Understanding NCEA in 2020

Terminology

Level 1 - This is the first (lowest) level of NCEA, most students at Kāpiti College will complete this in Year 11.

Level 2 - This is the second level of NCEA, most students at Kāpiti College will complete this in Year 12.

Level 3 - This is the third level of NCEA, most students at Kāpiti College will complete this in Year 13.

University Entrance (UE) - This is the qualification that you need to pass in order to achieve entry to University in New Zealand. Most students at Kāpiti College will complete this in Year 13

Achievement Standards - These are the standards that are most common at Kāpiti College. The results a student can achieve in an Achievement Standard at Not Achieved, Achieved, Merit and Excellence.

Unit Standards - These standards are offered in some courses at Kāpiti College. In these standards students either pass or fail. There are no Merit or Excellence grades.

Internal Assessments - These assessments are completed in class time during the school year. They are marked by Kāpiti College teachers and can be either Achievement Standards or Unit Standards.

External Assessment- These assessments are completed as exams at the end of the year. They are not marked by Kāpiti College teachers.

STAR Courses - Star courses are offered to some students and are conducted by external providers, normally during school hours. These courses offer Unit Standards across the levels from 1 to 3.

Merit Endorsement - This is a certificate that a student gains if they achieve 50 credits at Merit level or above.

Excellence Endorsement - This is a certificate that a student gains if they achieve 50 credits at Excellence level or above.

Learning Recognition Credits - These are available in 2020 only. For every 5 credits a student achieves they are entitled to an 1 'learning recognition' credit. These credits are achieved credits only and do not count towards Merit or Excellence endorsements. Credits that have been achieved in previous years do not qualify for Learning Recognition credits. So, if a Year 12 student started 2020 with 10 Level 2 credits that they had achieved in 2019 those credits are just worth a total of 10. If the same student achieves 10 Level 2 credits in 2020 they effectively count as 12 credits. Sorry this is really confusing. It's not our fault!

Level 1 NCEA (Year 11)

Level 1 Notes

• If a student does not achieve Level 1 during the school year that they started all of the credits that they have already achieved will continue to count for Level 1.

• Level 2 and 3 credits count backwards to Level 1.

• All 50 Merit and Excellence credits MUST be achieved in one school year in order to get an endorsement.

A scenario

Dave starts NCEA Level 1 in 2017. During 2017 he achieves the following credits.

• 58 NCEA Level 1 credits

• 14 NCEA Level 2 credits

• 4 NCEA Level 3 credits

This leaves Dave with a total of 76 credits. He has not passed Level 1 as he needs 80 (in a normal school year). However, in January 2018 Dave passes his first assessment which gains him 4 Level 2 credits. At this point he has passed NCEA Level 1.

Level 2 NCEA (Year 12)

Level 2 Notes

• If a student does not achieve Level 2 during the school year that they started all of the credits that they have already achieved will continue to count for Level 2.

• Level 3 credits count backwards to Level 2.

• All 50 Merit and Excellence credits MUST be achieved in one school year in order to get an endorsement(46 in 2020).

A scenario

Dave started Level 2 in 2018 with 78 credits including the 58 NCEA Level 1 credits, 14 NCEA Level 2 credits and 4 NCEA Level 3 credits he achieved in 2017.

• 20 of the 58 NCEA Level One Credits from last year count towards his NCEA Level 2. 60 NCEA Level 2 credits to go.

• The 14 NCEA credits that were achieved in 2017 count towards his Level 2 qualification. 46 NCEA Level 2 credits to go.

• The 4 NCEA Level 3 Credits that were achieved in 2017 count towards his Level 2 qualification. 42 NCEA Level 2 credits to go.

In summary this means that in order to achieved 80 credits at NCEA Level 2 he needs a further 42 NCEA Level 2 (or higher) credits.

In 2018 Dave achieves the remaining 42 NCEA Level 2 credits and ends the year with:

• 20 NCEA Level 1 credits that carry over to Level 2.

• 56 NCEA Level 2 credits, 42 of which he achieved in 2018

• 4 NCEA Level 3 credits

He has achieved NCEA Level 2 in 2018.

Level 3 NCEA (Year 13)

Level 3 Notes

• Any credits that are higher than Level 3 count backwards to Level 3. It is unlikely that students will gain any credits at a level higher than Level 3 in normal circumstances.

• All 50 Merit and Excellence credits MUST be achieved in one school year in order to get an endorsement (46 in 2020)

A scenario

Dave started Level 3 in 2019 having passed NCEA Level 2 with exactly 80 credits.

• 20 of his Level 2 NCEA credits count towards his Level 3 qualification. No Level 1 credits count. 60 NCEA Level 3 credits to go.

• The 4 NCEA Level 3 Credits that were achieved in 2017 count towards his Level 3 qualification. 54 NCEA Level 3 credits to go.

In summary this means that in order to achieved 80 credits at NCEA Level 3 he needs a further 54 NCEA Level 3 (or higher) credits.

In 2018 Dave achieves the remaining 54 NCEA Level 2 credits and ends the year with:

• 20 NCEA Level 2 credits that carry over to Level 3.

• 60 NCEA Level 3 credits

He has achieved NCEA Level 3 in 2019.

We know that this is all a bit confusing, however, it is the system that we have to work with. If you need further guidance please contact the relevant dean or form teacher for clarification.