Assembly for candidates before examinations
The Principal’s Nominee (PN) should organise an assembly for candidates before examinations to introduce the Exam Centre Manager (ECM) who will brief candidates on NZQA’s rules and expectations.
This meeting should include any candidates from other schools including Te Kura, and home schools, who will be using the school as their exam centre. In addition, a separate briefing for candidates entered for digital examinations should be organised.
It is important candidates understand that the ECM is in control of these examinations.
At this assembly, the ECM will cover a range of issues. The following should help school staff to reinforce these messages with candidates.
On this page
Before exams
Candidates should be reminded to do the following before exams.
Check examination timetables
Candidates should check examination timetables carefully and note whether the examination is in the morning or afternoon. Morning examinations start at 9:30am. Afternoon examinations start at 2:00pm.
Arrive at least 20 minutes before the exam
Candidates should be reminded to arrive at least 20 minutes before the start of the exam so there is time to find their examination room by checking the central information area or notice boards.
Reporting times for digital examinations may be earlier to allow for set up of computer equipment and logging on to the exam.
Digital candidates will be told about the start times of their digital exams by the school.
Bring their admission slip
Candidates must bring their admission slip. If not, they must get reprinted slips signed by the Principal’s Nominee (or their delegate) or Principal before they enter the exam room. Admission slips must not be written on or contain highlighting.
Check their personal details are correct
Candidates should check that their personal details on the admission slip are correct, including the standards they are sitting for each exam session, and whether their exams are being sat digitally or on paper.
Remember exam code
Candidates need to remember their exam code (letter and three numbers) as exam room seating will be arranged in exam code order.
Sit at the assigned desk
Candidates are to sit at their assigned desk in the correct exam room, as shown on the seating plan or as directed by a supervisor.
Listen to what is read to them
Important information is read to candidates at the beginning of each exam session They need to listen to this
Candidates arriving late will be given a copy of this information to read and a form to sign to indicate the information has been read, before they can start the exam. Any candidates arriving after the first 30 minutes of the official exam start time will not be allowed entry.
In exceptional circumstances (e.g., major traffic delays/gridlocks or accidents), candidates may be allowed entry to an exam after the first 30 minutes once NZQA has been contacted in Wellington by the PN and approval has been given. Candidates who miss an exam because they forgot the day or start time are not eligible for a derived grade.
Don't take unauthorised material to the exam
Candidates should not bring the following into the exam room:
Electronic devices that can store, communicate, retrieve information
Any electronic device which has the capability to store, communicate, and/or retrieve information, including:
- cell phones (other than in an emergency evacuation pack)
- watches (both analogue and digital)
- non-approved calculators
- approved calculators where the memory has not been cleared
- MP3 players and iPods
- programmable or Bluetooth-capable smartwatches
- electronic dictionaries
- PDAs and electronic translators.
Unauthorised electronic items brought to the exam room may be stored, switched off, in candidates’ bags which must be stored well away from desks. Otherwise, they will be removed from candidates by supervisors and may be sent to NZQA. Supervisors will file a special report for these candidates, which may be treated as a possible breach of the rules.
In addition, the following may not be taken into an exam room:
- Notes in any form
- Watches in any form
- Packets/boxes of tissues
- Water bottles which are not transparent/free from labels and writing
- Dictionaries
- Lollies/food, without the agreement of the school due to medical conditions.
Entering the exam room
What to bring to the exam
Candidates should bring the following to their exams.
Their admission slip
If candidates forget their slip, tell them how to get a copy. The PN or office staff should have a copy of each admission slip or the ability to quickly print them off the school’s login to the NZQA website. All reprints of admission slips must be signed by the Principal or PN (or their delegate).
Supervisors may allow candidates into the examination room to commence their examination without a slip. However, candidates without admission slips must be held until the end of the examination session for supervisors to complete a formal check and confirm the candidate's identity.
