Heads down as exams start

Bayfield High School pupils (above) and (from left) Avi Roberts, Tim Murray, Henessey Griffiths,...
Bayfield High School pupils (above) and (from left) Avi Roberts, Tim Murray, Henessey Griffiths, Nathan Howells and Jasper Perniskie-Grimmett wait for their first exam to start in the Dunedin school's hall yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

Pupils entering the school hall for their first exam in Dunedin at Bayfield High School yesterday walked past a list of prohibited examination items - no notes, books, iPods or electronic translators.

Many pupils would have wanted to leave their nerves at the door, too.

The pupils waited in silence in Herron Hall for the first NCEA and New Zealand scholarship examinations to start, readjusting ties, nervously smiling or raising eyebrows at classmates.

Nine-nine were sitting level 1 English and three the level 3 statistics scholarship exam.

In another room, six pupils were doing level 2 German - separated because of the listening component of the test.

In Otago, 2690 level 1 pupils were sitting NCEA exams yesterday, including 2105 doing level 1 English.

In Southland, 1322 level 1 pupils were sitting exams, including 1033 doing level 1 English.

New Zealand Qualification Authority deputy chief executive Richard Thornton said more than 47,000 people were expected to sit level 1 English yesterday.

Level 1 English was the year's largest examination session and the smallest was level 3 Latin, with 27 pupils due to sit the exam tomorrow, Mr Thornton said.

In Otago, 2372 level 2 pupils were sitting NCEA exams and 1142 in Southland.

There were 1817 level 3 pupils sitting NCEA exams in Otago and 737 in Southland.

There were 447 people sitting the scholarship examinations in Otago and 147 in Southland.

The NCEA exams started with the scholarship drama exam on Friday, with 26 sitting in Otago and one in Southland.

Other NCEA exams held in New Zealand yesterday were Samoan, economics, Te Reo Maori and art history.

The exams today are German, English, Spanish, accounting, Latin and biology.

NCEA exams finish on December 3.

The papers will be marked by about 1750 people, and results are expected to be released online from mid-January.

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

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