1. Reminders National Moderator Reports
Purpose:
 Insights from moderation material viewed throughout the
2018 year
Feedback to assist teachers on general issues and trends
Publication:
All achievement standard subjects
NZQA subject pages at end of February
Refer to upcoming Assessment Matters Circular
National Moderator Reports
the reports are not intended to replace the clarifications documents or annotated exemplars but to add further insights from the National Moderator to support teachers
the focus of the feedback is on issues, trends and insights from moderation material seen during external moderation
the 2018 reports are for achievement standard subjects
2 to 3 pages in length

2. Assessment Specifications
A must-read for all teachers
Changes and essential information about current year examinations
Assessment Matters circulars for subjects with major changes
Published at the end of each year
Further changes signposted in March update.
Subjects with major changes will have links to Assessment Matters circulars in the Assessment Specifications.

3. Scholarship Music From Circular A2018/30 – 08 Nov 2018:
Change in Assessment of New Zealand Scholarship Music AS 93305
Portfolio only i.e. no external examination
Consider impact on teaching and learning programmes
Refer to Music subject page.
Music Scholarship AS MAJOR CHANGE:
from 2019, assessed by portfolio only, in a format very similar to the current portfolio
Will impact on student and teacher preparation for assessment
further information, including the revised performance, 2019 assessment specifications, and a draft assessment schedule, has been published on the Music Subject page on the NZQA website
details of the submission process will be advised by Term

4. Data Reports School statistics and reports:
Wide range of data reports available via secure login
Check out both the statistics and reports sections
New STEM equity report.
Enrolment-based measure of NCEA and UE:
Replaced roll-based and participation-based reporting
Historical data recast
Ethnicity reporting: counts up to 3 ethnicities a student identifies with
Improved functionality e.g. navigation, category selection, drilling down.
Refer to Statistics Report User Guide (Statistics home page)

5. Assessor Support
Best Practice Workshops offer targeted support with greater flexibility around choice and mode of delivery
Refer to BPW Poster and
Any queries -
NZQA Best Practice Workshops
Purpose: improving assessor confidence in assessment of internally assessed standards.
Face-to-face or online delivery available for all workshops, available on request, including:
Making Assessor Judgements Workshops – aimed at improving confidence in making assessor judgements
Cluster Meetings – offered for a region who want a number of workshops on a specific date
Workshop or presentation slot – a workshop that focuses on need (regional or national) - can be subject-specific or generic.
Additionally:
Transforming Assessment Praxis (TAP) Programme – 9-week online course which:
looks at ways to change existing resources to better meet the needs of learners
explores diverse and valid methods of collecting assessment evidence.
Note:
On request – can be a regional cluster group or subject association. Cannot offer individual support for a school or organisation. Ten participants required for workshops hosted by a school or organisation
workshop requests subject to facilitator availability
Out of scope – workshops on external standards, teaching and learning programmes, scholarship
Cluster Meetings – very popular. A region elects to close a number of schools and a number of subjects are able to be held on the same day with reduced costs to schools e.g. no TRDs
Transforming Assessment Practice (TAP) – four scheduled instances of TAP being run this year. More information on dates and how to register on Best Practice Workshop pages.