NCEA Level 1 Ngā Mahi a te Rēhia exam-day guide
NCEA Level 1 Ngā Mahi a te Rēhia · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed or digital exam admission slip / candidate entry confirmation
Check that your name, candidate number and the standards you are entered for are correct. If anything looks wrong, contact your school's exams officer or the provider straight away rather than on the day.
Photo identification as specified by your school or provider
NCEA external assessment is normally administered through your school's exams office, so the exact ID requirement can vary. Confirm with the provider what form of ID (if any) you must bring.
Approved pens and pencils plus an eraser and sharpener
Bring at least two dark blue or black pens. For any practical annotation, planning or marking-up of scripts, use pencil as instructed by the supervisor.
Any equipment the standard permits for Ngā Mahi a te Rēhia
This subject area covers Māori performing arts (haka, waiata, poi, waiata ā-ringa, haka wahine and related disciplines). Equipment needs depend on whether your assessment includes a practical performance component or is written only. Confirm with the provider which items are permitted and which are supplied.
A watch or other non-smart timepiece
Phones are not permitted in the exam room, so a simple watch helps you pace yourself. Do not rely on a smart watch, which will normally be removed.
Clear water bottle with no labels
Many exam centres allow a plain water bottle. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are permitted in your room.
Correct uniform or attire, including any performance costume if a practical component applies
If your assessment includes a live performance, check with your teacher well in advance what you must wear, how you will change, and whether props or instruments are supplied or brought.
Knowledge of the venue, room and start time
Confirm your exam room, arrival time and reporting point with your school's exams office. Arrive early rather than relying on finding the room on the day.
A calm, rehearsed set of key terms and repertoire references
For written questions, be ready to use correct terminology for Māori performing arts, for example terms for the items, roles, formations, vocal and movement elements, and the contexts in which they are performed.
No phones, smart devices, notes or unauthorised material
Leave these at home or hand them in as directed. Bringing unauthorised material into the room can lead to a breach of assessment rules.
A plan for getting to the venue on time
Check transport, traffic and weather. Have a backup plan and a contact number for your school's exams office in case something goes wrong.
Any approved special assessment conditions confirmed in advance
If you are entitled to reader/writer support, extra time or a separate room, confirm with the provider that the arrangements are in place. These cannot normally be arranged on the day.
Plan the day
Re-read the assessment specification for each standard you are entered for. List the achievement criteria and the evidence you will need to provide. For a practical performance component, run through your item or items in full, ideally with feedback from your teacher or kapa haka tutor. For written components, practise short-answer and extended-response questions under time pressure. Confirm the venue, start time and equipment requirements with your school's exams office.
Do a full timed rehearsal or practice paper under exam conditions. Focus on the areas where you are weakest, particularly terminology, structure of answers and the sequence of any performance. Check that any costume, equipment or props are ready and that you know how they will be transported or supplied. Confirm any special assessment conditions with the provider.
Light revision only. Review key terms, a summary of the items you have studied and a short list of examples you can use in extended answers. Prepare your bag with pens, pencils, ID, admission slip, water and any permitted equipment. Check transport arrangements and set an alarm. Get a full night's sleep rather than cramming.
Eat breakfast and arrive at the venue with time to spare. Leave phones and smart devices at home or hand them in as directed. Go to the toilet before entering the room. If a practical component applies, warm up your voice and body appropriately and check your costume and equipment. Listen carefully to the supervisor's instructions.
Read all instructions and the whole paper or task brief before writing. Check the number of questions and any choice requirements. Plan your time, allocating roughly a minute per mark as a guide and leaving time to check. Note which questions carry the most marks and answer those fully.
Answer in the format required, using specific terminology and concrete examples from Māori performing arts. For extended answers, structure your response with a clear point, supporting detail and a link back to the question. For a practical performance, focus on clear vocal projection, correct timing and confident presentation. If you run out of time, write brief plan notes for remaining questions rather than leaving them blank, unless the rules say otherwise.
Check that every required question has an answer, that your candidate details are correct and that you have not left any page blank by mistake. Cross out rough work clearly. Hand in all materials as directed by the supervisor.
Rules to check
Follow all instructions from the supervisor and the provider. If you are unsure about a rule, ask before the exam begins rather than guessing.
Bring only permitted material into the room. Phones, smart watches and unauthorised notes must be left outside or handed in as directed. Confirm with the provider what counts as permitted equipment for your standards.
Carry the identification required by the provider and place your admission slip on the desk if instructed. Confirm the exact ID requirement with the provider in advance.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the exam has begun, and do not copy or share answers. Any suspected breach of assessment rules will be handled under the provider's procedures.
If you need to leave the room, for example for the toilet, raise your hand and wait for the supervisor. Confirm with the provider how breaks are managed, as this can vary between centres.
If you feel unwell or cannot complete the assessment, tell the supervisor immediately. Do not wait until the end, because there may be procedures for recording the circumstances.
Scoring and marking follow the achievement criteria for each standard. For practical performance components, assessment is typically against scheduled criteria and may involve assessors observing your performance. Confirm with the provider how your particular standards will be assessed and marked.
If something goes wrong on the day, such as transport problems, illness or an emergency, contact your school's exams office or the provider as soon as possible and follow their advice. Do not assume the issue can be fixed afterwards.