New-look statistics pages deliver clearer results

National NCEA statistics for 2008 are available on-line on the NZQA website: www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications/ssq/statistics/statsreports.do

The newly designed statistics web-pages include, for the first time, data based on participation, which identifies students who could potentially gain qualifications in a particular year, rather than including all students on a school roll.

This provides a clearer indication of NCEA performance at individual schools, as students undertaking special education courses, or alternative qualifications, are not included as attempting to gain NCEA qualifications.

Roll-based statistics continue to be available and show a continuing increase in achievement at all levels nationally.

In 2008:

• 63 per cent of the year 11 roll achieved NCEA Level 1.

• 66 per cent of the year 12 roll achieved NCEA Level 2.

• 54 per cent of the year 13 roll achieved NCEA Level 3.

The data previously given pertained to the percentages of secondary students gaining any NQF qualification (not just NCEA).

In 2008:

• 64 per cent of the year 11 roll achieved a level 1 NQF qualification (including NCEA Level 1).

• 67 per cent of the year 12 roll achieved a level 2 NQF qualification (including NCEA Level 2).

• 55 per cent of the year 13 roll achieving level 3 NQF qualification (including NCEA Level 3).

Using participation-based statistics, the 2008 achievement rates for NCEA levels 1, 2 and 3 were:

• 70 per cent of participating year 11 candidates achieved NCEA Level 1.

• 75 per cent of participating year 12 candidates achieved NCEA Level 2.

• 70 per cent of participating year 13 candidates achieved NCEA Level 3.

NZQA deputy chief executive, Qualifications, Bali Haque says the new pages deliver complex information in a very direct manner.

“We have worked hard to provide the most clear and straight-forward presentation of statistical information for schools and the public.”

The percentage of candidates achieving NCEA with certificate endorsements in 2008 was similar to 2007:

• of 49,344 candidates gaining NCEA Level 1, 11,264 (23 per cent) gained endorsement with Merit, and 2953 (six per cent) gained endorsement with Excellence.

• of 40,446 candidates gaining NCEA Level 2, 6812 (17 per cent) gained endorsement with Merit, and 1708 (four per cent), gained endorsement with Excellence.

• of 22,013 candidates gaining NCEA Level 3, 4483 (20 per cent) gained endorsement with Merit and 1085 (five per cent) gained endorsement with Excellence.

Mr Haque said the new statistics pages were developed as a response to consultation with schools and will provide more accessible and comprehensive information than in the past. He said care should be taken when comparing schools.

“All schools are individual and factors such as decile, roll number and make-up, along with courses offered and course design are unique to each school and these things will influence a school’s statistics.”