Anxious students across the country will be able to open their exam results today. Photo / File
Anxious students across the country will be able to open their exam results today. Photo / File
Anxious students across the country can finally access their long-awaited NCEA exam marks online this morning.
The results for around 158,000 students in New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Niue went online at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) website around 7am.
Alongside the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)results for the exams they sat last year, students will also see whether they have received Course Endorsements, Certificate Endorsements, or met the requirements for University Entrance.
The spokesperson said after the results are released, students have the opportunity to request a review or reconsideration of their examination papers.
NCEA has been New Zealand’s main secondary school qualification for more than 20 years.
What to do when dealing with disappointment?
Exam results can be an emotional time for students who have received results they weren’t expecting.
Child psychologist Sara Chatwin told the Herald that students must take the time to reflect when they receive what they think is a disappointing mark.
“The first step is just to understand that exam situations are stressful and a lot of people don’t necessarily bring their A-game to that situation because of that pressure,” Chatwin said.
She said students should take some time to just sit in with their disappointment and figure out if it really is as bad as they think it is.
Psychologist Sara Chatwin. Photo / Supplied
“Sit in the space of knowing that what’s done is done, figure out a way forward with the results that you’ve got, because often there is more than one way of achieving your goals,” she said.
Chatwin said students should try to steer away from “knee-jerk reactions” and take the time to debrief with someone they trust.
“For parents, understand that whilst you too may be disappointed, it is much more disappointing for the person who actually sat the exam. The weight of expectation can almost be as heavy as a bad result.”
Chatwin said parents should be prepared to celebrate their student, irrespective of the result.
She said it is important for parents to be a support system for their children and to help them make sense of their marks rather than letting their own feelings have an impact on their children’s self-esteem.
“If they are happy with what they got, that’s all you want because, as parents, don’t we want our children to be happy?
“If our kids are disappointed and upset and can’t find a way forward, then as parents we might be able to offer strategies to promote acceptance or to help them reassess options or pivot,” Chatwin said.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
