Getting ready at the start of the year
Schools need to make sure that mark books and courses in Web Entries in the MyNZQA school portal are set up correctly at the start of the year.
Examination timetable
In December, NZQA publishes the examination and external assessment timetable for the following assessment year.
Teachers and students should be aware of the timetable and understand the implications for course selection and assessment programme planning.
National secondary examinations timetable
Attendance requirements
There are no attendance requirements for entry into assessment against standards, but schools should only enter candidates into assessment against standards they are definitely being assessed against, not standards that may be optional.
Use of the correct standard version is essential, and this needs to be checked each year against course outlines.
File submission requirements
Schools, make sure your 1 September file submission contains all entries into externally assessed standards.
Teachers need to check that entries are correct using Reports in the MyNZQA school portal, and that entries and withdrawals are made in a timely manner to meet published deadlines.
On this page
Candidates with dual enrolment through Te Kura
Candidates who are also enrolled with Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu need to have their results and entries reported by their home school.
These results and entries are reported using the Te Kura provider code (498). This allows Te Kura to enter the provisional and final results for standards assessed by portfolio.
Consent to assess
A school must not make entries for assessment of standards it doesn't hold consent to assess for, unless the standard is being assessed by a provider with consent to assess that standard.
Results must be reported using that provider's code.
A standard will show as unaccredited in Reports if even one candidate in the class is missing the provider with consent to assess' code.
Schools need to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the provider with consent to assess.
When you report results with another provider’s code, that provider is notified and will query the results if you don't have an MoU or the MoU states that the school must not report results.
You can check if anyone else is using your provider code through Key Indicators in the school portal.
Use of te reo Māori
Candidates can undertake most external assessments in te reo Māori.
NZQA can provide translated examination papers in te reo Māori, or students may respond to an English paper in te reo Māori.
This information needs to be included in your school's 1 August data submission file.
You are asked to enter the two types of te reo Māori entry requirements (flags) into your school’s software system or web entries.
These are:
- te reo Māori paper flag – identifies candidates who requested an examination paper in te reo Māori
- te reo Māori answer flag – identifies candidates who will answer in te reo Māori on the English version of the 'flagged' examination.
If candidates from your school or kura expect to receive an examination paper in te reo Māori and will also answer in te reo Māori, both flags must be set.
Please remember to include and update this information on your school management system during the year.
Entries for candidates using special assessment conditions
Schools need to make an application for candidates to use special assessment conditions, such as a Reader, Writer or Typist by 1 April.
These applications are made in the MyNZQA school portal and, once approved, need to be used for internal assessments.
We need to know by August if a candidate with a special assessment conditions provision is entered into an external assessment, so that resources can be allocated. This information is also entered in the school portal.
Late entries
Entries for external assessments received after 1 September are late entries. This includes entries for candidates who have transferred schools.
These students won't receive personalised exam papers, and schools must follow the late entries process.
Late or additional external entries
Schools must add any late or additional entries to make sure that markers are allocated and results can be entered.
Late entries means entering a candidate for a new external assessment after 1 September. This includes entries for transferring students.
Additional entries (a candidate needs an additional paper for an examination session) means a candidate already entered in the 1 September file, is entered for an additional standard or standards in assessments.
We will let your school know how to request extra papers or assessment materials.
Check to see if late or additional entries will need audio or visual resources. This is important for languages, Drama and Music because NZQA needs to send audio and visual resources to the exam centre.
Find subject-specific assessment information
Keep a record of the candidate's name, NSN and standards for late entries to make sure the Exam Centre Manager is aware of them.
Add all late external entries to your data file and submit it to NZQA immediately.