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 through desktop, cluster group, or on-site visits.
Desktop moderation involves WDCs moderating assessor judgements to ensure they are fair, valid, and consistent with the standard. The provider submits assessment materials and assessed learner work for moderation. We conduct post-assessment moderation in accordance with the Waihanga Ara Rau Moderation Plan but may call for moderation outside of this plan 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 visit dates and locations will be negotiated with the provider.
On-site moderation visits may involve any or all of the following:
Our Moderation Plan for 2025 was created using guideline principles from our moderation process. For 2025 the Moderation Plan is based on assessment resources that were pre-assessment moderated during 2023 and 2024.
If a provider does not appear in the Moderation Plan for 2025, don’t worry, your Waihanga Ara Rau representative will contact the provider to agree on a moderation plan for the year, if required. This will be based on the provider’s internal moderation plan.
Providers may wish to appeal moderation decisions made by Waihanga Ara Rau.
Appeals must be received within 15 working days. Providers must complete a Moderation Appeal form and email it to [email protected].
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.
