Guide for Application for Approval for a Relevant School to use a Sub-contractor

The Consent to Assess against Standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards Rules 2011(CAAS Rules) make provisionfor a holder of a consent to assess to use a sub-contractor to deliver study, training or assessmentfor standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards.

This application form is used by the school to apply for approval from NZQA to sub-contract their consent to assess.

The school applicant must:

  • be a relevant school and
  • have consent to assess the standards to be assessed by the proposed sub-contractor.

The proposed sub-contractordoes not hold consent to assess the particular standard(s). (See CAAS Rules 8.2).

This Application ensures that the:

  • school (consent holder) and the sub-contractor,as the provider of teaching, learning and assessment understand their obligations when engaging in a sub-contracting arrangement.
  • school’s (consent holder)assessment quality assurance processes are used by the subcontractorbefore results are reported. These results are reported using the school’s (consent holder) provider code.
  • teaching, learning and assessment environment provided by the sub-contractor meets the requirements of the school’s (consent holder) Quality Management System.

NZQA will approve the sub-contracting arrangement:

Where it is satisfied that:

(a)the holder remains responsible forthe sub-contractor meeting allof the holder’s obligations in relation tothe consent; and

(b)the sub-contractor willmeet all relevant obligations in the Actand in rules made under section 253 ofthe Education Act1989 (The Act) in relation tothe consent; and

(c)there is an agreementbetween the holder and thesub-contractor that includes provisions toensure thatNZQA is able toexercise its quality assurance and enforcement powers and functions in respectofthe actsor omissions ofthe sub-contractorrelating tothe consent;and

(d) the information and advertising forthe study or training clearly states thatit is provided through a sub-contracting arrangement; and

(e) all student enrolments are throughthe holder, and the holder maintains all student enrolment and academic information; and

(f)the holder will reportcredits forthe learners and pay the relevant credit reporting fee. (See CAAS Rules 8.3)

  • the approved sub-contractor must not further sub-contract the delivery of study, training or assessment in repect of the standards to which the consent relates (See CAAS Rules 13.2).

Completing the application form

Complete the following five sections of the form:

  • Applicant and proposed subcontractor contact details
  • Section1 list the standards for proposed delivery and/or assessment by the sub-contractor.
  • Section 2briefly outline the proposed sub-contractor’s history, experience, capability and credibility with regard to delivering study, training or assessing against the standards you have listed in Section 1.
  • Section3outline how the consent holder/applicant will exercise its responsibility for ensuringthe sub-contractor meets allof the holder’s obligations in relation toAppendix 1 of the CAAS Rules.
  • Section4attest that other obligations stated in CAAS Rules 8.3 are met by the consent holder/applicant and/or the sub-contractor.

Note: a separate applicationis required for each sub-cntractor that a consent holder proposes to engage to deliver study, training and/or assess standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards.

Submitting an application

When completed, the consent holder should send thisapplicationand Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4to:

The Manager

School Quality Assurance and Liaison

New Zealand Qualifications Authority

Box 160

Wellington

or email it to the consent holder’s NZQA School Relationship Manager.There is no fee for this application.

Approval process:

  • NZQA will contact the school if further information is required.

Applications are not reportedwhere NZQA has good reason to consider that under the proposed arrangement:

(a)the consent holder does not have responsiblity forthe sub-contractor meeting allof the holder’s obligations in relation tothe consent; or

(b) the sub-contractor is unlikely to be able tomeet all relevant obligations in the Act and in rules made under section 253 ofthe Actin relation tothe consent; or

(c)the consent holder, or the sub-contractor, does not comply with, or is unlikely to comply with, any other aspect of CAAS Rules 8.3.

When applications are approved:

NZQA will advise the consent holder in writing that it has approved the use of the sub-contractor for specified standards, where NZQA is satisfied that the school meets the requirements of CAAS Rules 8.3.

Conditions of term of approval

The use of a sub-contractor is approved for the specified standards, organisation and means by which the consent holder/applicant exercises its responsibility for ensuringthe sub-contractor meets the holder’s obligations in relation toAppendix 1 of the CAAS Rules.

Where there is no change to the standards, organisations or means by which the consent holder/applicant exercises its responsibility for ensuringthe sub-contractor meets the holder’s obligations in relation toAppendix 1 of the CAAS Rules, the sub-contracting arrangement is approved for three years.

Withdrawal of approval to use a sub-contractor

NZQA may require the consent holder to withhold reporting results or withdraw already reported results if it is satisfied that the consent holder hasnot exercised its responsibility for ensuringthe sub-contractor meets the holder’s obligations in relation toAppendix 1 of the CAAS Rules.

NZQA may withdraw its approval for the consent holder to use a sub-contractor to deliverstandards on the Directory of Assessment Standards if it is satisfied that the consent holder or the sub-contractor is in breach of CAAS Rules 8.3.

Related documents

  • Consent to Assess Against Standards on the Directory of Assessment Standards Rules 2011 (CAAS Rules) – copy attached.
  • Guide to Requirements for Consent to Assess for Schools (CAAS Guidelines) – copy attached.
  • Assessment (including Examinations) Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess – see NZQA website.

