Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School Examinations Policy Signed Headteacher November 2017 November 2018
Examinations Policy The purpose of the examination policy is: To ensure the planning and management of exams is conducted efficiently and in the best interests of the candidates. To ensure the operation of an efficient exam system with clear guidelines for all relevant staff and candidates. It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the centres processes to read, understand and implement this policy. The Headteacher will have the responsibility for: Advising on appeals and re-marks. Reporting all suspicious or actual incidents of malpractice. Procedures to be followed in such cases can be found in the JCQ document Suspected malpractice in examinations and assessments. The Exams Officer will manage the administration of public and internal exams: Advise the SLT, subject and form tutors and other relevant support staff on annual examination timetables and application procedures as set by the various examination boards. Oversee the production and distribution to all staff and candidates of calendars for all exam seasons in which candidates will be involved and communicate regularly with staff concerning imminent deadlines and events. Ensure that candidates and their parents are informed of and understand those aspects of the exam timetable that will affect them. Consult with teaching staff to ensure the necessary coursework is completed on time and in accordance with JCQ deadlines. Ensure that all exam papers and completed scripts are checked and stored securely. Liaise with the school SENCO on the administration of access arrangements and the making of 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. Identify and manage exam timetable clashes. Account for income and expenditures relating to all exam costs and charges. Work with support staff in the submission of coursework marks by the required deadlines and the secure storage of returned coursework. Organise the recruitment, training and monitoring of a team of exam invigilators responsible for the conduct of exams.
Maintain the systems and processes to support the timely entries of candidates for their exams. Produce seating plans for all examinations and have photographic class lists available for student identification purposes in the event that the Year Leader is absent. Deliver the examination papers and all relevant stationery to the examination room before the start of the examination. Once in the examination room before the packets are opened ensure that the date, time and paper number is checked by an additional member of staff/invigilator and the examination papers checked by section on the invigilation sheet is signed when all details verified as correct. Organise the collection of all examination papers at the end of the exam, check all documentation is included and arrange for the safe storage of papers and for the collection of completed papers by an external carrier. Make arrangements for the dissemination of examination results and certificates to candidates and consult with the SLT and heads of departments over any appeals or re-mark requests. Assistant Headteacher will have responsibility for: Organisation of the curriculum. External validation of courses followed at Key stage 4. Year Leader will have responsibility for: Identifying the candidates at the beginning of an examination. Liaising with the examinations officer regarding any known absentees. Liaising with the examinations officer regarding any candidates who are missing from the exam room without a previously reported reason. Contacting the parents/carers/candidates as soon as possible to try to get the candidates into the examination as soon or record a valid absence. Heads of Department will have responsibility for: Guidance and pastoral oversight of candidates who are unsure about exam entries or amendments to entries. Involvement in post results procedures. Accurate completion of coursework marksheets and declaration sheets. Accurate completion of entry and all other marksheets and adherence to deadlines as set by the examinations officer. Notify the examinations officer of any changes in syllabus.
