As we embark upon the summer exam series, senior leaders must be aware of their role in supporting their exams officer and ensuring that JCQ and awarding body regulations and processes are adhered to throughout the examination series.
In this article, we consider five areas which require leadership and guidance, and therefore, the involvement of a senior leader.
- Ensure that contingency measures are in place
Section 15.3 of JCQ’s Instructions for conducting examinations publication states that:
All centres must have a written examination contingency plan which covers all aspects of examination administration. This will allow members of the senior leadership team to act immediately in the event of an emergency or where the head of centre, examinations officer or SENCo is absent at a critical stage of the examination cycle. The examination contingency plan should reinforce procedures in the event of the centre being unavailable for examinations owing to an unforeseen emergency.
All relevant centre staff must be familiar with the examination contingency plan.
Consideration should be given as to how these arrangements will be communicated to candidates, parents and staff should disruption to examinations occur.
The head of centre/senior leadership team must ensure that contingency measures are in place to mitigate against the following issues during the exam series and results day(s):
- The centre being unavailable for examinations
- The exams officer being absent
Centres should be prepared for the JCQ inspector to ask for a named location which will be utilised as a contingency measure, and to ensure that if their exams officer is absent on an exam day that all tasks are undertaken in line with JCQ and awarding body regulations and processes before, during and after an exam session. In such circumstances, senior leaders should also be aware of how to deal with instances of malpractice and any irregularities which occur during an examination.
When devising an exam contingency plan, senior leaders should also consult Ofqual’s Exam system contingency plan which requires a centre to review contingency plans well in advance of each exam or assessment series and to consider how, if the contingency plan is invoked, a centre will comply with the awarding organisation’s requirements. The plan also requires centres to speak to the relevant awarding organisations as soon as possible if they are expecting any disruption that might affect the sitting of exams and assessments.
The National Association of Examinations Officers (NAEO) has produced two articles which provide advice and guidance on how to deal with the unavailability of your centre during an exam series/results day(s) (March article) and the absence of your exams officer at critical stages of the exam cycle (April article).
- Conduct regular meetings with your exams officer during the summer exam series
Although an exams officer has many duties to undertake during an exam day, senior leaders should ensure that time is set aside each week to meet with their exams officer. During this (short) meeting, the following areas should be addressed:
- Any instances of malpractice, how these have been dealt with and future actions
- Specific patterns of behaviour in the exam room (for example, a candidate engaging in disruptive behaviour or a candidate who is regularly visiting the toilet at a given time after the start of the exam)
- Any cases which may require an application for special consideration
- An opportunity for the exams officer to raise any concerns
The Exams Office has produced a Summer exams weekly report form template (available on The Exams Office Hub) which can be utilised during a meeting between the senior leader and exams officer to record issues as they may arise that impact on the smooth running of the daily exam timetable or impact on the time management of the exams officer.
- Be prepared to deal with instances of actual/suspected malpractice and requests for special consideration
Senior leaders should ensure that any cases of actual/suspected malpractice and requests for special consideration are dealt with in line with JCQ regulations.
Malpractice
Before addressing cases of actual/suspected malpractice, senior leaders should consult JCQ’s Suspected Malpractice: Policies and Procedures publication. This document provides examples of malpractice, how malpractice can be prevented, how cases of actual/suspected malpractice should be identified and reported to the relevant awarding body/bodies. It also details how awarding bodies reach their decisions and the indicative sanctions which may be applied. There is also an explanation of candidate, staff and centre malpractice.
The areas which senior leaders must be aware of in identifying/reporting malpractice include:
- The process (including forms) which must be used to inform awarding bodies of instances of malpractice
- How, and the type of, information which must be gathered
- Avoiding any conflicts of interest
- Responding speedily and openly to all requests for an investigation into an allegation of malpractice
- Making information requested by an awarding body available speedily and openly
- Co-operating with an enquiry into an allegation of malpractice (this also applies to centre staff, where applicable)
- Ensuring the candidate(s) or staff member(s) accused of engaging in malpractice are informed of their individual responsibilities and rights
- Complying with data protection law
- Ensuring that the individuals concerned are aware of any warnings or notifications of sanctions and the need to comply with any requests made by an awarding body as a result of a malpractice case
The Exams Office has produced a Suspected malpractice: Candidate notification form template (available on The Exams Office Hub) which can be used to notify a candidate that an alleged, suspected or actual report of malpractice is being made against them.