Consent Holder/Applicant details

School/kura name
Ministry of Education profile number
Street address
Postal address (if different from street address)
Phone
Contact person and position
Contact email address

Sub-contractor details

Organisation name
NZQA provider number
(if applicable)
Street address
Postal address (if different from street address)
Phone
Contact person and position
Contact email address

Section 1 Standards

List the standards for proposed delivery of study, training or assessment by the sub-contractor. Use additional pages as required.

Standard registration number / Version / Title / Level

______

(Name) (Signature) (Position) (Date)

Section 2 Sub-contractor background and experience

Briefly outline the proposed sub-contractor’s history, experience, capability and credibility with regard to delivering study, training or assessment against the standards you have listed in Section 1.

Section3 Consent holder obligations(See CAAS Rules 8.3)

Theschoolis responsibleforthequality assuranceofoff-sitecomponentsofprogrammes,nomatter whatdeliveryarrangementsareinplace.

Outline how the consent holder/applicant will exercise its responsibility for ensuringthe sub-contractor meets the holder’s obligations in relation toAppendix 1 of the CAAS Rules.

Specific information is sought on the following:

  1. Personnel

How do you ensure the sub-contractor’s personnel have sufficient:

–teachingandsubjectknowledge

–assessmentandmoderationexpertise

–educationalmanagementexperience

–studentsupportskills?(See CAAS Guidelines 2.2.i)

  1. Premises,facilitiesandotherphysicalresources

How do you ensure the sub-contractor’s premises,facilitiesandotherphysicalresourcesareadequateto caterforthenumberofstudentsandthestandardslisted in Section 1? (SeeCAAS Guidelines 2.3.i )

  1. Teaching and learning resources

How do you ensuretheteachingandlearningresourcesareadequatetosupportdelivery of study, training or assessment for the standardslisted in Section 1? (See CAAS Guidelines 2.3.ii)

  1. Development, delivery and review of programmes

How do you ensure theteaching and learning for the standardslisted in Section 1 have:

a)appropriatecontent,teachingandlearningstrategies,teachingand learningresourcerequirementsandassessments? (See CAAS Guidelines 2.5.i)

b)learning outcomes that areachievablewithinthetimeframeofthe programme?

  1. Assessment processes

How do you ensure the sub-contractor appliesappropriateproceduresformanagingassessment processes,including resubmission, further assessment and appealsofassessmentresults? (See CAAS Guidelines 2.6.i and the Assessment (including Examinations) Rules for Schools with Consent to Assesssection 6)

  1. Evidence of achievement

How do you ensureassessment methodsareappropriate,fair,manageable,andevidence of achievementisvalid,authenticandsufficient?(See CAAS Guidelines 2.6.ii)

  1. Internal moderation

How do you internallymoderateassessmentmaterialsandjudgements?(See CAAS Guidelines 2.6 iii)

  1. Storage of materials

How do you ensuresamplesofstudentachievementareadequatelystoredtomeet moderationrequirementsandtorespondtostudentappeals? (See CAAS Guidelines 2.6.vi)

Section4 Other obligations (See CAAS Rules 8.3)

I confirm that:

  • The sub-contractor willmeet all relevant obligations in the Actand in rules made under section 253 ofthe Education Act 1989 (The Act) in relation tothe consent. Note - these include but are not limited to:
  • providingongoingdevelopmentandsupportforstaff (CAAS Guideline 2.2.iv)
  • ensuringitspremises,facilitiesandotherphysicalresourcesareadequateto caterforthenumberofstudentsandtherangeofcoursesoffered (CAAS Guideline 2.3.i)
  • ensuringtheteachingandlearningresourcesareadequatetosupportdelivery ofcoursesofferedandrequirementsofassessmentprocesses (CAAS Guideline 2.3 iii)
  • dealingwithstudentsfairlyandequitably(CAAS Guideline 2.4 ii)
  • providingasafephysical,culturalandemotionalenvironment(CAAS Guideline 2.4 iv)
  • havingappropriatecontent,teachingandlearningstrategies,teachingand learningresourcerequirementsandassessments (CAAS Guideline 2.5.i)
  • reportingappropriatelyandregularlyto the consent holder. (See CAAS Guidelines 2.7 ii)
  • there is an agreementbetween the holder and thesub-contractor that includes provisions toensure thatNZQA is able toexercise its quality assurance and enforcement powers and functions in respect ofthe actsor omissions ofthe sub-contractorrelating tothe consent
  • the information and advertising forthe study or training will clearly state thatit is provided through a sub-contracting arrangement
  • all student enrolments are throughthe holder, and the holder maintains all student enrolment and academic information
  • the holder will reportcredits forthe learners and pay the relevant credit reporting fee
  • the sub-contractor will not further sub-contract the delivery of study, training or assessment in respect of these standards.

For the consent holder/applicant

______

(Name) (Signature) (Position) (Date)

For the sub-contractor

______

(Name) (Signature) (Position) (Date)