All necessary equipment
All necessary equipment, including approved calculators, are in a clear plastic bag. Once calculators are removed from the bag, cases are to be stored on the floor by desks.
Identification
For NCEA exams, some form of ID (e.g., student ID cards, driver’s licence or passport) will be required if school staff cannot identify a candidate. For New Zealand Scholarship candidates and candidates whose exam centre is different from the school they are enrolled at, a photo ID is absolutely necessary if a member of staff cannot be present to assist with identification.
Candidates may also bring the following into an examination room:
- An emergency evacuation pack in a clear sealable bag. Contents could include a mobile phone (switched off), keys, money, bus or train pass and medicines. This bag stays under the candidate’s chair and may not be touched or opened without the permission of the supervisor.
- Water in a completely transparent bottle (with label removed/no writing on the bottle), at the discretion of the school.
What not to bring to the exam
Check to make sure that no unauthorised material is taken into the examination room, particularly notes, lined refill paper and mobile phones/watches.
Unauthorised electronic items, not switched off and stored in bags, will be removed from candidates by supervisors and may be sent to NZQA. Supervisors will file a special report for these candidates, which may be treated as a possible breach of the rules.
Breaches of the Rules
Read more about what constitutes a breach of the rules:
NZQA Assessment Rules for Schools, TEOs assessing against Achievement Standards, and Candidates 2023
During exams
Candidates need to be aware of the following:
Sets of exam booklets are personalised for each candidate
Candidates must check that they are sitting at the correct desk by matching the NSN and exam code (letter and three numbers) on their admission slip with those on the pre-printed labels on the set of booklets in front of them. This is particularly important if a candidate arrives in the exam room after the exam has started.
Candidates must follow the instructions of the supervisor
This includes starting and stopping writing when instructed to. Failure to do so will be seen as a possible breach of the rules and may result in a formal investigation.
Only write in answer booklets that are to be marked
Candidates must only write in answer booklets which they want to have marked.
If there are pre-printed personalised booklets in their exam pack for standards which they no longer wish to attempt, candidates must not write on, or in them in any way.
Booklets which have been written or drawn on by candidates in any way will be treated as ‘live’ and will be marked according to the appropriate assessment schedule.
Answer booklets left entirely blank will receive a ‘standard not assessed’ (SNA) result. These results will not be recorded on the candidate's New Zealand Record of Achievement.
Use the official NZQA paper
Answers received on any paper other than official NZQA paper and not countersigned by a supervisor will not be marked. This may be treated as a possible breach of the rules.
Writing responses in answer booklets
All candidate answer booklets are scanned post-exam so, for clarity, only black or blue pens should be used to write responses. In addition, correcting fluid does not scan well and should not be used.
Candidates should not write any text in the cross-hatched areas on the NZQA answer booklets as this is cut off during the scanning process.
Answer booklets to be handed to supervisor
All answer booklets must be handed in to the supervisor at the end of each exam. Candidates who inadvertently take answer booklets with them at the end of the exam cannot have these marked. It is important candidates double-check all material handed in.
Candidates who miss an examination or are ill
Candidates who cannot sit an examination because of sickness, accident, injury or a family bereavement or other emergency must contact the PN as soon as possible. The Principal's Nominee will give advice about eligibility for a Derived Grade application.
If candidates feel ill during the examination and think they performed badly as a result, or have to leave the room, they must:
- advise the exam room supervisor that they feel unwell
- remain supervised if they wish leave the exam room but may want to return once they feel better
- go to the PN as soon as they finally leave the exam room for a Derived Grade Application.
Management of other students during exam time
Schools are asked to:
- warn all students at the school of examinations and the expectations for their behaviour in the vicinity of examination rooms.
- remind students that duty teachers will be patrolling examination areas to ensure exam candidates are not being disturbed.
- show students samples of the notices that will be displayed around school.
- inform students, well in advance, of room changes as a result of exam sessions.
- where possible, cordon off exam rooms and/or exam areas as a warning to non-exam users and visitors.