EXAMS POLICY
CENTRE NUMBER - 33745
2017 - 2018
Reviewed by: / Mrs L Barker, Head of School and Mrs I Campbell, Exams ManagerEffective from: / 1st May 2018
Next review date: / 1st May 2019
Displayed: / School website
CONTENTS
Exam Responsibilities
The Qualifications Offered
Exam and Assessment Department Information
Exam Seasons
Entries, Registrations, Late Entries and Re-takes
Exam Fees
Secure Storage
Exam Papers & Materials
Information for Candidates
Information for Parents/Carers
Access Arrangements & DDA Disability Discrimination Act
Controlled Assessments/Coursework/Non-Exam Assessment/Internal Verification
Timetabling and Rooming
Exam Room Management
Irregularities/Managing behaviour /Malpractice
Special consideration
Emergency Procedures
JCQ Inspection visit
Results
Access to scripts (ATS) & Enquiries about results (EARs)
Analysis of Results
Certificates
Review
Additional Policies – added to the Exam File
Access Arrangements
Emergency Procedures
Exams Contingency
PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
The purpose of this exam policy is to ensure that exams within Standish Community High School are conducted within the rule and regulations set out by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).
It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the centre’s exam processes to read, understand and implement this policy.
This exam policy will be reviewed by the Head of Centre (Head of School), Deputy Headteacher (with senior responsibility for exams) and the Exams Manager every two years or sooner if required.
EXAM RESPONSIBILITIES
Head of School
Overall responsibility for the school as an exam centre.
Must have an overview of the examinations system and regular updates from the Deputy Headteacher.
The Head of Schoolmust have an active role in the decisions regarding enquiry about results, appeals and malpractice. Further guidance / information can be found on the JCQ website or from the Exams Manager.
Deputy Headteacher
Organisation of teaching, learning and intervention. Liaise with the Head of School on a regular basis to keep him up to date.
Changes of course/entry/levels.
Guidance and pastoral oversight of candidates who are unsure about exam entries or amendments to entries.
Involvement in post-results procedures.
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo)
Is familiar with the contents, refers to and directs relevant centre staff to annually updated JCQ publications including: Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments.
Leads on the access arrangements and reasonable adjustments process.
If not the qualified access arrangements assessor, works with the person appointed, on all matters relating to assessing candidates and the administration of the assessment process.
Presents when requested by a JCQ Centre Inspector, evidence of the assessor’s qualification.
Exams Manager
Provides all staff with the relevant documentation from JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications).
Manage the administration of internal mock and external exams.
Communicates regularly with staff concerning imminent deadlines and events.
Ensure that candidates are informed of, and understand those aspects of the exam timetable that will affect them.
Consults with teaching staff to ensure that necessary controlled assessment/coursework or non-exam assessments are completed on time and in accordance with JCQ guidelines.
Provides and confirms detailed data on estimated entries.
Receives, checks and stores securely all exam papers and completed scripts.
Administer access arrangements and makes applications for special consideration using the JCQ Access Arrangements and Special Considerations Regulations and Guidance relating to candidates who are eligible for adjustments in examinations.
Identifies and manages exam timetable clashes.
Produces all exam seating plans and timetables.
Accounts for income and expenditures relating to all exam costs/charges.
Line manages the recruitment, training, monitoring and payroll of a team of exam invigilators responsible for the conduct of exams.
Assist Heads of Department in processing candidates’ controlled assessment, coursework marks or non-exam assessment marks accurate completion of coursework mark sheets and declaration sheets, track dispatch and stores returned coursework and any other material required by the appropriate awarding bodies correctly and on schedule.
Arranges for dissemination of exam results to Heads of Departments and candidates
Manage the enquiry about results process and further appeals in necessary.
Collate student’s certificates for prize giving ceremony.
Heads of Department
Changes of course/entry/levels - must liaise with Deputy Headteacher and Exams Manager.
Guidance and pastoral oversight of candidates who are unsure about exam entries or amendments to entries.
Ensure that your department has checked class entry sheet(s), entry codes and tiers are correct and processed meeting the deadlines set by the Exams Manager.
Involvement in post-results procedures.
Ensure department staff are fully briefed on the specification being taught and on the rules and regulation surrounding any controlled assessments, course work or non-exam assessments units liked to the specification.
Subject Teachers
Full understanding of the specification being taught and the rules and regulation regarding controlled assessment, coursework or non-exam assessment.
Checking that class entry sheet(s), entry codes and tiers are correct and processed meeting the deadlines set by the Exams Manager.
