Todays’ Ministry Bulletin for School leaders included the following guidance for exams at different alert levels
NZQA have provided scenarios to reflect the current understanding of what is permissible under each Alert Level.
NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams for any region at Alert Level 1 or 2
- Under current advice from Public Health, NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams will go ahead. Should this position or the requirements for running exams at these alert levels change for any reason, we will inform schools as soon as possible.
- While there are no restrictions on the number of students in an exam room (gathering limits do not apply in schools at Alert Level 2), you will need to consider keeping exam rooms well ventilated and how to minimise or prevent students congregating outside rooms before and after their exams.
- In all exam rooms there must be a gap of 1.5 metres between students in all directions. This distance is measured from head-to-head and not from desk edge to desk edge. This gap provides enough distance between students to ensure they aren’t touching or breathing directly on each other and exam supervisors can safely walk between desks.
NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams for any region at Alert Level 3 or 4
- Under current advice from Public Health, NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams will not go ahead. Should this position change for any reason, such as having sufficient vaccination rates for students in Year 11-13 and teachers/supervisors, we will reconsider the viability of running exams at Alert Level 3.
- This advice for Alert Level 3 has changed since last year due to higher risks from the Delta variant.
- NCEA candidates will be eligible for an Unexpected Event Grade (UEG) if their region is at Alert Levels 3 or 4 during the exam period.
- We are investigating the possibility of alternative date options for NZ Scholarship exams should any region be at Alert Levels 3 or 4 when these are scheduled.
Alert Level 3 and 4 guidance regarding onsite practice exams
- Onsite practice exams will not be an option for schools and kura at Alert Level 3 or 4.
- The Delta context means that there are elevated risks to students travelling to school/kura, moving around school and being in groups of more than 10 people.
- Allowing students on site in order to participate in practice exams, even within 10-student bubbles, does not align with the intent of the public health requirements for Level 3 under Delta. Those that can stay home should do so.
- Schools are reminded that NZQA has provided a Remote Assessment Matrix and Guidance and Assessment Evidence Gathering Templates on the NCEA subject pages.
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