To:
- Principal
- Principal's Nominee
- All Teachers
Assessment specifications provide the annual assessment parameters for each externally assessed achievement standard and New Zealand Scholarship performance standard. They must be read alongside the applicable standards.
The assessment specifications for subjects externally assessed by examinations include the:
- method of the assessment
- equipment candidates can bring and use
- context for questions, where appropriate.
For the submitted portfolios or reports, they include the:
- format of the assessment
- portfolio/report specifications, including the type and volume of materials that may be submitted as evidence.
Some 2026 assessment specifications have recently been updated to provide further clarification of the requirements and conditions of the assessment.
On this page
Subject-specific amendments
The following Scholarship subjects have amended assessment specifications to reflect the option of a candidate being able take the examination digitally:
- Biology, 93101
- Earth and Space Science, 93104.
The following subjects have had a change of submission date:
- Technology, Level 2 and Level 3 changed to 28 October 2026
- Visual Arts, Level 3 and Scholarship changed to 2 November 2026
Other amendments
Other assessment specifications have amendments, as follows:
- Biology, Level 3, 91603, 91605
- Design and Visual Communication, Level 1, 92002, 92003
- Design and Visual Communication, Level 2, 91337, 91338, 91339
- Design and Visual Communication, Level 3, 91627
- Digital Technologies, Scholarship, 93604
- English, Level 1, 91925, 91927
- Literacy, Level 1, 32403, 32405
- Music, Level 1, 91950
- New Zealand Sign Language, Level 1, 92357, 92358
- Numeracy, Level 1, 32406
- Technology, Level 2, 91358, 91359, 91360, 91363
- Technology, Level 3, 91612, 91613, 91614, 91617
- Technology, Scholarship, 93601
- Visual Arts, Level 1, 91914, 91915
- Visual Arts, Level 2, 91320, 91321, 91322, 91323, 91324
- Visual Arts, Level 3, 91455, 91456, 91457, 91458, 91459
- Visual Arts, Scholarship, 93306, 93307, 93308, 93309, 93310
Visual Arts Sculpture (Level 3 and NZ Scholarship)
In 2025, 色诱直播 conducted a live trial with Level 3 and NZ Scholarship Sculpture to determine the feasibility of submitting digitally and assessing the material digitally. The trial was a valuable learning experience for 色诱直播 and in that respect we can consider the trial a success. The trial uncovered a range of nuanced complexities that will need to be carefully worked through before a digital submission is re-introduced.
The 2026 submission process for Level 3 and Scholarship Sculpture will, therefore, revert back to the physical portfolio submission process used up to 2024. The assessment method has now been updated in the assessment specifications.
2026 Tautuhinga Aromatawai (Assessment Specifications)
Final versions of the 2026 Tautuhinga Aromatawai for the following subjects/w膩hanga ako were published on 9 February.
- Te Marautanga o Aotearoa
- Te Reo M膩ori
- Te Ao Haka
- Te Reo Matatini me te P膩ngarau
There are no further updates to these. The final versions can be found on the subject pages.
Enquiries
Please refer any enquiries relating to this circular to your School Relationship Manager.
School Relationship Manager
School Quality Assurance and Support
Telephone: 04 463 3000
Email: firstname.lastname@nzqa.govt.nz