Education Minister Chris Hipkins will set up an advisory group of teachers and principals to consult on the NCEA review, and has extended the consultation period after complaints from a coalition of 70 schools which said the process was being rushed.

Hipkins has written to members of the Principals NCEA Coalition today after an urgent meeting last week, confirming that he would speak to his Cabinet colleagues about proposed changes to the proposed review process.

He would establish a professional advisory group made up of principals and teachers, in addition to a ministerial advisory group already set up, to advise him on the outcomes from the review process next year.

In addition, the consultation period would be extended from September 16 until October 19 this year.

"We are grateful to the minister for meeting with us and welcome these initial changes as a good start," said coalition spokesman Glen Denham, principal of West Auckland's Massey High School.

"As a 70-strong coalition, we will now begin work on our vision for NCEA and the details of how it should operate. New Zealand's remaining secondary schools are very welcome to join us. It is vital to get this right for the future of the young people of New Zealand," Denham said in a statement.

Hipkins had issued an open invitation to principals to meet him last month after the coalition took out a full-page advertisement in newspapers which criticised the NCEA review.

The group called for the review to be halted, describing the consultation process as "bizarre", putting the views of children ahead of professional educators and lacking proper consultation with school leaders and teachers.

Hipkins previously said he believed the process would be sufficient and would not be extending the consultation period.

Today he said the changes were a "sensible step that acknowledges the issues raised by the coalition.

"We've already had about 1000 submissions from teachers and principals but I'm happy to improve the clarity of the process and give principals more opportunities to be heard alongside teachers, parents, students, employers and others."

Hipkins said he would take the changes to Cabinet in about two weeks' time.

"I very much hope that we can now get on with this important task."