NCEA Information
NCEA is a complex system for parents who have been brought up under the old system. However, knowing a few important numbers and facts will help you get started.
Getting Going:
Level 1 is generally completed in Year 11 (5th Form). Students study 6 subjects. Each of those subjects will have an average of 24 credits available. These credits are obtained through Achievement Standard assessments. An assessment can be for as few as 1 credit or as many as 12. However, most subjects will be doing three internal assessments (assignments, tests etc) during the year, and another three external assessments in the NCEA exams in November.
To gain Level 1, a student needs a minimum of 80 credits.
At least 10 credits must be numeracy.
At least 10 credits must be literacy.
The general rule is that to gain automatic entry to the next year level in a particular course, a student needs to gain 16 credits.
Achievement standards can be gained as Achieved, Merit, or Excellence.
Gaining 14 or more credits in a subject at Merit gains a Merit endorsement in that subject, 14 Excellence gains an Excellence Endorsement. Gaining 50 or more credits at Merit or Excellence gains a Level 1 Merit or Excellence Endorsement.
Moving Up:
Provided you have gained at least 20 Level 1 credits (and virtually everyone has), the target for Level 2 is 60 credits. There are no new numeracy or literacy requirements.
Gaining a Level 2 Excellence Endorsement can pay off in a big way: a number of Universities are offering Excellence Scholarships based on Level 2 results and several Kāpiti College students go to University each year with a fees Scholarship based on their Level 2 results.
And at the Top
Level 3 has the same structure as Level 2. However, gaining entry to University is different. To do that you must have the following:
A minimum of 14 credits in three UE approved subjects
Passed Level 3 NCEA
Numeracy - A minimum of 10 Level 1 Maths credits
Literacy - A minimum of 10 Level 2 credits (5 Writing and 5 Reading)
Keeping it Under Control:
Our advice to parents is to keep an eye on your child's credits through the parent portal. As a guideline, they should have 75% of their credits to be on track for success. Contact us early if you are concerned.
For detailed information, go to www.nzqa.govt.nz
Kāpiti College Procedures:
See KC's procedure booklet for NCEA in 2023 below
