How The System Works
Standards
Credits
How Is The Ncea Qualification Achieved?
NCEA Level 1
NCEA Level 2
NCEA Level 3
Rewarding Achievement: Endorsement With Merit Or Excellence
Other Awards
University Entrance
Scholarship
How Will I Know What To Do To Achieve A Standard?
Record Of Achievement
Will An NCEA Be Useful If I Go Overseas?
Websites With Valuable Information Regarding NCEA
Other References

The skills and knowledge you gain when you study subject areas like English, Science, and Mathematics are made up of component 'Standards'. Qualifications are gained by building up credits, awarded for each Standard you achieve.

Standards-based assessment measures your performance against pre-set standards. You are not judged against the achievements of other students. Your subject teachers will tell you what's required to achieve each Standard.

Standards are organised into 'levels' of increasing difficulty. Some are assessed internally, by your teachers, and some externally in end-of-year examinations.

There are two types of Standards - ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS and UNIT STANDARDS. Both are used in programmes taught at Columba College.

For Achievement Standards you reach ACHIEVED, ACHIEVED WITH MERIT or ACHIEVED WITH EXCELLENCE. For Unit Standards, you either get ACHIEVED (PASS) or NOT ACHIEVED (FAIL).

The Standards assessed in schools are usually at Levels 1, 2 and 3. Most students will start at Level 1 in Year 11, though students often study at a mix of levels depending on their ability in particular subject areas. For example, in Year 11 you can attempt studies at Level 2 and/or 3.

Each Standard is worth a certain number of credits. When you achieve a Standard, these credits count towards your NCEA and may also contribute towards other national certificates, such as the National Certificate in Computing.

Note: no NCEA course at Columba College will offer less than 20 credits.

When you have achieved 80 credits from Level 1 or higher, you have gained NCEA Level 1. Eight of these credits must be from numeracy Standards and eight other credits must be from literacy Standards. These skills can be assessed in English or in te reo Maori.

NCEA Level 2 requires a minimum of 60 credits at Level 2 or above and 20 credits at any other level. Credits can be used for more than one qualification; so some of your NCEA Level 1 credits can count towards NCEA Level 2. At Level 2 there are no specific literacy or numeracy requirements.

For NCEA Level 3 you will need to achieve 80 credits, of which 60 must be at Level 3 or above, and 20 at Level 2 or above.

Achievement Standards don't just set out expectations for achieving the Standard. They also recognise performance that meets 'merit' or 'excellence' criteria. You can now gain NCEA certificates endorsed with merit or excellence. If you get 50 credits at excellence level you will earn an NCEA certificate endorsed with excellence. If you get 50 credits at merit level you will earn an NCEA certificate endorsed with merit. (If you get 50 credits with a mix of merit and excellence you will earn an NCEA certificate endorsed with merit.)

Excellence criteria are demanding and students who achieve with excellence for all or most of their Standards will demonstrate higher-level thinking skills.

To gain entry to a New Zealand university, you will need to have 42 credits at Level 3 or above. At least 28 of these credits must come from Standards on an NZQA approved list. As well as these Level 3 credits, you'll need some credits at Level 2 or 3 which show that you have reading and writing skills, and credits showing numeracy skills at Level 1 or higher. A summary of the University Entrance requirements is listed in the attachments section at the end of this document.

Universities and other tertiary providers in New Zealand sometimes have other specific requirements for entry to particular programmes or courses. If you have a particular university programme in mind, check the entry criteria as soon as possible, to ensure that you are entering for the right Standards at Level 3.

Scholarship is externally assessed. It is designed to extend the very best students and to financially reward very able students who are going on to tertiary study. It is not a qualification. There are 5 classes or levels of monetary awards. These range in value from $500 per subject to $10,000 each year for three years.

Students sitting Scholarship will be assessed on their ability to think laterally and in the abstract. The examinations cover the same knowledge and skills as Level 3 Achievement Standards, but the standard of performance required is much higher.

Details of the programme can be found on-line at www.nzqa.govt.nz/scholarship/index.html

As you learn a new skill or topic your teachers will explain to you what is going to be assessed and how well you'll need to perform. Your teachers will show you clearly what you have to do to achieve a Standard with ACHIEVED, with MERIT and with EXCELLENCE. It will be very challenging to gain a lot of Excellences.

Your teachers can provide feedback while you are learning to tell you if you are on the right track or advise on how to improve your work.

The FOR LEARNERS AREA on the NZQA website www.nzqa.govt.nz/for-learners/index.html is a useful gateway to information including:

There is also a secure part of the website where you use your National Student Number (NSN) and password to log in. If you have not logged in before, you must first register to generate a password. This enables you to access information NZQA holds about you including your Record of Achievement.

Each year around April, you'll be sent a Record of Achievement (formerly called the Record of Learning). This records all Standards achieved during your time at school.

A summary of your qualifications and achievement will be listed at the top of your Record of Achievement. Standards are then grouped according to related areas of study.

The Standards you achieve each year will be added to your Record of Achievement. You can continue to add to it once you leave school and complete new qualifications or undertake workplace training.

You can access your Record of Achievement on the NZQA website and also order a paper copy.

NCEA is New Zealand's national school-leaver qualification, readily accepted overseas, including by universities.

New Zealand has qualification recognition agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom and New Zealand qualifications are accepted for most purposes in the United States. NCEA is included in the publication International Qualifications for Entry into Higher Education, which is used in the UK and internationally for tertiary entrance and selection. Level 3 NCEA is broadly equivalent to English A Levels and Australia's Higher School Certificate.

NCEA Level 3 results are used in the Interstate Tertiary Index used for entrance to all Australian universities. If you give permission on your entry form, NZQA will electronically send your results to Australian authorities early in January.

If you are an international student studying in New Zealand, you should discuss your tertiary education plans with your teachers. They will help you plan the appropriate study at school.

http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/for-learners/index.html
http://www.studyit.org.nz

Making Use of NCEA (pdf)
Secondary School Qualifications - A Guide for Students (pdf)
Understanding NCEA (pdf)
Understanding NCEA. (24 minutes. 100 MB Quicktime movie. Requires Quicktime plug-in.)