Today the Government announced a proposal to replace NCEA with a new qualification pathway, details of which are set out below. Consultation is open until 15 September 2025, and the proposed rollout of the new qualifications is 2028–2030.
Alongside carefully monitoring any potential changes to the national qualification, we are thoughtfully evaluating the qualification pathways available to us. As leading educators, we have long considered the future of curriculum and qualifications, and we will continue to explore and adapt to ensure Marsden remains best placed to offer leading-edge teaching, learning and assessment that can take our students anywhere.
Marsden’s long-standing tradition of rigorous teaching and learning, combined with small class sizes and personalised support, ensures every student is known, challenged, and inspired to achieve at their best. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the consistently outstanding academic achievements of our students on a national scale. In 2024, Marsden students attained a 98% pass rate across all NCEA levels, earned an impressive 28 scholarships in the NZQA Scholarship examinations, and secured more than $410,000 worth of tertiary scholarships. Our graduates go on to pursue studies both in New Zealand and at leading international universities.
In an educational landscape where challenges abound, this success is a powerful reflection of the personalised, supportive learning environment that sets our school apart. It’s this consistent excellence that saw Marsden named Wellington’s top-performing school in Crimson Education’s 2025 list of the Top 50 High Schools in New Zealand.
We will be engaging in the consultation process to ensure that any changes introduced continue to support students in achieving at the highest level. Our successful implementation of NCEA+ in 2024—an innovative curriculum we developed in response to the government’s refreshed curriculum—is testament to the fact that we remain agile and able to pivot when national qualification systems evolve. The depth, challenge and enrichment at the heart of our approach will remain a cornerstone of a Marsden education, ensuring our students continue to thrive under any future qualification framework.
The Government’s proposed timeline means there will be no changes affecting students currently in Year 9 and above. Our students already benefit from exceptional opportunities that extend well beyond the standard curriculum, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and clear direction to thrive beyond school. We remain fully committed to delivering a high-quality, robust curriculum that offers depth and breadth for these students.
About the Government's proposal
The proposal includes:
- removal of NCEA Level 1, with Year 11 students focusing on English, Mathematics, and a new Foundational Skills Award (literacy and numeracy)
- replacement of NCEA Levels 2 and 3 with the New Zealand Certificate of Education (Year 12) and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (Year 13)
- a requirement for students to take five subjects and pass at least four to earn each qualification
- a new marking system out of 100, alongside letter grades (A–E)
- an updated Years 9–13 curriculum to align with the new qualifications.
If implemented, changes are proposed to be phased in from 2028 with the Foundational Skills Award, and the new Certificates of Education in 2029 and 2030 for Years 12 and 13.
You can read the full proposal and have your say here:
education.govt.nz/have-your-say/consultation-proposal-replace-ncea/details
Whatever the outcome of this consultation, Marsden will continue to deliver an exceptional education that inspires and prepares our students for success, now and into the future.
