Examination Handbook for Parents and Students 2017-2018 Centre number 61311 Examinations Officer Nicola Murray E-mail address exams@rmgs.org.uk Telephone number 01634 364151 1
Contents Before the Examinations Page 3 Statement of Entry Exam Boards Candidate Number UCI Number ULN Number Timetables Equipment Exams Notice Board During the Examinations Page 5 Examination Regulations Examination Attendance Invigilators Absence from Exams After the Examinations Page 8 Results Day Post-Results Advice Enquiries about results Presentation of certificates Frequently asked questions Page 10 Appendix 1 Page 12 Information for candidates for written Exams 2016/17 Appendix 2 Page 13 Information for candidates controlled assessments 2016/17 2
Before the Examinations Statements of Entry All candidates will receive a statement of entry indicating the subjects they are being entered for and the level of entry, where applicable. Please check that these are correct and speak to the Examinations Officer immediately if you have any queries. Students must check everything on their statements of entry very carefully. Particularly that all personal details (date of birth, spelling of names) are correct as these will appear on certificates and may not be able to be changed once they have been awarded. Candidate s names should be their legal name as shown on their birth certificates and will be shown in the format of Legal Forename, Legal Surname e.g. Andrew Jones. Please note middle names are not included unless a request has been made to the Examinations Officer. Examination Boards We use the following Examination Boards: AQA, Pearson (Edexcel), OCR and WJEC Candidate Number Each candidate will be issued with a four digit candidate number. It will appear next to their name on seating plans and individual timetables. This is the number that candidates write on the front of exam papers. Students should learn their candidate number. Unique Candidate Identifier (UCI) In addition to a candidate number, each student will have a UCI number (12 digits and 1 letter) which is shown on the top of statements of entry and statements of results. This number will usually begin with the Centre Number (61311) unless the student has transferred from another school that has already issued their UCI. This number is used for administration purposes, students are not expected to remember it. Unique Learner Number (ULN) In addition to a candidate number and a UCI number, each candidate has a ULN number (10 digits). This number is used to access the Personal Learning Record of anyone over the age of 14 partaking in UK education or training. 3
Timetables External exam timetables are displayed on the School website. Prior to the start of the exam series students will receive an individual timetable detailing dates, times, duration, venue and seat number. This must be checked carefully and if a student has any queries they should speak to the Exams Officer immediately. In addition to these timetabled examinations there may be practical elements/ language speaking tests and controlled assessments throughout the course. If a candidate has a clash where two subjects are timetabled at the same time, the School will make special timetable arrangements. This will normally involve sitting one exam after the other. In rare circumstances when the exam period will exceed three hours lunchtime supervision may be required. Equipment Students are responsible for ensuring they have all equipment required before their examination. Exams Notice Board This is located outside the main school Hall and displays timetables and information relating to internal and external exams. Seating plans will be displayed during the exam series. Please check the notice board regularly! Exams information will also be sent regularly via students school e-mail address so these should be checked regularly. 4
During the Examinations Examination Regulations Notices to candidates will be printed on the back of individual timetables. These are issued jointly by all examining boards and are also available to view on the school website. Candidates must read these carefully and note that a break in any of the examination rules or regulations could lead to disqualification from all subjects. The school must report any breach of regulations to the awarding body. Examination Attendance Candidates are responsible for checking their own timetable and arriving at school on the correct day and time, appropriately dressed and with the correct equipment. Candidates are advised to arrive at the specified venue at least 10 minutes prior to the start time of the exam. They should wait outside the exam room until instructed to enter. Candidates who arrive late may still be admitted, at the discretion of the Exams Officer, depending on the reason. If the exam has already started candidates should go straight to the Exams Office. Full school uniform must be worn by all students in year 11 attending school for exams. Normal dress code applies for sixth form students. All items of equipment should be a visible to invigilators at all times. A transparent pencil case or clear plastic bag must be used for these items. Pens should be black ink or ballpoint. No correction pens or Tippex are allowed. Highlighters may be used to mark sections in the questions but must not be used in answers. Students should make sure that their calculator conforms to exam regulations, if in doubt check with teaching staff. Ensure calculator covers and instructions are not brought in to the exam room and that batteries have been replaced if necessary. Please make sure all alarms are switched off. Do not attempt to communicate or distract other students. Students may bring a standard wrist watch into the exam room but it must be placed at the front of the exams desk, in full view of the invigilators. Candidates are not permitted any potential technological /web enabled sources of information such as a mobile phone, ipod, MP3/4 player or a watch which has a data storage device. These devices must be switched off before candidates enter the exam room and then handed to the invigilator. They will be kept in a box at the front of the exam room, until the examination has ended and all question papers have been collected in. If any of these devices are found on a candidate during the examination (even if it is switched off) it will be taken from them and a report will be made to the awarding 5