Invigilators
Attend training, update, briefing and review sessions as required. Provide information as requested on their availability to invigilate.
Reception staff
Support the Exams Manager in dealing with exam-related deliveries and dispatches with due regard to the security of confidential materials.
Site staff
Support the Exam Manager in relevant matters relating to exam rooms and resources.
Candidates, Parents / Carers
Read and understand the rules and regulation set out by the JCQ (Joint Council for Qualification) and the schools own Examinations Policy. Available on the schools website.
QUALIFICATIONS OFFERED
The qualifications offered at this centre are decided by the Headteacher.
The qualifications offered are:
GCSE
A levels
OCR Nationals
BTEC
NCFE Technical Award
Entry level Maths & English
We currently use the following exam boards;
EDUQAS / WJEC
PEARSON / EDEXCEL
AQA
OCR
NCFE
EXAM AND ASSESSMENT DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
Each year the Exam Manager will meet with each Head of Department to discuss the year’s Exam and Assessment requirements.
An overview is produced for each department, detailing all the information needed for that academic year. It is vital that this is completed correctly by the Head of Department, as the information will be used to produce the entry sheets for their subject.
EXAM SEASONS
We have two externally set seasons, January and summer. Date set by the exams boards.
With the majority of the exams being in the SUMMER. January is for Cambridge National and BTEC.
We also have three large mock exams seasons, November and December, February and March and finally April. The dates vary each year dependent on the externally set exams and the school calendar. Mock exam seasons are decided in consultation with the Deputy Headteacher, Exams Manager and Senior Teaching staff. There are ad hoc exams slotted in as well.
ENTRIES, REGISTRATIONS, LATE ENTRIES AND RETAKES
All entry sheets are produced by the Exams Manager.
Students are entered/registered for exams and assessments by their class teacher. There is a checking process for class teacher to check with their Head of Departments.
Withdrawals from a subject or reduced entry must be cleared by the Deputy Headteacher.
Changes to entry tiers must be cleared by the Head of Department.
All entries and amendment must be made by the deadlines set by the Exams Manager.
Any late entries/amendment will incur a cost and permission must be granted by the Deputy Headteacher.
All exam deadlines are emailed, on the exams display boards (staff room) and verbally mentioned in staff briefing.
The centre does not accept entries from external candidates.
Some courses do still have a retake opportunity. They are Cambridge National and BTEC’s Permission for a retake is made by the Head of Department and the Deputy Headteacher.
Only the Exams Manager has permissions to upload entry information to the exams board / websites.
Estimated Entries
Estimated entries are made for subjects that have early release materials linked to assessments.
This information in gathered from the subject exams and assessment overviews completed by the Exams Manager and Head of Department at the beginning if the academic year.
Intention to Enter
Some exams boards still request intention to entry information. The Exams Manager will review all department exams and assessment overviews and relay the relevant information to the exams boards.
EXAM FEES
Normal registration and exam fees are paid by Standish Community High School.
Late entry or amendment fees are paid for by the centre. In some cases Department may be charged. That decision will be made by the Head of School and Deputy Headteacher.
The centre will pay the exam fee for additions languages. Any additional cost incurred will have to be paid by the candidate. For example, the cost of a native speaker in order to complete the speaking test.
SECURE STORAGE
Located on the second floor of the main school building.
The only staff that have access are the Deputy Headteacher, Exams Manager and the site eam.
The door has a lock and a lock key pad with a unique code. Within the room there is a further locked room with a locked metal roller shutter. All exam materials are stored within the locked roller shutter.
EXAM PAPERS AND MATERIALS
Reception staff
To alert the site team as soon as secure exams materials arrive on site.
Inform the Exams Manager that there has been a delivery.
The Site Team
Deliver the exam materials to the exams storeroom.
Exams Manager
Will open the delivery and cross check the materials with the delivery note to ensure that the delivery is correct.
Will also check that papers/materials delivered are the correct amount required by the school.
Discrepancies will be reported to the relevant exam board.
Will organise exam question papers and associated confidential resources in date order in secure storage.
Attached to each exam will be; any erratum notices, attendance registers, postal bags and labels.
Regular checks to the exam board websites and mail boxes are made to ensure no updates are missed.
All delivery notes are stored in the exams admin file.
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
The Exam Manager
Will email all Y11 relevant documents from the Joint Council for Qualification (JQC) and exam boards (if relevant). This documentation is also displayed on form notice boards.
