Moderation Process

We’re committed to delivering high-quality training and fair, consistent assessment against national standards for every EarnLearn learner. On this page you’ll find information about how assessment works, who our assessors are, how to become one, and the support available.

Moderation at EarnLearn

We moderate assessments to make sure every learner is treated fairly and consistently. Moderation is a quality assurance process that checks both assessment decisions and assessment tools, so that national standards are applied validly and consistently across all learners, programmes, and industries.

Our Quality Assurance team oversees moderation by:

1

Moderating assessment decisions made by registered assessors

2

Moderating assessment tools before they are used

3

Working closely with Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) and NZQA to meet sector and national moderation requirements

How we conduct moderation

We use a range of moderation methods to review assessment decisions and support continuous improvement.

Postal moderation

Our Quality Assurance team requests assessment samples from registered assessors, in line with the Annual Moderation Plan. These samples are sent to external contracted moderators to review whether assessment decisions are fair, valid, and consistent.

Peer moderation

Our Quality Assurance team, assessors, and moderators come together to review a set of assessment samples. Peer moderation builds shared understanding of standards, expectations, and best practice across assessors.

Observed moderation

Observed moderation takes place during a live assessment activity, usually at the employer’s workplace. The Quality Assurance team and a nominated industry specialist moderator observe the assessment process and review the evidence and decisions in real time.

Assessors who have previously not met moderation requirements may be included in more frequent moderation until best practice assessment standards are consistently met.

Our Quality Assurance team informs assessors individually about their moderation requirements and what they need to provide.

Assessors have the right to appeal

How moderation appeals work

  • The assessor must submit an appeal in writing within 30 days of receiving the moderation result.
  • Our Quality Assurance team oversees a formal review of the appeal and the evidence considered.
  • We inform the moderator and the assessor of the outcome of the appeal within 15 days of receiving it.

To appeal a moderation decision, assessors need to

If assessors are unsure whether they should lodge an appeal, they can contact the Quality Assurance team for advice before submitting.