Congratulations on nearly getting to the end of 2022!  The students have worked incredibly hard this year, and with the end of teaching soon upon us, there is a lot of extra information to share regarding additional programmes to support student achievement, and NCEA Exams.

Last Teaching Day

• For all Year 11, 12 and 13 students, the last day of teaching in classrooms is Tuesday 1 November.  Year 12 and 13 students will be dismissed progressively throughout the day, and Year 11 students will be dismissed from their Prizegiving at 3pm.

Additional Programmes

• There are a number of additional programmes on offer from Wednesday 1 November for students who may need support completing their NCEA Qualifications.  Students will be contacted by Ms Triggs and their Ākina leaders with the details of what assessments they need to do to complete their Qualifications.  It is our priority as a school to support all students to gain the highest Qualification possible that they can, and attendance at these programmes is a significant part of this.

NCEA Exam Reminders

• Exam dates: NCEA exams begin for students on Monday 7 November and run through to Friday 2 December.  Unless the students have an exam, they are not required to be at school and should be on Study Leave.
• Admission Slips: This week in school, all students sitting external assessments should have received their Admission Slip which they will need for all exams.  This slip lists all their exams and assessments that they are entered in and details days and times - if there is anything missing, they should contact their Subject Teacher as soon as possible so we can fix this for them.  Students must bring these Admission Slips to every exam.  If they lose their Admission Slip, they can reprint one using from their NZQA Provider Login which they need to bring to Ms Triggs' or Mrs Head to sign to confirm it is correct, or they can see them for a new one to be reprinted.
• Digital Exams: It is the students responsibility to bring a device for use for any Digital Exams that they are sitting.  If they do not have a device, they are welcome to borrow one from the school library, but we do not have enough for everyone so they should bring their own if they can.  They should do a Digital exams device check to confirm that their device is compatible - in particular students need to have either Google Chrome or Safari downloaded on their device.
• What to bring to an exam: Students must bring their Admission Slip, Pen (black and blue colours are permitted), and approved calculators for subjects where a calculator has been used during the year.  Everything should be stored in a clear bag e.g. Ziplock bag.  Scholarship students must additionally bring proof of ID - if they need support with this, please contact Mrs Head.
   Students cannot bring: their own paper, twink, notes, English dictionaries, any electronic device including watches.
• Absence: If students are absent from an NCEA Exam due to illness or other valid reason, they need to contact the Principals Nominee - Ms Triggs, on the day of the exam to notify of this absence, and to discuss the possibility of applying for a derived grade.  Eligibility for a derived grade is set by NZQA, and absence due to illness does require a form filled in by a Medical Professional, and as an extra note for 2022 if a student is absent due to COVID, evidence such as a text message from the Ministry of Health confirming reporting of a positive test, is required.

Checking Exam Results in January

• It is up to students to check their results in January to see how they did in their exams and to order NCEA Certificates.  The first copy is free, so make sure to order your Certificate to recognise the hard work that was put in.
• To access these, go to: www.nzqa.govt.nz, select "Login Options" and "Students & Learners Login".

Adjustments to NCEA for 2022

• A reminder that NZQA have again recognised the disruption that COVID-19 has had on the education of our students.  To support students to gain their NCEA Qualifications, they are awarding students with Learning Recognition Credits (LRCs) in the ratio of 5:1.  So for every 5 credits they earn, they are awarded with 1 additional LRC, with a maximum of 10 LRCs towards Level 1, and 8 LRCs towards Level 2 and 3.  These will be calculated by NZQA in January 2023 and will be automatically added to the students Record of Achievement.
• The University Entrance Qualification (UE) has also been adjusted for 2022.  To gain UE in 2022, students need:
  • NCEA Level 3
  • Three subjects - at Level 3, made up of:
    • 14 credits in each of two approved subjects, plus 12 credits in a third approved subject
    • Literacy - 5 credits in Reading and 5 credits in Writing
    • Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above

If you have any questions regarding your child's achievement, please ask your child's Tutor or their Ākina leader.