body and is likely to lead to disqualification. No exceptions can be made. Students are reminded that such items should not be brought in to school and that the school will not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage. Food is not permitted in the examination room, however a small bottle of water in a clear bottle with the label removed is allowed. Students must not write on exam desks, this is regarded as vandalism and any damage must be paid for. Students must not draw graffiti or write any offensive comments on examination papers, this could lead to disqualification from the exam. Students must listen carefully to the instruction read out by the invigilators, there may be amendments to the exam that need to be noted. Students must check they have the correct question paper check the subject, paper and tier of entry. All instructions on the front of the exam paper must be read carefully and answers numbered clearly where necessary. No candidate will be allowed to leave the examination early. If they have completed the paper they are advised to use any remaining time to check answers they have given and that all details have been filled in correctly. At the end of the examination all work must be handed in. Any rough work should be neatly crossed through with a single line. If additional answer booklets or sheets have been used these should be attached with a treasury tag. All exam papers will be collected before students are allowed to leave the room. Absolute silence must be maintained during this time. Candidates are to remain seated in silence until dismissed, row by row, by the invigilator. Students may still be working in another room so silence must be maintained until outside the building. Question papers, answer papers and additional paper MUST NOT be taken from the exam. In the unlikely event of the fire alarm sounding during the exam, the invigilators will tell candidates what to do. They should not panic, if they have to evacuate the room they will be asked to leave in silence in the order instructed. Everything must be left on the desk. During the period of evacuation, examination regulations still apply and candidates must not communicate with other candidates or any other person. They will be escorted to a designated area. On return to the exam room candidates must not start writing until told to do so by the invigilator. The full time will be allowed and a report will be sent to the awarding body. Invigilators The school employs external invigilators to conduct all external exams. Invigilators are respected members of the community and are trained in the specific role. Students are expected to behave in a respectful manner towards all invigilators and follow their instructions at all times. Invigilators are in the examination rooms to supervise the conduct of the exam in accordance with the regulations. Any questions should be directed to the invigilators. Students are reminded to let the invigilator know if any problems occur during the exam, for example if a candidate feels unwell. 6
Please note the invigilators cannot discuss the examination paper with candidates or explain the questions. If a student suspects an error on the paper they should advise the invigilator who will contact the Exams officer. The candidate should then carry on with the rest of the paper whilst the awarding body is contacted. Absence from examinations If difficulties are experienced during the examination period (e.g. Illness or personal problems) please inform the Exams Officer at the earliest possible point so that we can help or advise. In exceptional circumstance candidates are allowed special consideration for absence from an exam. It is essential that medical or other appropriate evidence is obtained and given to the Exams Officer without delay in all cases where an application is to be made for special consideration. Parents are reminded not to arrange family holidays when examinations are taking place. Non-Exam Assessments and coursework are carried out throughout the two year course in some subjects for GCSE and A level. 7
After the Examination Results Day Thursday 16 th August 2018 GCE (8.30-10am) Thursday 23rd August 2018 GCSE (10am-11am) Results to be collected from the main school Hall. If a student is unable to collect their results in person they can arrange for them to be collected by someone else if they give their written permission to the Exams Office prior to results day. Candidates that would like their results to be posted can bring a stamped addressed envelope to the Exams Office prior to results day. These will then be posted at the end of results day. Any uncollected results will be available to collect, during school hours, from the main school office. Please note that results will not be given over the phone or by e-mail under any circumstances. We strongly advise that results are collected by students themselves as there will be school staff available on the day to answer any questions and discuss programmes of study for the coming academic year. Any questions or queries about results during the school summer holidays should be communicated by e-mail to the Exams Officer on exams@rmgs.org.uk Post Results Advice If you need any post results advice school staff will be available to answer your questions on results day. A sheet will be included with results detailing the services that are available and the fees. Enquiries about results (review of marking) If a student feels that their external examination results do not reflect their performance and are significantly different from what was expected, then they may request an enquiry requesting the mark to be reviewed. All enquiries must be directed through RMGS as candidates are not permitted to contact the Exam Boards directly. As a result of a review the candidate s mark may be confirmed, raised or lowered. Careful thought and discussion with the subject teacher should take place before requesting a review of marking. If a candidate wishes to proceed they will need to sign a form to agree that they will accept the new mark/grade if it changes. 8
