Questions and Answers:
1. Are all NCEA Level 1 subjects being piloted?
All NCEA Level 1 subjects, from both NZC and TMoA, are being piloted.
2. Will schools/kura, along with their communities, be able to pilot as many NZC or TMoA subjects as they want?
No.
- For TMoA subjects, a pilot school/kura can pilot more than one Wāhanga Ako. They are also required to pilot the full suite of Paerewa Paetae from 1.1-1.4 of the subject(s) they choose to pilot.
- For NZC, in order to test the new achievement standards in a wide range of learning contexts, we are limiting the number of schools piloting large numbers of subjects. We aim to have most pilot schools and kura piloting one-six subjects. We are also working with a small number of schools to pilot all NCEA Level 1 subjects, to test how a full implementation might work.
3. Our school/kura has been selected to be a pilot school/kura. How can we start preparing for the pilot?
Information about the NCEA Level 1 subjects for the pilots, including the draft subject content and draft achievement standards, is available on our website, including information on the changes to NCEA.
This will help you prepare for the implementation of all NCEA Level 1 subjects in 2024.
We suggest thinking about tools and resources you currently use to support NCEA Level 1 and how these can be used in your setting.
If you are using the Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards in 2023, you may wish to review some of the available teaching and learning supports. If your school is not using the Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards in 2023, you may wish to review the transition arrangements for learners to meet the requirements in 2023. This will help you prepare for implementation of the Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards in 2024.
4. Will a pilot school/kura be required to present a full coherent course (ie, all standards for a particular subject)?
For the pilot of NCEA Level 1 subjects, schools/kura will be required to use all four standards in a subject/wāhanga ako to assess the learning described in the Learning Matrix/Tukutuku Ako.
5. Will learners/ākonga studying pilot subjects be eligible for credits?
Yes. All learners/ākonga piloting new achievement standards will be eligible for credits for both internal and external standards.
6. Will learners/ākonga participating in pilot subjects be able to access subject and course endorsement as previously?
Yes. The grades for pilot standards can be counted toward both subject endorsement and course endorsement.
7. In the NZC context, how many classes within a school/kura were signed up for a pilot – one class, the whole cohort, or part of the cohort?
For 2023, pilot schools will need to pilot with the whole cohort for each pilot subject.
8. In the TMoA context, was there a minimum number of ākonga per kura who had to be signed up to pilot a Wāhanga Ako?
No. When submitting their Expression of Interest, kura were asked to provide an indication of the number of ākonga that will be assessed against the standards. This will enable adequate and consistent testing across all Wāhanga Ako.
The Ministry recognises that some kura have a smaller student population than others. However, this was not a barrier to submitting an EOI. The numbers informed the selection panel on the allocation of kura per subject where there may be more kura in one subject than another.
9. Will bespoke, mix-and-match courses be piloted (for example, two standards from Agricultural and Horticultural Science and two standards from Science)?
No. We need to test how the standards work together to assess the Learning Matrix/Tukutuku Ako for each subject. After the pilot year, schools/kura will be able to design courses using standards from more than one subject. A small number of schools will be invited to develop programmes that use standards from multiple matrices to test this approach.
10. How much student work will need to be submitted for external moderation during the pilot?
For each internal assessment, a sample of eight pieces of student work from each subject cohort will need to be submitted.
However, we understand that some kura/schools have a relatively small student population so this may not be achievable. Further details will be made available once the pilot commences.
11. Will course outlines be sought from 2023 pilot schools/kura? Will these carry remuneration?
Pilot schools/kura will be invited to submit proposals for developing full teaching and learning programmes using the new learning matrices and standards. If their proposals are accepted, schools/kura will be asked to work with the Ministry to develop a quality exemplar programme that will be published as a support resource. Schools/kura will be remunerated for this contribution.
12. What support will be provided by the Ministry and NZQA to pilot schools/kura?
For level 1 pilots, NZQA and the Ministry of Education host pilot planning workshops in November (online) and January (in Wellington) that demonstrate to teachers how to use the materials and to get ready for the pilot year. Ongoing support continues throughout the year with online monthly check-in hui and direct support from NZQA and the Ministry.
For level 2 mini-pilots, face to face wānanga will be in November. The Teacher Only Days supporting the implementation of the NCEA Change Programme have also supported pilot schools through the development of readiness guides and tools for schools to use as they pilot and implement the new achievement standards. These have produced an expanding set of resources that will support schools to implement the NCEA changes.
13. Will learners/ākonga participating in pilot subjects still be eligible for resubmission and reconsiderations as previously?
