Assessment at Westlake
Rules of Internal Assessments
Lateness/Extensions:
All work must be handed in on time. Extensions will only be granted by the NCEA Co-ordinator (Mr Jackson) through formal application. Forms are available from Mrs Sutherland (Secretary for the Deputy Headmasters) or from Mr Jackson.
Unexpected Absence:
If the absence is unexpected, as in an illness, application must be made within 5 school days after the assessment date.
Approval for extensions will be given for illness (with a doctor's certificate) or family bereavement.
School-sanctioned sports and cultural trips:
School-sanctioned sports and cultural trips, as well as trips with provincial and national teams, need to be applied for at least
5 days before the event. If the student is involved in a national or provincial sports trip part of the process of gaining an extension
will be completing the correct leave application forms.
Late work will not be accepted by the teacher unless the above procedure has been completed.
Further Assessment Opportunities:
Students assessed using internal Achievement Standards or Unit Standards have one further assessment opportunity in
selected Standards, where they have gained “Not Achieved”. This will only happen if it is practical and possible to do so.
The Achievement/Unit Standards that are available for reassessment will be indicated at the start of the year on the assessment schedule issued by each department.
Students who do not sit the first assessment and do not have an acceptable excuse for their absence will not be permitted further assessment opportunities.
When are examinations held?
Examinations are held in November to December. Mid year and end of year 'practice' examinations will form part of the Westlake
Boys' High School assessment system. These exams form a significant part of any compassionate consideration needed if a
student is unwell during the final NCEA external exams.
Will your Qualifications be accepted?
Entrance to university by NCEA has been approved by the NZ Vice-Chancellors' Committee (NZVCC).
External Exams:
A number of Standards are assessed 'externally' - in other words, not by your teachers. A few of these (Technology, Visual Arts
and Graphics) require you to submit a folio or collection of work.
Most, however, have an exam to be sat at the end of the school year. These exams are written and marked by teachers contracted
to NZQA for that purpose.
All candidates for a Standard will sit the same exam at the same time wherever they are. All their scripts will be marked to the same standard.
Papers are personalised:
When you arrive at your exam room you will find a pack with the exam papers for the Standards you are sitting waiting for you.
While you and the person beside you may both be sitting the Level 1 English exam, you may not have exactly the same papers.
This is because you may be entered for a slightly different group of Standards from your neighbour.
However, you will each have a pack of papers, each of which have your name and number on them and a bar-code. These allow
your answer-script to be tracked and your marks accurately recorded against your name. While you may have a number of papers
to work through in the exam, there will only be one paper for each Standard.
External Examinations - Rules:
By entering for NZQA exams you have agreed to obey all the exam rules and procedures and comply with the decisions of NZQA.
- You must not be dishonest or break the rules in any way.
- You must listen to and follow the instructions of the supervisor.
DO NOT:
- take any blank or refill paper, correcting fluid, books, written notes or electronic notes into the exam room.
- take English dictionaries, foreign dictionaries, Te Reo dictionaries or translators into any exams.
- talk to, communicate with, or do anything to disturb other candidates during the exam.
- copy from another candidate's work.
- write to the marker or write in the part of the answer booklet 'For assessor's use only'.
- take cellphones or pagers into the exams.
- take any electronic devices except approved calculators into the exam room.
- try to leave the exam room within the first 45 or the last 15 minutes of the exam.
Only Information Management candidates are allowed to use an English dictionary.
If you break any rules the Qualifications Authority may cancel your results.
EXAM DAYS
Arrive early - at least 20 minutes before the exam starts. Find out which is your exam room.
If you are more than 30 minutes late you will NOT be able to enter the exam room.
In the exam room:
- Sit at the desk where you are told to sit;
- Check all the answer booklets have your NSN and Exam Code on them and are listed on your Admission Slip;
- When you are told , check that all the pages in each exam paper are printed correctly;
- If you have any problems put up your hand up;
- You cannot leave the exam room in the first 45 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the exam;
- If you leave the exam early you are not allowed to return;
- You must not take your answer booklets out of the exam room.
WRITING YOUR ANSWERS:
- Follow all the instructions on the front cover of the exams;
- Use only black or blue pen;
- Do not use red or green pens because these are used by the markers;
- Do not write in pencil unless instructed to do so. Work in pencil will not be looked at if you apply for a review or reconsideration;
- Write neatly so the marker can read your answers;
- All work that is not to be marked must be clearly crossed out;
- Do not use correcting fluid (Twink) in your answer booklets because they will not be looked at if you apply for a review or reconsideration;
- Extra paper will only be provided if the answer booklet is filled up.
EXAM MATERIALS:
- You have to take your own equipment such as pens, pencils, calculator and eraser to the exams.
- Do not bring any blank or refill paper. You may not borrow equipment from someone else during the exam.
For some subjects you will need special materials:
For details of special materials check the assessment specifications on the NZQA website. www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea2/assessment/specifications/index.html
YOU are responsible for taking the correct equipment to the exam and making sure that it is working.
All work for these standards must have your NSN printed on the top right-hand corner of each page. Any pages sent for marking without a printed NSN will not be marked.
Staple all work for each separate standard carefully in the top left-hand corner. Place the work for each standard in the plastic bag provided and fold closed.
CALCULATORS:
You may take an approved calculator into the examination room for subjects where you have used a calculator during the year. Calculators must be silent, handheld, non-printing and work from their own power.
You cannot keep notes or routines in the memory of calculators. Teachers will clear calculator memories before you enter the
exam room.
AT THE END OF THE EXAM:
- Stop writing and add nothing more when the supervisor tells you the exam has ended;
- Follow the instructions of the supervisor;
- Label any extra pages used and put them with the answer booklet for the Standard into the plastic bag provided
and fold closed; - You can keep resource booklets and separate question booklets. Hand in combined question and answer booklets;
- Hand in everything else to the supervisor;
- Take from the exam room the equipment you brought in.