A COVID-19 Alert Level 3 update for our senior students regarding NCEA
The Prime Minister’s recent directive that in Covid-19 Alert Level 3, all Year 11 to 13 students are to remain at home and continue with online learning will likely have raised further questions for you about NCEA and what long term effect this might have on your ability to earn your qualification this year. You may be feeling stressed about this. This is completely understandable and normal in these circumstances. The purpose of this update is to let you know what approach Rongotai College is taking for NCEA assessment at this time.
While teachers may have been completing assessments on-line, I have asked them for internal assessment not to be the focus at this time where possible. Until we have a clear idea of when we will be moving to Alert Level 2 and how long we are likely to be at that level we should be focusing on NCEA external standards in online classes. Teachers may also be preparing you for future assessment by focusing on the subject skills and key competencies that you need to be successful when you are eventually assessed against the NCEA standard(s) later in the year.
Once we have a clearer idea of when we will move to Alert Level 2 and how long we are likely to be at that level, we will let you know of any further changes to how we will approach NCEA assessment moving forward. Please don’t worry though, as the Prime Minister has said, “we’ve got this!” Every single person at our school, NZQA and the Ministry of Education is focused on making sure that you will be successful this year despite this unprecedented and historic situation. One of the things NZQA has done is to clarify the multiple approaches we can take to collect evidence of your performance against your standards that are in addition to our regular assessments.
As Mr Hall mentioned in virtual assembly two weeks ago, the most important thing you need to continue to do is to take ownership of your learning by staying in contact with your class teachers, completing the work assigned to you for each of your subjects as is convenient over the course of each week, and ask questions when you need to.
Please feel free to contact your Dean or class teachers if you are concerned or worried about NCEA.
Ngā mihi,
Mr K Carter
Principal