Myths
- Samples selected for external moderation must have been verified as part of the internal moderation process.
- All work from the previous year must be kept in case it is required for external moderation.
- If a standard received Not Yet Consistent or Not Consistent feedback from external moderators, I should send it again the next year.
- Student grades can be changed following external moderation feedback.
- I don’t have to follow up on external moderation if I disagree with the moderator.
- Samples of work for external moderation must be randomly selected.
- External moderation needs to be done in October.
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Facts
- External moderation ensures that teacher judgements are consistent with the standard and provides feedback for future assessment decisions.
- Material submitted for external moderation must be from the current year, unless NZQA requests otherwise.
- Schools should select and submit moderation for each standard in their moderation plan as soon as internal moderation has been completed and results have been given to students.
- NZQA requires the following set of samples for external moderation:
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- 6 samples of student work for standards where Not Achieved, Achieved, Merit or Excellence grades are available. Samples should include:
- 1 sample each at N, A, M, E (if a sample at a grade is not available, replace with one at the nearest grade available, but only send a maximum of 2 samples at N). Where possible these should be a typical response for the grade, not borderline.
- 2 more from A, M, E. These could be borderline or particular pieces of work you wish to have moderated.
- 4 samples of student work for standards where only Not Achieved or Achieved results are available.
- 6 samples of student work for standards where Not Achieved, Achieved, Merit or Excellence grades are available. Samples should include:
Where the total number of students assessed for the standard is smaller than the minimum requirement, all student work must be submitted, with a maximum of 2 samples at N.
- Moderators assess each sample of student work against the standard.
- Feedback from the outcome of external moderation should be used to inform future teaching and assessment. It must not be used to change current student grades.
- Schools can query or appeal moderator feedback through the External Moderation App.
- Any issues identified by external moderators in Not Consistent or Not Yet Consistent reports should inform the development of action plans that are monitored and evaluated by the school for effectiveness in resolving the issues. These need to be documented and stored, so they inform future assessors of the standard and are available for external review.
More information
Suggestions for managing assessment workload
- Select your external moderation sample soon after verification of assessment decisions for each standard assessed
- You should follow your school's procedure for filing or storing assessment material.
- Clearly label work generated digitally and store it in an accessible place.
- Clearly date all evidence so that it can be replaced by new work and discarded as necessary.