We've established trademarks to assure assessors of the quality of assessment materials used when assessing learners for qualifications.
Only materials certified by NZQA as suitable may carry these trademarks.
QAAM
The Quality Assured Assessment Materials (QAAM) trademark is designed to identify assessment materials (for secondary school subjects only) that have been certified by NZQA as meeting the requirements of the national standard.
NZQA Approved
The NZQA Approved trademark applies to assessment resources owned and published by the Ministry of Education on the NCEA on TKI.
The NZQA Approved trademark identifies assessment materials that we've certified as 'fit for purpose' when used for assessing internally assessed standards.
On this page
About the trademarks
Trademarks are applied to assessment materials
Assessment materials include:
- an assessment activity (instructions and tasks)
- an assessment schedule (including evidence judgements and a sufficiency statement)
- other assessment materials used by schools and tertiary education organisations to assess learners against a registered standard.
What these trademarks tell assessors
When assessors use assessment materials with a QAAM or NZQA Approved mark, they:
- know that the assessment resource they are using to make judgements is at the national standard
- know learners are completing assessment tasks that are fit for purpose and give them the best opportunity to achieve at each level.
It's important to remember that QAAM and NZQA Approved is a quality assurance process of assessment materials, not moderation of assessed work.
Assessment materials are quality assured to the same standard as an external examination paper. Post-assessment moderation still needs to take place to ensure that assessment judgements are at the national standard.
How to apply for a QAAM
The procedures set out the requirements for applying and using the QAAM trademark.
To apply, read the QAAM procedures then complete an application form.
Application for Issue of a QAAM Trademark [DOC, 484 KB]
Include all the required assessment materials, the application form and payment of $960 plus GST per assessment activity.
The application and assessment materials can be sent to us at:
accountsreceivable@nzqa.govt.nz
Please let us know how you'd like to pay the fee.
Alternatively, please send the application, payment and assessment materials to:
Finance
New Zealand Qualifications Authority
PO Box 160
Wellington 6140
After you apply
Once we receive your application and fee, NZQA moderators will begin work on the application.
An application will be rejected if the moderator determines that the assessment materials do not meet the national standard.
The moderator will give guidance about what is required to resubmit the material. You will not be charged for the first resubmission.
Searchable databases
We have searchable databases of resources that have the QAAM or NZQA Approved quality assurance marks.
Go to the QAAM search (external link)
Go to the NZQA Approved search (external link)
You can get resources with the QAAM quality assurance mark from the named commercial provider.
You can download resources with NZQA Approved assurance mark from the Ministry of Education's NCEA on TKI site.
Further information
For further information on the QAAM Quality assurance mark, email us at:
For further information on the NZQA Approved quality assurance mark, email us at:
Please note that if your query is about an assessment resource, you need to contact the Ministry of Education.