English 10
New for 2025-26:
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The English 10 examination will be written in two sixty-minute sessions during regular English 10 class time on January 26 & 27, 2026 for first semester, and June 19 & 22, 2026 for second semester.
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The examination has been shortened to fit this time frame:
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one writing task has been removed (Reading Response);
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one visual/media text has been removed.
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The Nova Scotia Read-aloud (NSA-RA) platform will not be available for English 10. Students who have a read-aloud adaptation documented in TIENET, regularly use it in the classroom, and meet eligibility criteria have two read-aloud options:
- Assistive Technology: Read-aloud audio files are available via USB stick – no registration is required, and each school will automatically receive two USB sticks (one for each day of the examination). Schools are responsible for coordinating student access and ensuring appropriate supervision during the examination.
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Human Reader: The reader should be an educator from the school or the school region. No registration is required.
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Completed examinations will be kept secure at schools. Examination materials must not be returned to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Schools are required to retain and secure all materials for a minimum of one year, or longer in accordance with regional retention policies, before securely disposing of them.
The NSE English 10 is designed to evaluate student achievement in relation to selected curriculum outcomes. Individual student results as well as school and regional results are provided each fall. The examination is worth 20% of students’ final course mark.
All students registered in any form of English 10 will write the NSE English 10. This includes students in courses such as English 10 Plus, English 10 Pre-IB, and English 10 O2. Students who have an Individual Program Plan (IPP) in English Language Arts, and therefore work toward a different set of outcomes, do not participate in the examination.
The NSE English Advisory Group, comprised of high school English teachers representing all regions in Nova Scotia, assists in the development of examinations. The Advisory Group, under the guidance of department assessment and evaluation coordinators, follows the examination development procedures outlined in the Nova Scotia Assessment Development Model. All processes, examination development, administration, scoring, and reporting are facilitated by the Assessment Division of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
The NSE English 10 is constructed according to precise specifications. Questions are written to match curriculum outcomes and then are field-tested with students. Field-test results are then analyzed and items that meet provincial standards are approved for inclusion on examinations.
Teachers of English 10 mark their students’ examinations using the Marking Guide that is provided when examinations are shipped to schools. The Marking Guide follows the Tables of Specifications published in the NSE English 10 Information Guide available in the Documents tab on this website.