Yes. The usual resubmission rules and processes apply to the piloted standards as current internal achievement standards.
Where learners/ākonga believe an externally assessed submission has been graded incorrectly, they can apply for reconsideration. Reconsideration fees are waived for pilot standards.
14. If a school/kura is not using the Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards but does have learners/ākonga participating in other pilot subjects, how will that effect the literacy and numeracy requirements of NCEA?
Learners/ākonga involved in a combination of pilot and non-pilot subjects are able to meet NCEA literacy requirements in the traditional way, as outlined in the transition arrangements. A number of the standards in pilot subjects have been temporarily tagged as supporting literacy or numeracy requirements for NCEA until the end of 2023.
Learners/ākonga will be able to use the current requirements until the end of 2023, if they obtain their full literacy or full numeracy requirement they will be able to apply it to the corequisite until the end of 2026.
15. Can teachers complete the internal standards at any time of the year or do all pilot schools/kura need to complete them at the same time for moderation purposes?
Internals can be completed at any time of year, but NZQA is unable to complete a moderation report for a standard until assessment against that standard has been complete. Teachers need to advise NZQA of when they expect to have samples ready for moderation, and of any subsequent changes to those dates.
16. Do the internal assessment activities need to be used exactly as they are on NCEA.education.govt.nz or can teachers adapt the context?
For the purposes of the pilot, internal assessment activities should be used broadly as published, though teachers can make minor adaptions to context to suit their community and learners. Part of the purpose of the pilot is to determine the suitability of the provided assessment activities so it is important that the overall structure of the activity isn’t altered. The Ministry of Education Adviser will be able to provide teachers with guidance about the sorts of adaptions that are acceptable.
17. Do students in pilot courses still need to meet the current credit requirements for NCEA?
Yes, students still need to meet the current credit requirements for NCEA. That is, 80 credits at level 1, and 60 each at levels 2 and 3 (with 20 credits able to be carried over from the level below). We understand that this may be challenging for some students at Level 1 – as they adjust to the way the new standards operate. Students who fall short of 80 credits will still be able to complete their Level 1 through standards at a higher level in future years (i.e. if they get 60 credits at Level 2 the following year, both Level 1 and 2 would be awarded).
Questions and Answers:
1. Are all NCEA Level 1 subjects being piloted?
All NCEA Level 1 subjects, from both NZC and TMoA, are being piloted.
2. Will schools/kura, along with their communities, be able to pilot as many NZC or TMoA subjects as they want?
No.
- For TMoA subjects, a pilot school/kura can pilot more than one Wāhanga Ako. They are also required to pilot the full suite of Paerewa Paetae from 1.1-1.4 of the subject(s) they choose to pilot.
- For NZC, in order to test the new achievement standards in a wide range of learning contexts, we are limiting the number of schools piloting large numbers of subjects. We aim to have most pilot schools and kura piloting one-six subjects. We are also working with a small number of schools to pilot all NCEA Level 1 subjects, to test how a full implementation might work.
3. Our school/kura has been selected to be a pilot school/kura. How can we start preparing for the pilot?
Information about the NCEA Level 1 subjects for the pilots, including the draft subject content and draft achievement standards, is available on our website, including information on the changes to NCEA.
This will help you prepare for the implementation of all NCEA Level 1 subjects in 2024.
We suggest thinking about tools and resources you currently use to support NCEA Level 1 and how these can be used in your setting.
If you are using the Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards in 2023, you may wish to review some of the available teaching and learning supports. If your school is not using the Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards in 2023, you may wish to review the transition arrangements for learners to meet the requirements in 2023. This will help you prepare for implementation of the Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards in 2024.
4. Will a pilot school/kura be required to present a full coherent course (ie, all standards for a particular subject)?
For the pilot of NCEA Level 1 subjects, schools/kura will be required to use all four standards in a subject/wāhanga ako to assess the learning described in the Learning Matrix/Tukutuku Ako.
5. Will learners/ākonga studying pilot subjects be eligible for credits?
Yes. All learners/ākonga piloting new achievement standards will be eligible for credits for both internal and external standards.
6. Will learners/ākonga participating in pilot subjects be able to access subject and course endorsement as previously?
Yes. The grades for pilot standards can be counted toward both subject endorsement and course endorsement.
7. In the NZC context, how many classes within a school/kura were signed up for a pilot – one class, the whole cohort, or part of the cohort?
For 2023, pilot schools will need to pilot with the whole cohort for each pilot subject.
