Practice Exams & Assessments
Practice Exams
Senior students sit practice exams at the end of Term 3 each year. These exams happen in three different ways:
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At school, in formal exam conditions both online and on paper.
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During regular class time.
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Online, at home, on designated days.
New Practice Exam Format
As a college, we are preparing for the future of assessment by moving more of our exams to an online format and outside of the traditional examination settings. NZQA (who run NCEA) are moving more and more assessments online with the intention that in the future many of the exams will be run remotely, at different times of the year, when students are ready to be assessed. AUT and the University of Auckland are leading the way in this area with most assessments that were traditionally carried out on paper at the university moved online and completed remotely. Furthermore, we want to retain senior students in class with their teachers for as much time as possible.
Practice Exams and Derived Grades
It is very important that all students complete the practice exams to the best of their abilities as these will form the basis of any derived grades that students may need to apply for in the event of an absence due to circumstances such as:
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Covid-19 (due to sickness, isolating with whānau, or lockdown)
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Family bereavement
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Significant injury or trauma at the time immediately before or during exams that may impede their ability to complete any or all exams
Feedback and Preparation for Final NCEA Exams
Practice exams provide students with necessary feedback about their next learning steps and what they will need to prioritise in their studies in the lead up to the final external exams.
Authenticity of Results
As part of this process, we have tools and procedures that enable us to ensure authenticity and that the work being submitted is that of the students.
Buses During Practice Exams
Buses run at normal times during practice exams. Students finishing early or late will need to find an alternative way home.
NZQA Logins
All senior students will receive instructions in Term 3 on how to log in to NZQA so that they can:
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Complete their digital practice exams.
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Complete their digital final exams.
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Check their final results in January 2024.
All NCEA students must have a functioning login to NZQA. These logins are managed by NZQA, not by the college.
If you have any questions about specific assessments, please contact your child’s teacher.