Presentation of Certificates Year 11 and 13 - Exam certificates arrive in school October/November and will be presented at the Presentation evening held in December. (Details of dates and times are included in results envelope). Any other GCSE or AS certificates will be held in the Exams office and will be presented when the student has their Presentation Evening. If candidates need these certificates earlier they can collect them from the Exams Office, they will need to be signed for. Any students unable to attend the Presentation Evening will be able to collect their certificates from the Exams Office after the Presentation Evening during school hours. RMGS is obliged to keep certificates for a period of one year after students have left. If a student has not collected their certificates within this time and the school no longer has them they will need to contact the Exam Boards and request replacements. This will require proof of identity and a fee of approximately 40 per certificate. Students are therefore urged to collect and keep their certificates safe. 9
Frequently Asked Questions Q. What do I do if there is a clash on my timetable? A. The school will re-schedule papers internally (on the same day) when there is a clash of subjects. Candidates will normally sit one paper and then sit the second paper straight after depending on the duration of the exams. Correct times should be on student s final timetable. Occasionally it may be necessary for student to be supervised over lunchtime in which case they will need to bring a packed lunch. If this is the case they will be advised beforehand. If in doubt please contact the exams Officer. Q. What do I do if I have the wrong paper? A. Invigilators will ask you to check before the exam starts. If you think something is wrong, put your hand up and tell the invigilator immediately. Q. What do I do if I forget my Candidate Number? A. Candidate numbers are printed on the seating plans which are displayed outside the exam room. Invigilators will be able to help you find your number. Q. What do I do if I forget the Centre Number? A. The Centre number is 61311. It will be clearly displayed in the Exam Room. Q. What do I do if I am ill, injured or unable to attend on the day of the exam? A. Inform the Exams Officer immediately who will advise what you need to do. Q. What is an Appeal for Special Consideration? A. Special Consideration is an adjustment to the marks or grades of a candidate who is eligible. The allowance for Special Consideration is from 0% (consideration given but addition of marks considered inappropriate) to 5% (reserved for exceptional circumstances). Parents should be aware that any adjustment is likely to be small and no feedback is ever provided. Candidates will only be eligible for special consideration if they have been fully prepared and covered the whole course but performance in the examination is affected by adverse circumstances beyond their control. Examples of such circumstances may be illness (affecting performance on the day of the exam), accident or injury, bereavement or domestic crisis. The Exams Officer must be informed immediately, so that the necessary paperwork can be completed. The candidate will normally be asked to provide evidence to support such an application. Q. What do I do if I feel unwell during the exam? A. Put your hand up and an Invigilator will assist you. You should tell an Invigilator or the exams Officer if you feel ill before the exam. Q. If I arrive late can I still sit the Examination? A. Students should always allow plenty of time to arrive ten minutes before the start of their exams. However, if due to unforeseen circumstance, a student is running late they should contact the Exams Officer immediately. They will then be advised to come to the exams office and will be escorted to the exam room, where depending on the reason, will be given the full time. If a student is more than one hour later than the published time of the exam they can still sit the paper but the Exam Board may not accept it. Q. If I miss an Exam can I take it on another day? A. Not in the current exam series. For GCSE most Exams are now taken at the end of a two year course so there will not be another opportunity to re-take. You will be awarded 0 marks for the paper you have missed. Q. Do I have to wear school uniform? A. Yes, normal school regulations apply to uniform, hair, jewellery, make-up, shoes etc. Normal sixth Form dress code also applies. 10
Q. What items are not allowed into the examination room? A. Only material that is listed on the question paper is allowed. Bags and coats are not permitted and should be left in the designated area (changing rooms in Gyms and outside rooms in Sixth Form block). No food or drink with the exception of a small bottle of water in a clear bottle with no label. Any electronic devices must be switched off before entering the exam room and handed in to the invigilator. Q. How do I know how long the exam is? A. The duration of each Exam is shown in minutes on student s individual timetables. Invigilators will tell you when to start and finish and will write the finish time on a board at the front of the Exam room. Q. Can I leave the Exam Early? A. No. It is school policy not to allow students to leave the exam early as this is disruptive to other students. If students finish early they should use the time to check their answers and check that all their details are correctly filled in. Q. Can I go to the toilet during an Exam? A. Yes, if it is absolutely necessary. Raise your hand to attract the Invigilators attention and they will escort you. You will not be allowed the time added on. Q. Why do I need to check the details on my