot be withdrawn after this file submission.
The Candidate Entries and Results Report is useful for checking reported entries and results. - Check course names. These cannot be changed after this file submission.
- Check whether unassigned standards should be in courses. Remember standards within courses must have been assessed this year.
- For Year 13 and any other leavers, make sure to leave their NZQA enrolment active when you take them off your school roll. This ensures that their results and any external entries you want are retained and are visible in the NZQA Learner login when results are published in January 2023.
- Check that students who have been withdrawn during the year have valid results reported (if they are not being reported by another provider) and do not have any active entries if these should have been withdrawn.
- Check any changes to students’ details such as address changes and name corrections.
- Submit final data file on 1 December.
December activities
- Complete outstanding derived grade applications by 5 December.
- Report the completion of any New Zealand Certificates to NZQA by 8 December.
Moderation
- Encourage teachers to suggest Level 3 standards for inclusion in your school’s moderation plan.
- Complete 2023 External Moderation Assessment Plan by 2 December.
Reminders
- Update school contact information with details of staff available over the summer holiday.
- Inform teachers about 2023 Assessment Specifications becoming available in December.
- Advise staff of Contract Vacancies at NZQA.
Latest circulars
A2022/17 - Te Ao Haka - New Zealand Curriculum Subject
A2022/16 - Te Reo Rangatira Exams - Voice-over and Listening Audio Files available
A2022/15 - 2022 Digital Language Exams - Listening Assessments
A2022/14 - 2022 Candidate Exams Admission Slip and Exams Information
General administration and data
December submission
1 December
- Last scheduled data file submission for 2022. Complete the checklist for your final data file submission above. Use the Key Indicators and Data File Submission reports in your Provider Login to help with this check.
5 December
- Data files submission links close at midnight. You have until then to correct errors and report further results. This is the final data file submission date for 2022.
Do not withdraw leavers before your final data file submission. Also remember to leave their school email active until the end of January to allow student access to their Learner Login to view their results and qualifications online.
Late internally assessed results intended for inclusion in your school’s 2022 results data can be uploaded using the Add Results link in your Provider Login from 12 December 2022. This will close on 28 February 2023.
Reporting the completion of a New Zealand Certificate to NZQA
Schools with programme accreditation need to report the successful completion of a New Zealand Certificate to NZQA by 8 December. Further information and the spreadsheet to report results can be found here.
Teacher release for 2022 NCEA and Scholarship marking period
The willingness of schools to release teachers to attend panel meetings and, if necessary, mark during the day will be critical to ensuring that marking processes are completed and results are available by results release day in January 2023.
Thank you for your ongoing understanding and support.
Leading National Assessment seminars 2023
These seminars are planned to be held 20 February to 10 March 2023. These dates may be subject to change.
This is an opportunity for Principal’s Nominees and senior leaders managing assessment to meet to discuss issues and receive updates on assessment initiatives.
Details will be sent in January.
NCEA external exams
Social Media
- We’ve kicked off the end of year exam social media campaign aimed at students. This includes reminders such as setting up a Learner Login, what to bring to exams and resources available to help manage exam pressure.
- The campaign will be on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the NZQA website. Please help us by sharing our posts using your school networks.
Facebook (external link)
Instagram (external link)
Twitter (external link)
NZQA website (external link)
Sensitive issues during the exam period
If a traumatic or sensitive incident occurs that impacts on one or more of your students during the exam period, please contact your School Relationship Manager as soon as possible.
Derived Grades
Continue to add derived grades for external standards to your data file submissions so they can be applied where required. Specific information about derived grades at scale (previously called unexpected event grades) can be read here. These grades can be submitted up until the submission link closes on 5 December.
Derived grades (external link)
Unexpected event grades (external link)
Both the evidence gathering process and results must be quality assured, and by submitting the grades you are confirming your school quality assurance processes have been applied.
Quality assurance (external link)
You can monitor derived grade processes through the Derived Grade section on your Provider Login.
