Using NCEA as a formative assessment tool

The NCEA qualification is founded on standards-based assessment and supports learning focused on curriculum outcomes. It helps teachers and students to know and to recognise transparent standards that they need to aim for and promotes good teaching and learning practices.

Further assessment resources to support implementation are being added to the NCEA website. These resources comprise both specific content-based resources and generic guides (aligned to national standards) which teachers can flesh out with details specific to the local conditions in their school.

Professional development based on examples of authentic student work aims to improve teachers' capability and confidence in making informed judgements. Further professional development supporting the principles of standards-based assessment took place in term 2 of 2003. Initial reports indicate teachers are now more able to adapt existing assessment material and design new material.

Queens High School, Dunedin
Girls' school: roll 720
The September 2003 issue of the Ministry newsletter Planning for Better Student Outcomes includes several examples of how schools collect, manage, and interpret their assessment data.

Queens High School (pages 12 and 13) regularly analyses external examination results, most recently, the NCEA results for their 2002 student cohort, by downloading data from the NZQA website and graphing it to see what comparative information can be gleaned.

Reflecting on the NCEA results

The NCEA level 1 results provide schools with a wealth of information about student achievement. Schools can analyse student achievement and school performance in relation to national standards. Department or faculty heads, the principal, and board can monitor the effectiveness of teaching and learning programmes. Both national and school statistical tables are available, and commentary on some of the trends in the results for 2002. Go to http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications/ssq/statistics/

Previous | Next | Index | Top