September 2021 EmaiLink 6

Rārangi Take ki tēnei Hono-ā-īmēra (EmaiLink) pānui

Nau mai, haere mai!

Welcome to the September 2021 newsletter EmaiLink 6.

Derived grade update

The derived grade timelines and process have been updated to reflect the changes to exam timelines. For further details on these updates, please refer to the information below, derived grade information on our website , and the updated key dates calendar.

Derived grades quality assurance processes (external link)

Further information on Derived Grades and Unexpected Event Grades will be published later in September.

Gathering school-based evidence for external assessments

Collecting evidence for students’ externally assessed standards ensures grades are available for derived grades, or where an unexpected event is declared.

Derived grades quality assurance processes (external link)

Derived grades for an unexpected event (previously unexpected event grades) (external link)

Read our information on gathering school-based evidence for external assessments:

COVID-19 Updates and Resources (external link)

It includes:

• How to gather evidence from both formal assessment events and the learning process
• How to quality assure grades using a verification or justification process
• Further support in a PowerPoint presentation and useful templates

Report showing unexpected event grades submitted to NZQA

Unexpected Event Grades are used to provide a result for students in external standards where a significant event occurs during the exam period that interrupts the normal assessment process. Grades should be submitted to NZQA in a datafile prior to the start of the end of year exams. Where further evidence has been gathered right up to this date you can update your Unexpected Event Grades in subsequent datafiles.

Use the Unexpected Event Grades Report in the Reports section of your Provider Login to check whether grades have been reported against all entries in externals. Follow up with teachers if there are gaps.

Pre-approval process for a derived grade due to the 2021 exam timetable change

Should the timetable change for the 2021 exam result in a student now having a conflict with an existing confirmed commitment, they can seek pre-approval for a Derived Grade.

We will pre-approve applications on a case-by-case basis where evidence shows:

• the student cannot sit their exam at another exam centre. Where possible, we expect students to sit their exam at another exam centre
  Request to change examination centre (external link)
• the commitment was made prior to the announcement of the exam timetable change on 25 August 2021
• the commitment cannot be changed.

If the commitment does not subsequently occur, pre-approval is withdrawn, and the student must attend their exam.

Read more about Derived grades (external link)

Pre-approval process

Email the application and supporting evidence to derivedgrades@nzqa.govt.nz by 14 November, including

• the completed application form
  Pre-approval application for a derived grade
• proof that the commitment was made prior to 25 August 2021
• the candidate’s contact email address

NZQA will email the outcome to the candidate, with a copy to the Principal’s Nominee.

Submitting pre-approved derived grade applications to NZQA

Use the NZQA online process to make the derived grade application only once you can confirm the student attended the commitment. Principal’s Nominees are required to attest the student attended the commitment as part of the online application.

Derived Grades when students travel overseas

Derived grades are available in these circumstances:

What can be applied for (external link)

Disruptions due to overseas travel, including becoming trapped overseas or unable to return to New Zealand before their exams are not reasons for a student to be awarded a derived grade. NCEA assessments are not offered to students in MIQ facilities. Families are encouraged to factor this into any decision to travel out of New Zealand.

Managing student absence for the MCAT

Use the school’s missed assessment policy for student absence.

See the MCAT Administrative Guidelines:

Mathematics and Statistics subject resources (external link)

Changes to date for injuries to an arm or hand prior to a student’s examinations

Where an injury occurs prior to 15 October, the injury must be managed through Special Assessment Conditions. An application for Writer/Computer or Extra Time must be made.

Special Assessment Conditions (external link)

Where the injury occurs after 15 October, a candidate should apply for a derived grade. Special Assessment Conditions are not usually available because of insufficient time to practise working with a writer/computer.

International Student NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship fee payment

Ensure that NCEA and NZ Scholarship entries for fee-paying international students are accurate in your SMS for your data file submission.

Schools will be sent an invoice to cover the relevant fees following this file submission. Any changes due to COVID-19 can be adjusted at a later date.

External exams administration

New NCEA Timetable 2021

2021 Exam timetable [PDF, 231 KB]

Exam timetable clashes

Exam timetable clashes can be identified from your September data file. Use the Key Indicators to check which students have clashes, then follow the process as detailed to confirm the arrangements for resolving the clash exams with them.

Examination Timetable Clashes (external link)

External assessment of Lea Faka-Tonga, Korean and Cook Islands Māori

Lea Faka-Tonga, Korean and Cook Islands Māori are being held as external exams for the first time this year.

Please note that candidates will need to sit these exams in the same way that they sit all their other exams. Now that these assessments are being managed as an exam, within the NCEA and NZ Scholarship exam timetable, it is important that students sit these exams at their home school or allocated exam centre.  (In the past some schools brought students together from a range of local schools to sit their common assessment tasks at one school.)

Digital practice exam administration

Digital Practice Exams

Access to the digital practice exams for assessment and marking has been extended until 31 October. Student access to their marked answers will be extended until 19 November.

Check out information about how to administer, supervise and mark digital practice exams:

• by accessing the digital practice exams course in Pūtake using your Education Sector Login
  Pūtake
• read our information about NZQA digital practice exams 2022 (external link)
• find information within your NZQA School Provider Login for those schools who have registered to run these exams.

Please remind students

• They will use their NZQA Learner Login details to access digital practice exams. They must create an account if they do not already have one and if they do, they should check their username and password.
• If they have any problems creating or using their Learner Login, they can call the NZQA Contact Centre on 0800 697 296.
• They should go through the digital practice exams checklist on our website.
  Digital practice exams checklist

End of year digital exams

• Remember to tick the DE flag in your SMS and send the entries through in your datafile.
• Use the Digital exam link under Exams in your Key Indicators to check the details of your digital exam entries, including whether students have created an account or checked their NZQA Learner Login.

Introducing new School Relationship Manager

Tim Dagger

My name is Tim Dagger, and I’m really happy to have joined the School Relationship team. I am a Wellington boy originally, having worked at Tawa College and Kāpiti College as a teacher of English and Drama, Dean and HoF Arts. Most recently I was Deputy Principal and Principal’s Nominee at Lytton High School in Tairāwhiti. I look forward to meeting you as I make my way around the motu.