NCEA results
Learning Recognition Credits
When results are released, students will be able to use their student login to see how many Learning Recognition Credits they have earned.
There will be regular calculations to include any additional or late results received up until 28 February 2023 (the end of the 2022 academic year), or any changes in results after reviews or reconsiderations.
Schools will be provided with a spreadsheet of details for all their students.
Results publication and Return to Candidate Processes
Students sitting NCEA 2022 end of year exams will be able to use their Learner Login details to access their digital or scanned paper exams online from 24 January. Students sitting NZ Scholarship can access their scanned exam and grade online from 9 February. These will be available online until the end of June 2023. This includes any scanned blank paper answer books, but not blank digital ones.
Paper based exam booklets won’t be returned in the mail, with the exceptions of Level 3 and NZ Scholarship Visual Arts portfolios. Digital submissions will not be returned. A few other exceptions may be returned by mail, such as Braille papers. This change brings together paper and digital marking using the NCEA Online platform and is an important step forward on our digital assessment journey. See the NCEA Results section of our website for more information.
Accessing marked paper online (external link)
Provisional 2022 NCEA statistics will be available shortly after results release day.
Please be aware that for this year's statistics, we will still use existing deciles and decile bands. The equity index will first be used for statistical purposes from January 2024, for data from the 2023 year. We are working with the Ministry of Education to confirm equity index bands for use with statistical reports and will provide further information around the middle of next year in preparation for the release of the 2023 results in January 2024.
Analysing Results by course or standard
The Candidates Entries and Results Report will provide added options for you to filter and sort students’ results for analysis, including being able to check for internal entries with no reported results. This report can filter for assessment method (digital exam or submission) and export to pdf, html or Excel formats.
It can be found through your Provider Login at Reports/Candidate Entries and Results Report.
Reminders
2023 External Moderation assessment plan
In 2023, external moderation will focus on Level 3 standards. Schools may continue to suggest other standards if they see a need for them to be moderated. The sample of student work must no longer be randomly selected. You will have received the emailed auto-notification and an email from NZQA saying you can now access your 2023 assessment plan. The assessment plan is your opportunity to suggest standards for external moderation in 2023.
Assessment plan (external link)
The last date that you can submit your assessment plan is 2 December.
Refer to the assessment plan information, the Guide to the NZQA External Moderation Application or contact NZQA if you are unsure of how to access the plan. Also keep an eye out for an upcoming Assessment Matters circular.
Download the Guide to the NZQA External Moderation Application for schools and TEOs [PDF, 3.9 MB]
We will email you in December or January when your moderation plan is available.
Updating contact information
Please check that the contact information shown on your Provider Login page is accurate, particularly mobile phone numbers, as we may need to contact you and the Principal during the exam or summer holiday periods.
Key Dates Calendar and Wall Planners 2023
The 2023 Key Dates Calendar will be published on the NZQA website here in mid-December. Hard copies will be sent to schools in the first week of Term 1, and electronic versions (docx, pdf and CSV) will be able to be downloaded from our website.
Key dates for national secondary qualifications (external link)
Information for staff
2023 Assessment Specifications
2023 Assessment Specifications for NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship external assessment will be published on the NZQA website on 5 December. Details will appear on the relevant subject pages.
Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy Transitional Year 2023
You can start your transition to the Literacy and Numeracy | Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau corequisite now. Information is available on this NCEA website.
Go to the NCEA website (external link)
Students using NCEA overseas
You can find information about specific country requirements for the recognition of NCEA on our website. This includes information on requirements for United States National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Scholarships.
Please continue to advise students to check international admission requirements for the education institution they plan to enrol in, including the credit and subject requirements needed for entry into competitive programmes.
International fee-paying students can download an Overseas Results Notice from the “order documents” section of the Learner Login. Visit NZQA’s Ordering results documents for more information.
Ordering results documents (external link)
If you or your students have any questions, please contact NZQA on:
internationalunit@nzqa.govt.nz
Contract vacancies
There are a number of NZQA Contract Vacancies currently available that your staff may be interested in. Please let your teachers know about these.