NZQA – Special Assessment Conditions (SAC)

Special Assessment Conditions

Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) provide extra help for approved students when they are being assessed for their NCEA so that barriers to achievement can be removed and they then have a fair opportunity to achieve credits. The support is used for internal standards and external (exams) standards.

Examples of SAC are use of a writer or computer, rest breaks, Braille or enlarged papers, reader, extra time, rest breaks, or small group accommodation for the assessment.

If your child has sensory, physical, medical and/or learning difficulties/disabilities eg. dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, processing challenge, autism, neurodiversity, ADHD, diabetes are just some examples that might be able to be supported or the impacts reduced considerably with appropriate assistance, they may be eligible for SAC assessment. For a student to be eligible for SAC they must have the ability to work at expected levels – the use of SAC is to support barriers to learning. If you would like to nominate your child and you have not already discussed this with whānau teacher, dean or SENCO, (on enrolment or since) please email our Student Services Leader (SENCO) Lou Maguire,  before Friday 2/8/2024 loumaguire@garincollege.nz

If you know you have already had conversations with our SENCo they will be on the list for SAC but if you are unsure please just send a quick email to double check.

Your child may also have already been nominated by a teacher and the process is underway.

I will email parents to inform if their child is being screened once all nominations are in. When I complete the screening I will notify parents of the conditions your child can choose to use for their assessments including co-requisites in year 10.

A student with possible needs will be screened for the conditions.  Contact may be made with you if more information is required about your child’s individual needs. This helps to determine if an application can be made to NZQA for assessments, and for which supports. If you have any cognitive assessments or medical letters of diagnosis, these could be forwarded to the email above in support of your child’s application or copies labelled and left at the office for our SENCo. If your child is a diabetic and will need rest breaks for testing or eating during an exam, a SAC application is required.  Any other medical condition that requires treatment/management within a three hour examination including a rest break requires SAC application eg head injury.

If you have already submitted cognitive assessments to SENCo, your student will be on the register for SAC application. You may have done this as requested on enrolment. If unsure whether you have submitted any cognitive assessments or have had them done since enrolment, please email Lou Maguire (email see above).  If applying due to a medical condition, we need a doctors letter stating the diagnosis e.g ADHD, diabetes, head injury, epilepsy, arthritis

Whilst Garin College completes the application, all decisions for Special Assessment Conditions are at the discretion of Educational Psychologists at NZQA. SAC is not for underachievement but for removing barriers. Your child needs to have evidence of working at Level 5 by the end of 2024 to be considered.

When applying for Special Assessment Conditions for students we have to use some screening tests to work out their needs. These cost $15 each and most students require two screening tests, some require 3. They are not onerous for the student to complete or need any preparation. They are computer based. This cost will be included in your school account as a SAC assessment charge. If financial support is required to cover the cost of these screening tests, please contact Ben Bonoma, Business Manager (benbonoma@garincollege.nz).  A student who has a Cognitive assessment will not be screened as long as the cognitive assessment is less than 3 years old and we have a copy of the assessment from you. Once screened and SAC is granted this will last for the entirety of their academic years 11,12, and 13 and can transfer between schools if you move.

Please email if you have any questions. As this is a big workload it is much easier to receive an email than a phone call and allows us to keep a track record of all communication for each student and avoids phone tag. Our SENCo will respond to these questions loumaguire@garincollege.nz

Lou Maguire – Student Services Leader