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Moderation

Providing assurance of assessment quality.

The national external moderation system provides assurance in the quality of assessment carried out by organisations with consent to assess. We manage national external moderation in accordance with the relevant Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) document. You can access the CMRs on the NZQA website.

Assessment materials are moderated prior to use with candidates.

Pre-assessment moderation will continue as specified in the current CMR documents.

Providers (including schools) need to complete a pre-assessment moderation cover sheet and email their required documentation and the coversheet to [email protected]. There is no charge for pre-assessment moderation.

If you are planning the development of assessment materials for skill standards, contact [email protected]. We will support you as you develop these.

Refer also to  Programme Guidance for Providers: What You Need to Know – Waihanga Ara Rau.

Post-assessment moderation may be completed online or on-site.

Desktop online moderation involves WDCs moderating assessor judgements to ensure they are fair, valid, and consistent with the standard. The provider submits desk-based assessment materials and assessed learner work for moderation. We conduct post-assessment moderation in accordance with the moderation calendar and may call for moderation outside of these times when there is a reason to do so.

Providers and schools are asked to submit samples electronically for moderation with a completed Post-assessment moderation coversheet through the Provider Portal, Aka Pārongo.

On-site moderation visits can take place face-to-face or virtually. Visit dates and locations will be negotiated with the provider.

On-site moderation visits may involve any or all of the following:

  • discussing programme endorsement considerations and programme performance
  • discussing currency of CMR
  • talking with staff and ākonga (learners)
  • observing delivery and assessment
  • viewing facilities
  • answering questions.

Our moderation plan for 2024 was created using guideline principles from our moderation process. The plan identifies:

  • high-risk and capstone standards, high-focus standards, and industry-focus standards that will be called for post-assessment moderation
  • the secondary school cluster groups that will be held in 2024 for peer moderation of BCATS standards
  • providers who will be called for post-assessment moderation during 2024, including the quarter the request shall be made.

If a provider does not appear in the Moderation Plan for 2024, don’t worry, your Waihanga Ara Rau representative will contact the provider to agree on a moderation plan for the year. This will be based on the provider’s internal moderation plan.

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Providers may wish to appeal moderation decisions made by Waihanga Ara Rau.

Appeals must be received within 15 working days of receiving the moderation outcome report. Providers need to complete a Moderation Appeal form and email it to [email protected].

Watch the assessor practice webinar

Designed to support assessors working with assessment standards, this webinar, along with the Assessor Practice Guidelines based on its content, provides clear insights into the assessment process and offers practical tips to enhance assessor practice.