Special assessment conditions

If you have a physical, medical, sensory, learning disability or psychological challenges, you may be eligible for assistance with your NCEA assessments. This is known as special assessment conditions (SAC).

How it works

SACs include things like being allowed to have someone (who is not a family member, family friend or additional teacher/tutor) read, write or type for you. 

Commonly approved SACs include:

Learn more about special assessment conditions on the NZQA website.

Conditions covered

Conditions covered under SAC include:

See the NZQA website for the full list of conditions covered under SAC.

How to apply

Applying for special assessment conditions is based your enrolment with Te Kura. 

Full-time, young adult and fee-paying student

NZQA has strict guidelines about who is able to have these special arrangements. You will need to provide evidence of your disability from an independent assessment or medical report. Suitable evidence would include:

  • a recent SPELD or cognitive assessment report (less than three years old) for learning disabilities
  • a report from a registered psychologist or medical practitioner, depending on the disability, for medical, physical and sensory disabilities.

Contact our Qualifications team on 0800 65 99 88 option 3 or email SAC@tekura.school.nz for futher advice or to make an application. 

Primary dual student

If you are a student enrolled with Te Kura and a face-to-face primary school, follow the instructions for full-time, young adult and fee-paying student. 

We recommend contacting the learning support team at your home school (the school that enrolled you with Te Kura) because they may hold information that can be used as evidence for the SAC application.

Contact our Qualifications team on 0800 65 99 88 option 3 or email SAC@tekura.school.nz for futher advice or to make an application. 

Secondary dual student

If you are a student enrolled with Te Kura and a face-to-face secondary school, you must apply for SAC through your home school (the school that enrolled you with Te Kura).

Please let your Te Kura teachers know you are approved for SAC.

Transferring to Te Kura

If you have had SAC approved at your previous school, we can request your SAC entitlement to be transferred to Te Kura. Please let our Qualifications team know on 0800 65 99 88 option 3 or email SAC@tekura.school.nz as soon as possible.

If you had a reader or writer at your last school, our Learning Support team will help organise a new reader or writer for you once the SACs are transferred to Te Kura. 

External exams with SAC

Some SACs are only used in exam situations e.g. separate accommodation, rest breaks etc.

Even though you might not need SACs during the year for internal assessment, please let our Qualifications team know about your SACs on 0800 65 99 88 option 3 or email SAC@tekura.school.nz as soon as possible.

Testimonials

I receive Separate Accommodation assistance. This means that when I go to sit my exams, I am in a classroom by myself or with only a few other students who also require separate accommodation, with an examination supervisor. I have Autism Spectrum Disorder and have spent the last eight years being home schooled through Te Kura. I am not used to being surrounded by a large number of students and am easily distracted by sights, sounds and smells. Separate accommodation takes the stress out of going to a large school to sit examinations. It allows me to manage my anxieties in a quiet calm environment to allow me to achieve to my full potential.

Matthew, Year 12

I am able to access the use of a laptop for my exams, which makes a huge difference. Educational testing has shown that my brain wiring is more suited to working on a computer, so being able to use a laptop means my results actually reflect what I know. It’s such a relief to know I have the best chance of succeeding in my exams.

Monica, Year 12

Useful links

NZQA

SAC guidelines

Reader, writer and computer use guidelines

Other

SPELD

Dyslexia Foundation

Autism NZ

Find out more

Contact our Qualifications team on 0800 65 99 88 option 3 or email SAC@tekura.school.nz for more information or if you believe you are eligible to apply for special assessment conditions.