8. In the TMoA context, was there a minimum number of ākonga per kura who had to be signed up to pilot a Wāhanga Ako?
No. When submitting their Expression of Interest, kura were asked to provide an indication of the number of ākonga that will be assessed against the standards. This will enable adequate and consistent testing across all Wāhanga Ako.
The Ministry recognises that some kura have a smaller student population than others. However, this was not a barrier to submitting an EOI. The numbers informed the selection panel on the allocation of kura per subject where there may be more kura in one subject than another.
9. Will bespoke, mix-and-match courses be piloted (for example, two standards from Agricultural and Horticultural Science and two standards from Science)?
No. We need to test how the standards work together to assess the Learning Matrix/Tukutuku Ako for each subject. After the pilot year, schools/kura will be able to design courses using standards from more than one subject. A small number of schools will be invited to develop programmes that use standards from multiple matrices to test this approach.
10. How much student work will need to be submitted for external moderation during the pilot?
For each internal assessment, a sample of eight pieces of student work from each subject cohort will need to be submitted.
However, we understand that some kura/schools have a relatively small student population so this may not be achievable. Further details will be made available once the pilot commences.
11. Will course outlines be sought from 2023 pilot schools/kura? Will these carry remuneration?
Pilot schools/kura will be invited to submit proposals for developing full teaching and learning programmes using the new learning matrices and standards. If their proposals are accepted, schools/kura will be asked to work with the Ministry to develop a quality exemplar programme that will be published as a support resource. Schools/kura will be remunerated for this contribution.
12. What support will be provided by the Ministry and NZQA to pilot schools/kura?
For level 1 pilots, NZQA and the Ministry of Education host pilot planning workshops in November (online) and January (in Wellington) that demonstrate to teachers how to use the materials and to get ready for the pilot year. Ongoing support continues throughout the year with online monthly check-in hui and direct support from NZQA and the Ministry.
For level 2 mini-pilots, face to face wānanga will be in November. The Teacher Only Days supporting the implementation of the NCEA Change Programme have also supported pilot schools through the development of readiness guides and tools for schools to use as they pilot and implement the new achievement standards. These have produced an expanding set of resources that will support schools to implement the NCEA changes.
13. Will learners/ākonga participating in pilot subjects still be eligible for resubmission and reconsiderations as previously?
Yes. The usual resubmission rules and processes apply to the piloted standards as current internal achievement standards.
Where learners/ākonga believe an externally assessed submission has been graded incorrectly, they can apply for reconsideration. Reconsideration fees are waived for pilot standards.
14. If a school/kura is not using the Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards but does have learners/ākonga participating in other pilot subjects, how will that effect the literacy and numeracy requirements of NCEA?
Learners/ākonga involved in a combination of pilot and non-pilot subjects are able to meet NCEA literacy requirements in the traditional way, as outlined in the transition arrangements. A number of the standards in pilot subjects have been temporarily tagged as supporting literacy or numeracy requirements for NCEA until the end of 2023.
Learners/ākonga will be able to use the current requirements until the end of 2023, if they obtain their full literacy or full numeracy requirement they will be able to apply it to the corequisite until the end of 2026.
15. Can teachers complete the internal standards at any time of the year or do all pilot schools/kura need to complete them at the same time for moderation purposes?
Internals can be completed at any time of year, but NZQA is unable to complete a moderation report for a standard until assessment against that standard has been complete. Teachers need to advise NZQA of when they expect to have samples ready for moderation, and of any subsequent changes to those dates.
16. Do the internal assessment activities need to be used exactly as they are on NCEA.education.govt.nz or can teachers adapt the context?
For the purposes of the pilot, internal assessment activities should be used broadly as published, though teachers can make minor adaptions to context to suit their community and learners. Part of the purpose of the pilot is to determine the suitability of the provided assessment activities so it is important that the overall structure of the activity isn’t altered. The Ministry of Education Adviser will be able to provide teachers with guidance about the sorts of adaptions that are acceptable.
17. Do students in pilot courses still need to meet the current credit requirements for NCEA?
Yes, students still need to meet the current credit requirements for NCEA. That is, 80 credits at level 1, and 60 each at levels 2 and 3 (with 20 credits able to be carried over from the level below). We understand that this may be challenging for some students at Level 1 – as they adjust to the way the new standards operate. Students who fall short of 80 credits will still be able to complete their Level 1 through standards at a higher level in future years (i.e. if they get 60 credits at Level 2 the following year, both Level 1 and 2 would be awarded).