The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) announced on Wednesday night NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams would now be held between November 22 and December 14.
The change would also apply to the NCEA level 1 Mathematics Common Assessment Task (MCAT), which took place earlier than other exams.
Subjects where pupils submitted a portfolio instead of sitting an exam, such as design or visual communication, would also have submission dates pushed back two weeks.
The change allowed pupils more time to finish their work and for teachers to mark it.
The reintroduction of learning recognition credits and changes to endorsement and university entrance thresholds were also being considered.
Otago Secondary Principals’ Association president Lindy Cavanagh-Monaghan said the decision was a really positive move.
The early decision gave teachers a clear idea of how much time they had left in the year and they could plan appropriately.
It would also help ease pupils’ anxieties, which would start to grow as exam time grew closer.
"It’s a bit of certainty in uncertain times."
The new dates could conflict with school prizegivings, as most schools would be holding their events during that time period.
However that was "a minor thing in the great scheme of life" and the change was "definitely" a good move, she said.
Otago Boys' High School principal Richard Hall said the move gave the school a pathway forward, which helped teachers plan for the coming months.
The school would also shift its mock exams to match the final exams.
Kaikorai Valley College principal Rick Geerlofs said not all pupils engaged with online learning as well as the school would like and the extension gave teachers time to plug any gaps they needed.
