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Assessments

Professional Responsibility and each of the skills taught on the course are assessed during the course.

Instructors mark assessments according to established and publicised criteria, and the national standards set for competency and, in some cases, merit.

The Institute operates moderation systems (both internal and external), to ensure that all trainees are treated fairly and their assessments marked to the same standards as those completed by trainees in other centres.

Internal moderation
There is an Institute staff member appointed as the national moderator for each assessment. The moderator reviews randomly selected samples of assessments, as well as any assessment marked ‘not yet competent’ by an Instructor.

External moderation
External moderators are members of the profession selected for their expertise in a particular skill. They review and approve the assessments set, and consider a sample of assessment scripts or videotapes. They comment on the standard of assessment work produced, and the marking standard applied by instructors and the internal moderator.

A trainee may complete their skill assessment in Maori.

Deferral of Assessments
It is important all assessment dates are checked before you enrol in a course. These dates (along with the course dates) can be found on the Course Dates and Fees page. Assessments are compulsory and the National Director has only limited grounds available to them when they are asked to exercise their discretion to allow a deferral of an assessment under Regulation 21 of the Professional legal Studies Course Regulations 2004 ; namely, accident, illness, disability, family bereavement, personal stress or otherwise. Applications for deferrals must be in writing within 7 days from the date of the assessment. Failing to sit an assessment, failing to apply for a deferral or not being granted a referral will result in the trainee being graded ‘not yet competent’ for that Skills assessment.