Data submission methods
Schools must submit student entry and result data to NZQA in regular data file submissions. There are 2 different methods:
Web entries
Web entries are used by schools with relatively few candidates participating in the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF). These schools can enter data for individual candidates online.
There's a Web Entries User Guide under Data File Submission or Web Entries in the MyNZQA school portal. The Lock Web Entries button sends the data to NZQA's data team.
School management system (SMS) file submission
A data file is generated using schools' Student Management System (SMS). Maintenance of the SMS is the vendor's responsibility.
There's an SMS User Guide under Data File Submission in the MyNZQA school portal.
On this page
Data file submissions
Once a school's file is submitted to NZQA, it's allocated a unique batch number.
Each batch updates the previous file. You should check 3 to 5 days after each data submission that any changes you expected appear on the website.
If you're using an SMS, you can check the data submitted using Windows Notepad or similar to verify that your software is exporting entries as you expect. The file will be named nceaxxxxx.xml, where xxxxx is your school's provider code.
The SMS User Guide contains a list of warning and error messages.
Data submission frequency
Schools must submit entries and results as frequently as indicated on the Key dates for secondary assessment calendar, but are not limited in the number of files they can submit.
Go to Key dates for secondary assessment
Schools must send at least 1 file by the first of each month, starting from April. But they can choose to send files more often to keep their data with NZQA as current as possible.
Don't send data for the current year before April as NZQA is still processing data from the previous year.
We use the following files to administer external examinations:
- 1 August file: used as a guide to calculate how many papers need to be printed. Applications for Special Assessment Conditions are reviewed based on candidates' entries in this file
- 1 September file: used to personalise the examination papers for candidates. This allows barcodes to be scanned for security and tracking.
Schools can't make data file submissions after early December. Data submission facilities are closed after this time.
Data accuracy and checks
Batch Information
After each submission, schools must check Batch Information. As each data submission is processed, any errors or alerts will show in the Data File Submission page in the MyNZQA school portal. Click the batch number link to view any errors.
The Web Entries User Guide and the SMS Entries User Guide contain a description of errors and warnings.
Errors
NZQA can't accept errors and these won't appear in the website data. Schools need to investigate errors and, if possible, resolve these before the next submission.
The NZQA data team will contact you if they cannot process your data file because of critical errors.
Warnings
Check warnings to make sure the data is correct. Once checked, warnings will continue to appear but may be ignored.
Under Report Facility in the MyNZQA school portal, there are summaries that schools should use to check the data submitted. The Count by Subject report provides an initial check that the number of entries is correct.
Standards file
We give an updated standards file to SMS vendors every month. SMS vendors make this file available to schools. The updated file contains the latest version of all standards on the NZQCF.
Don't confuse the standards file in the SMS with your school's Consent to Assess file. You should download your Consent to Assess file from File Downloads in the school portal.
You can only report results outside your Consent to Assess using another provider's code with their agreement. The key indicator list will highlight any entries reported that don't have appropriate Consent to Assess.
These results will not count towards candidates' Records of Achievement or inclusion for NCEA qualifications until a provider code with Consent to Assess is selected.
Use the Report Facility in the school portal to check the data submitted.