Subject teachers will have the responsibility for: Submission of candidates names and entry requirements to the heads of department. SENCO will have the responsibility for: Administration of access arrangements. Identification and testing of candidates who have requirements for access. Provision for additional support with spelling, reading, mathematics, dyslexia or essential skills, hearing impairment, English for speakers of other languages, IT equipment to help candidates achieve their course aims. Invigilators will have the responsibility for: Invigilating examinations according to the rules set out in the JCQ document Instruction for conducting examinations. Along with the examinations officer the chief invigilator will check the date, time and paper number are correct prior to the examination packets being opened, when satisfied that everything is correct sign the examination papers checked by section on the invigilation sheet. Assisting with the distribution and collection of all exam papers and other materials in the correct order at the start and at the end of the examination. Reporting any instances of pupil or staff malpractice to the examinations officer or assistant headteacher as soon as possible. Candidates will have the responsibility for: Making sure that they are familiar with all the regulations as stated in the schools examinations handbook and the JCQ Information to candidates documents. Following all regulations in the examination hall and understanding that any disruptive candidates will be dealt with in accordance JCQ guidelines. Understanding coursework regulations and signing a declaration that authenticates the coursework as their own. Qualifications The statutory tests and qualifications offered at this centre will be decided by the headteacher and SLT in conjunction with the heads of department. The qualifications offered are: GCSE BTEC VCERT Entry Level
At KS4 all candidates will be entitled and enabled to achieve an entry for qualifications from an external awarding body. Decisions on whether a candidate should take an examination in a particular subject will be taken in consultation with the candidate, parents/carers, SENCO, subject teachers, heads of subject and an assistant headteacher. Exam Seasons and Timetables Internal exams are scheduled in Year 11 and are to be held under external exam conditions. External exams are scheduled in May/June. Entries, Entry Details and Late Entries Candidates are selected for their examination entries by the heads of department in consultation with the subject teacher The centre does not act as an examination centre for other organisations. Entry deadlines are circulated to staff via email and the school bulletin. Exam Fees The centre will pay all normal examination fees on behalf of the candidate. Reimbursement will be sought from candidates who fail to sit an examination or meet the necessary coursework requirements without a valid reason. Responsibility of the School for Visiting Examination Representatives The school will not allow external verifiers, examiners or other examination board representatives to be placed in a situation whereby they are on their own in a one to one situation with a child or vulnerable adult. A responsible adult will be available to accompany the examination board representative whenever there is a contact with the persons described above. Evacuation Procedure In the case of the fire alarm sounding during an examination, candidates should remain in the hall until a member of SLT arrives. The candidates will then be escorted from the hall through the rear door accompanied by Mrs Hammond and all the staff invigilators. The candidates will be registered in the adjacent yard by the invigilators in the same rows and number order as in the hall. Any candidates taking examinations in other rooms must be escorted by the invigilators out of the nearest exit to the west block yard, where they will also be registered.
When notice is given to re-enter the building the candidates will be accompanied into the hall one row at a time and into any separate rooms with invigilators and will resume their examination. Any time lost in the evacuation will be added to the scheduled finishing time of the examination. All necessary consultation procedures and the completion of Form S for the examination boards will be the responsibility of the Mr Dutton (or Mrs Whelan in his absence). Appeals against Internal Assessment The centre is obliged to publish a separate procedure on this subject, which is available upon request from the examinations officer. The main points are: Appeals will only be entertained if they apply to the process leading to an assessment. There is no appeal against the mark or grade awarded. Appeals must be made in writing by the 30 th April to the examinations office who will decide whether the process used conformed to the necessary requirements. A written record will be kept and made available to the awarding body upon request. Should the appeal bring any significant irregularity in procedures to light, the awarding body will be informed. Enquiries about Results (Review of marking) EARs may be requested by centre staff or candidates if there are reasonable grounds for believing there has been an error in marking: In cases of enquiries about results where the school does not uphold a request for such an enquiry the student may normally pay to have the enquiry carried out. The student and his/her parents/carers will be notified by the school that any enquiries about results can lead to the final grade going down as well as up. In all cases where an enquiry about results is made, the consent of the student will be obtained. Where the student wishes to challenge the decision of the school not to proceed with an enquiry about results, the centre s internal appeals procedure will be carried out. ATS (Access to Scripts) After the release of results, candidates may ask subject staff to request the return of papers within three days scrutiny of the results. If a candidate requests this service they must pay for it themselves. This payment must be received by the school in full before the request will be carried out. Centre staff may also request scripts for investigation or teaching purposes. For the latter, the consent of candidates must be obtained.
Disability Discrimination Act The school will adhere to the requirements of the act to ensure that no student suffers any discrimination with examinations on the grounds of disability. The treatment of any such student will not be any less favourable than for another student whose relevant circumstances are the same as, or not materially different from those of a disabled person. Results & Certificates Candidates will receive individual results slips on results day in person at the centre. Results can be collected by a third party providing that a signed letter from the candidate giving permission has been previously received by the 30 th June by the examinations officer. Arrangements for the school to be open on results days are made by the headteacher. We may publish a candidates exam results for promotion purposes e.g. school website. All results will be published in the local newspaper. Certificates are presented in person and collected and signed for. Certificates may be collected on behalf of a candidate by a third party, provided they have written permission to do so. The centre retains certificates for two years. Review This policy is to be reviewed annually in light of changing guidelines from JCQ or specific exam boards. November 2017