Statement of Entry? A. These are the details that will be printed on Certificates. If the name and date of birth on your Exam Certificates does not match your birth certificate it may cause you problems if you are asked to prove your qualification to an employer or college/university in the future. You should also check that you have been entered for all subjects that you are expecting to get a qualification in. Q. I am entitled to extra time, how will this affect the way I take my exams? A. Some students receive an allowance of up to 25% extra time for some of their examination. Where possible these students will sit together to minimise disruption from the other candidates who finish earlier. The Invigilators are aware of student requiring extra time. Q. What do I do if I don t get the grades I need? A. Staff will be available on results day to offer advice. If your University place is at stake speak to the Exams Officer immediately, who can advise re Priority Re-marks. 11
APPENDIX 1 12
Information for candidates :- APPENDIX 2 AQA, CCEA, OCR, Pearson and WJEC Information for candidates - controlled assessments This document tells you about some things that you must and must not do when you are completing your work. When you submit any work for marking, you will be asked to sign an authentication statement confirming that you have read and followed these regulations. If there is anything that you do not understand, you must ask your teacher or lecturer. Controlled assessment will provide you with an opportunity to do some independent research into a topic. The research you do may involve looking for information in published sources such as textbooks, encyclopaedias, journals, TV, radio, and on the internet. Using information from published sources (including the internet) as the basis for your assignment is a good way to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a subject. You must take care how you use this material though - you cannot copy it and claim it as your own work. The regulations state that: the work which you submit for assessment must be your own ; you must not copy from someone else or allow another candidate to copy from you. If you use the same wording as a published source, you must place quotation marks around the passage and state where it came from. This is called referencing. You must make sure that you give detailed references for everything in your work which is not in your own words. A reference from a printed book or journal should show the name of the author, the year of publication and the page number, for example: (Morrison, 2000, pg.29). For material taken from the internet, your reference should show the date when the material was downloaded and must show the precise web page, not the search engine used to locate it. This can be copied from the address line. For example: (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/16/sosteacher/history/49766.shtml), downloaded 5 February 2016. You may be required to include a bibliography at the end of your work. Your teacher or lecturer will tell you whether a bibliography is necessary. Where required, your bibliography must list the full details of publications you have used in your research, even where these are not directly referred to, for example: Morrison, A. (2000) Mary, Queen of Scots, London: Weston Press. If you copy the words or ideas of others and don t show your sources in references and a bibliography, this will be considered as cheating. Preparing your work good practice If you receive help and guidance from someone other than your teacher, you must tell your teacher who will then record the nature of the assistance given to you. 13
If you worked as part of a group on an assignment, for example, undertaking field research, you must each write up your own account of the assignment. Even if the data you have is the same, the description of how that data was obtained and the conclusions you draw from it should be in your own words. You must meet the deadlines that your teacher gives you. Remember - your teachers are there to guide you. Although they cannot give you direct assistance, they can help you to sort out any problems before it is too late. Take care of your work and keep it safe. Don t leave it lying around where your classmates can find it. You must always keep your work secure and confidential whilst you are preparing it; do not share it with your classmates. If it is stored on the computer network, keep your password secure. Collect all copies from the printer and destroy those you don t need. Don t be tempted to use essays from on-line essay banks this is cheating. Electronic tools used by awarding bodies can detect this sort of copying. You must not write inappropriate, offensive or obscene material. Plagiarism Plagiarism involves taking someone else s words, thoughts or ideas and trying to pass them off as your own. It is a form of cheating which is taken very seriously. Don t think you won t be caught; there are many ways to detect plagiarism. Markers can spot changes in the style of writing and use of language. Markers are highly experienced subject specialists who are very familiar with work on the topic concerned they may have read the source you are using (or even marked the essay you have copied from!). Internet search engines and specialised computer software can be used to match phrases or pieces of text with original sources and to detect changes in the grammar and style of writing or punctuation. Penalties for breaking the regulations If your work is submitted and it is discovered that you have broken the regulations, one of the following penalties will be applied: the piece of work will be awarded zero marks; you will be disqualified from that unit for the examination series in question; you will be disqualified from the whole subject for that examination series; you will be disqualified from all subjects and barred from entering again for a period of time. Your awarding body will decide which penalty is appropriate. REMEMBER IT S YOUR QUALIFICATION SO IT NEEDS TO BE YOUR OWN WORK 14