Unit Standards and Achievement Standards clearly specify the performance outcomes expected of students who are to be credited.
Your teachers produce assessment events (tests) to measure your ability and judgement sheets to measure your achievement against these specified outcomes. If you measure up, you will be credited with your achievement on your Record of Learning, which will be sent to you at the beginning of next year. (Providing you have paid your fees)
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority ( NZQA ) moderates some of these assessment events and judgement sheets. They will check the fairness and validity of the test and the judgement sheet before they are used and will then check that the judgement sheet has been used correctly after your teacher has marked your test. These procedures are used to ensure that you are treated fairly.
If you feel that you have not been treated fairly by your teacher after they have assessed you, then you may appeal your teacher’s decision by taking the following steps:
STEP 1 Make an appointment to meet with your teacher within seven calendar days of receiving your script back. (You cannot demand teacher time at short notice)
STEP 2 Ask your teacher to clarify the reasons why you did not achieve the level of competence which you think you should have in this specific assessment.
(a) If your teacher is able to, they may produce the judgement sheet so that you can see how your performance was measured. It is expected in most cases that this information will prove that you have been treated fairly.
(b) If your teacher is unable to produce the judgement sheet (sometimes they are also used for reassessment), then you may nominate any teacher to act as your representative and they will check, on your behalf that you have been treated fairly.
(c) If your test is to be externally moderated, then you need not pursue your appeal because the process will protect your interests.
STEP 3 If you are still not convinced, for some reason, then you may ask your teacher to take the matter further. This might involve another member of staff, the NZQA Principal ’s Nominee (currently Mrs L. McCarthy). At whatever stage agreement is reached, and then the matter can go no further because fairness has been proven
NOTE: If you did not succeed in your first attempt when facing internally assessed achievement or unit standards, then you are, in most cases, permitted one reassessment opportunity. This reassessment is permitted if you have already gained an A,M or N grade.