NCEA

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What is NCEA?

NCEA is the main qualification that senior secondary school learners study for every year in New Zealand.

Learners study individual subjects which are combined for a level certificate.

Usually you will study subjects for:

NCEA Level 1 certificate in Year 11
NCEA Level 2 certificate in Year 12
NCEA Level 3 certificate in Year 13.

NCEA stands for National Certificate of Educational Achievement and is recognised by employers and tertiary providers in New Zealand and overseas.

NCEA is part of the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) which ranges from Level 1 to Level 10, and includes certificates, diplomas and degrees.

Achievement Standards and Unit Standards

Standards are particular skills or knowledge within a subject. There are two types of standards in NCEA, achievement standards and unit standards.

Subjects such as English and science can help you gain achievement standards.

Achievement standards are graded using the 'NAME' system:
- 'N' for not achieved
- 'A' for achieved
- 'M' for achieved with merit
- 'E' for achieved with excellence.

Vocational subjects, such as hairdressing or carpentry, as well as usual subjects, can help you gain unit standards.

Unit standards are graded:

- 'A' for 'achieved'
- 'N' for 'not achieved'.

Unit Standards are particular skills or knowledge within a subject. There are two types of standards in NCEA, achievement standards and unit standards.

How is NCEA Assessed?

NCEA work is assessed externally or internally.

When your work is externally assessed, you usually sit a national exam at the end of the year, which is set and marked by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
When your work is internally assessed, you usually do essays, experiments or tests throughout the year, which are marked by your school.
Internal assessment marking is also checked by independent moderators from NZQA to make sure all schools are assessing work to a national standard.

Assessment can be in either English or te reo Māori.

Every NCEA subject is made up of standards that are worth a certain number of credits.

What are Credits?

Each standard is worth a certain number of credits. When you achieve a standard, you earn the amount of credits that standard is worth.

A single achievement standard is usually worth three or four credits.
A single school subject is usually made up of five to eight standards.
Depending on your school, the usual number of credits needed to pass a subject is 18 to 25.
Literacy and numeracy credits are available through a range of subjects.
Literacy credits show that a learner can demonstrate reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
Numeracy credits show that a learner can demonstrate number, measurement and statistical skills