Cheating error ours says school

By NICOLA BOYES

Auckland Grammar says it made a mistake in not telling the Qualifications Authority of suspicions a student cheated in NCEA exams, but says any further action on how exams are run falls to the authority.

It was revealed yesterday that a year 12 (sixth form) student had sat NCEA level one exams in biology, chemistry, maths, physics and science for a year 11 student last year.

Auckland Grammar principal John Morris said a letter had been sent to NZQA admitting a mistake had been made in not telling the authority, but the school initially had no proof.

The school received an anonymous phone call last November saying the boy had cheated in his exams.

A senior teacher interviewed the boy and his father, who Mr Morris described as having "some language issues".

He said both were unco-operative and did not admit anything. Documents show the father told the teacher his son was leaving Auckland Grammar the following year for a job or to attend a tertiary institution.

The teacher, he said, decided not to waste any further time on the matter.

"The issue is we should have in retrospect let NZQA know earlier," Mr Morris said.

"In that respect we fell short of our own high standards."

The authority was alerted to the cheating when the boy started at a new school this year and questions were asked about his examination results. The boy admitted the deception.

Auckland Grammar was contacted by the unnamed school and notified the authority.

Mr Morris said any changes to how the exams were run was a matter for the authority, which had revoked the marks of both boys.

Authority spokeswoman Kate Colbert said the Grammar case was unprecedented because staff had suspicions the student had cheated but did not tell the authority.

Suggestions were made yesterday about Auckland Grammar losing its rights to assess students for qualifications but Ms Colbert said the authority did not believe the teacher had acted dishonestly in not informing NZQA immediately.

"I don't think we need to make any changes to our system but I think schools need to consider very carefully the impact of not letting us know about this conduct."

Parents at the school yesterday were shocked.

One, Jane Rowland, said she believed cheating among students was a big issue that could potentially damage Grammar's reputation.