Will ensure all exams information is on the school’s website under the exam section.
Will issue all exam seating plans or individual timetables for Mock exams.This is done with the assistance of form tutors.
For the main summer exam series, the Exams Manager will hold an exams assembly to go over the following:
- Exam timetables
- Exam clashes
- Arriving late for an exam
- Absence or illness during exams
- What equipment is/is not provided by the centre
- Food and drink in exam rooms
- When and how results will be issued and the staff that will be available
- The post-results services and how the centre deals with requests from candidates
- When and how certificates will be issued
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS / CARERS
Information can be found on the school’s website, at parents evening or by telephoning the Exams Manager.
ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS
DDA
The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 extends the application of the DDA to general qualifications. All exam centre staff must ensure that access arrangements and special consideration regulations and guidance are consistent with the law.
Standish Community High School is committed to equality of opportunity and is keen to promote learning and working environment that is inclusive, celebrates diversity and does not discriminate against any group.
Identifying Students
Candidates who may require access arrangements are identified during the admissions process in Y7 and working with class teachers recognising that some students require assistance. There must be history of need and support in place for students requiring assistance at examination times. Please contact the Mrs Sharon Murray, Assistant Headteacher (SENCo) for further guidance.
Putting Access Arrangements in place
Students are identified by the SENCo and teaching staff. A history of need is then monitored and an independent specialist tests the students. Once a report has been generated on the student combined with the school recommendation, the SENCo will speak to the student and parents to inform them of the schools recommendation moving forward for GSCE exams.
Any students who encounter problems during their course of study at Standish High and have not already been identified must be referred to the SENCo for initial assessment. Discussion with parents / carers and initial observation can then start. Teachers will need to provide supporting information / evidence in order for an application for access arrangements to be processed.
Emergency Access Arrangements
On the day of an exam if any student has a problem, for example, a broken arm or sickness they must see / make contact with the Exams Manager, Head of Year or Deputy Headteacher as soon as possible. Until we know all the details of the problem we cannot make a plan of action.
In all cases the Exams Manager needs supporting evidence to keep on file to demonstrate why Access Arrangements have been granted. This can be viewed at any times by JCQ (The Joint Council of Qualifications) inspectors.
Organisation for Access Arrangements students on exam days
Once all of the exam entries are made the Exam Manager will hold a meeting with the SENCo and her team to ensure that we have enough staff and room to accommodate the AA students.
Each invigilator has their own exam pack which contains:
- Exam paper(s)
- Resource booklet ~ if required
- Answer booklet ~ if required
- Accompanying stationery, for example graph paper
- A guide to the Access that students(s) need.
- JCQ booklet
- Exam posters
- Clock
- Relevant paper work, for example, scribe cover sheet
The examination packs for each room are collected from the main exam hall by the Invigilator and are taken to the appropriate room to get set up.
Students should provide all their own stationery for example pens. There is an exam stationery box if you need. Please ensure that all equipment used is returned.
Once the examinations are finished the invigilators must return the papers, along with all the necessary paperwork to the Exams Manager in the main exam room.
PLEASE SEE THE SCHOOL’S MAIN ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS POLICY
CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT, COURSEWORK, NON-EXAM ASSESSMENT, INTERNAL VERIFICATION
The Deputy Headteacher
Ensure, on behalf of the Head of School, that each department carries out all assessments in accordance with the instructions issued by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), and updated their practices on annual basis.
Co-ordinate, with Heads of Department, a schedule for all assessment to take place.
Map overall resource management requirements for the year. As part of this resolve:
Clashes/ problems over the timing or operation of assessments. Issues arising from the need for particular facilities (rooms, IT networks, time out of school etc.).
Ensure all staff, students and parents have access to a calendar of events.
Heads of Department
The safe and secure conduct of all assessment in their area and comply with JCQ guidelines and awarding bodies' subject-specific instructions.
Ensure that the correct entry codes and deadlines are shared with the Exams Manager, as not to incur late fees.
All marking is standardised.
All teachers in each department understand their responsibilities with regard to assessment and are familiar with the contents of the JCQ publications.
Individual teachers understand the requirements of the awarding body's specification, particularly the level of control required, and are familiar with the relevant teachers' notes, and any other subject specific instruction.
There is a clear policy in the department handbook on the carrying out assessment and appropriate staff training takes place on an annual basis.
All confidential materials, together with the work produced by the candidates, are stored securely at all times. Secure storage is defined as a secure locked steel cabinet, a metal cabinet or similar.