Non-Examined Assessments (NEA)
What is NEA?
NEA stands for ‘Non-Examined Assessment’
In some subjects, dependent on the course, it could be referred to as ‘coursework’, ‘devised piece’, ‘portfolio’ etc.
For the purpose of guidance to students and yourselves we treat it as essentially any work that contributes to the final grade of a student that isn’t an exam
What subjects have NEAs?
At Level 2 (this is the level of course students are doing in KS4 and is typically GCSEs, but can be BTEC, CNAT or other vocational courses) the following courses have non-examined assessment:
|
Art |
Media Studies |
|
Hospitality and Catering |
Music |
|
Drama |
PE GCSE |
|
Engineering |
DT – Product Design |
|
Hair and Beauty |
DT – Textiles |
|
Health and Social Care |
Please be aware the subject list is different at Level 3 (A Level or equivalent) |
Why does it matter?
• NEA work can count for between 5% -100% of the grade in a subject
• Opportunity to show ability, knowledge and skills in a non-exam environment
• Opportunity to exceed target grade if done well
• Takes pressure off final exams for students who already have some of the grade before taking the exams
• Concrete proof of working level in subjects when applying to Colleges in Year 11
What can students expect?
• It varies by subject
• Majority of NEA work is done in Year 10/early Year 11
• Some subjects do a ‘trial’ NEA before the real thing to prepare students and give them useful feedback
• Information shared about the project/unit/assessment that gives them a clear understanding of the deadlines and expectations
• Limited feedback that may look or feel different – must meet exam board requirements
• High expectations from teachers on effort and meeting deadlines
Types of Control
Low Control - students work independently, conducting their own research, planning, and practical work often outside the classroom. The teacher provides the assignment brief, and feedback is limited during the process.
Medium Control - provides a balance of teacher guidance and structure, but with students having some autonomy in how they approach their work. Teachers will set deadlines, offer some limited feedback, and provide resources to help, but students often can make decisions about their method and/or approach.
High Control – the teacher closely supervises and guides the entire process. Students work primarily in the classroom under direct observation, with the teacher providing instructions at each stage. Students have limited autonomy—they follow the teacher's guidance closely.
Feedback during and at end of NEA
• The amount of feedback a student can receive both during the NEA process and after it is dictated by the exam board and can vary between subjects
• Not getting feedback during the process should be expected for some subjects – pay attention to general comments to the whole class or verbal prompts that may give ‘clues’
• Feedback at the end may be limited – this is because the NEA forms part of the final grade for a subject and grade boundaries are decided by exam boards after examinations are marked in the summer. They can vary year to year.
| Subject NEA | Year 11 | Year 10 |
| Art & Design | Click here | Click here |
| Catering | Click here | Click here |
| Drama | Click here | Click here |
| Engineering | Click here | Click here |
| Hair and Beauty | Click here | Click here |
| Health and Social Care | Click here | Click here |
| Media | Click here | Click here |
| Music | Click here | Click here |
| PE | Click here | Click here |
| Product Design and Textiles | Click here | Click here |
| Sports | Click here | Click here |
What happens if NEA is below target?
• We aim for all students to achieve their target grade or higher with any NEA content
• We can only operate within the rules of the exam boards. In some cases, students can make improvements to their work before it is considered finished, in other cases they may be able to re-do the project/piece of work completely in their own time. However, please note due to restrictions there may be no option to improve it
• Where more time is an option, we have done all we can to provide opportunities for students to be given the time they need
Managing time with NEAs and Mocks
• Consistency is the key – working regularly and meeting mini-deadlines along the way
• Students have struggled with having to repeat NEA work during Y11
• Being organised and planning time is the best way to avoid an issue
• NEAs will be completed before final exams, and in many subjects much earlier
• If you are struggling flag it early with teacher and/or tutor so they can help – earlier we know, the easier it is to fix!
Use of AI
JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) states:
• Students who misuse AI to the extent that the work they submit for assessment is not their own will have committed malpractice in accordance with JCQ regulations and could attract severe sanctions
• Students must ensure work submitted for assessment is demonstrably their own. If any sections of their work are reproduced directly from AI-generated responses, those elements must be identified by the student, and they must understand this will not allow them to demonstrate they have independently met the marking criteria and therefore will not be awarded
• Where teachers have doubts about the authenticity of student work submitted for assessment (for example, they suspect that parts of it have been generated by AI, but this has not been acknowledged), they must investigate and take appropriate action
AI can support your learning, but the final work must be your own! You can use it for:
Brainstorming initial ideas or approaches
Understanding concepts you are struggling with
Getting explanations of techniques or methods
Learning about tools or software you need to use
Asking for examples to understand a concept better
What breaks the rules:
× Getting AI to generate large sections of your work
× Using AI to complete tasks that assess your specific skills
× Submitting anything generated by AI as your own
If in ANY doubt ASK your teacher, don’t assume or guess!
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is presenting someone else's work, ideas, or words as your own without proper acknowledgment. This includes:
• Copying text from websites, books, or other sources without citing them
• Using someone else's designs or creative work without credit
• Paraphrasing someone's ideas without acknowledging the source
• Submitting work created by AI
• Getting someone else to do your work for you
• Copying another student's work
What happens if you plagiarise?
• Your work may receive zero marks for that assessment or the entire subject
• The plagiarism is reported to the exam board (AQA, OCR, Edexcel, WJEC, etc.)
• You may be disqualified from that GCSE entirely
Students will be asked to sign a form to confirm the work is ENTIRELY their own – once they sign we would have to tell the exam board if the work is suspected not to be theirs
Questions on NEAs
If you have any questions that this hasn’t answered for you, please contact people below:
Questions about NEAs Assignments– contact the subject teacher directly
Questions about NEA general rules/regulations or appeals – see Information on our website or contact our Exams Officer: exams@elycollege.co.uk
Any other questions - contact Sam Rasmussen, Vice Principal: srasmussen@elycollege.co.uk
Advice from previous students on NEA
“Stay on track”
“It’s gets easier – manage your time better”
“Concentrate in class and focus”
“Get more ideas at the start”
“Do more research”
“Do work at home”