Special consideration
Before addressing cases of special consideration, senior leaders should consult JCQ’s A guide to the special consideration publication. This document provides a definition of special consideration and the candidates who are eligible for special consideration – these include those who are present for the assessment but disadvantaged and candidates who are absent from a timetabled component/unit for acceptable reasons.
Senior leaders must be aware of the process for submitting applications for special consideration as all applications must be supported by appropriate evidence signed by a member of the senior leadership team.
The Exams Office has produced an article which provides advice and guidance relating to special consideration.
- Ensure that all examinations are conducted in line with JCQ and awarding body regulations and processes and centre policies
Senior leaders are responsible for ensuring that all examinations are conducted in line with JCQ and awarding body regulations and processes, and therefore it is important that they seek reassurances from their exams officer and SENCo that this is the case for all exams in every exam room during each exam session.
A senior leader must be confident that exam rooms are set up in accordance with section 11 of JCQ’s Instructions for conducting examinations publication.
Senior leaders should also support their exams officers in ensuring that the regulations are met, and if confirmation is required from JCQ, it should be the senior leader who emails with the query.
- Confirm that the process is in place to manage results and post-results
To ensure that the correct processes are employed when managing results and post-results, senior leaders must be familiar with the following JCQ publications:
Senior leaders must ensure that the relevant information has been given to students about when and how they will receive their results and the members of staff who will be available to provide academic and pastoral support. This is a task which will very likely be carried out by an exams officer.
There must also be a process in place to ensure that students can access the post-results services if they wish to enquire about their results. This will involve teaching staff working with their exams officer to ensure that the relevant/correct information is shared/received to deadline. Post-results services for include:
Reviews of Results (RoRs)
- Service 1: Clerical re-check
- Service 2: Review of marking
- Priority Service 2: Review of marking (GCE A-level and Level 3 VTQ qualifications only)
- Service 3: Review of moderation
Appeals
- Following the outcome of RoRs
Access to Scripts (ATS)
- Copies of scripts to support reviews of marking
- Copies of scripts to support teaching and learning
The Exams Office provides a range of support materials which senior leaders should access to ensure that JCQ regulations are met. These include (available on The Exams Office Hub):
Preparing for the issue of results
- A guide to managing results and post-results: (Re-published each summer) Provides a brief overview of the main aspects of the processes that need to be managed in the main summer results and post-results period (For results days outside of the main summer results period, please refer to the guide below)
- A guide to preparing for a results day: Provides guidance on preparing for a results day that takes place during the academic year i.e. outside of main summer results period in August
- Awarding body results and post-results information links template: (Re-published each summer) Provides a central point of reference to links to selected awarding body results and post-results information that will be useful for Summer 2024
- Candidate permission form template: Provides a process to gather permission for results and/or certificate collection where candidates cannot attend the centre to collect these in the normal way
- Certificate collection information for candidates template: Designed for use where the centre might issue certificates on a set date (or several set dates) and expect candidates to collect them
- Moderations returns log template: Provides a way of logging candidates’ work returned to the centre at the end of the moderation period and confirming retention for the required period
- Results day checklist template: (Re-published each summer) Provides a way of drawing up a list of key tasks that need/may need to be undertaken to effectively plan and prepare for results day(s) in summer and beyond
Managing post-results services
- A guide to administering post-results services: Post-results services are offered by awarding bodies after the issue of exam results; this guide is intended to support exams officers in understanding the services and how to effectively plan and prepare to administer them
- Post-results services: Deadlines, fees and charges template: Provides the opportunity to collate awarding body information on deadlines, fees and charges for post-results services into one document as a point of reference for candidates and centre staff
- Post-results services: Request, consent and payment form template: Provides a form that could be used to explain to candidates the full range of post-results services available and the agreement they are entering into by requesting to review their result(s) or requesting the return of copies of their scripts
- Post-results service: Tracking log template: Provides an example spreadsheet that could be used to log and track requests submitted to awarding bodies
- Post-results services checklist template: (Re-published each summer) Provides a way of drawing up a list of key tasks that need/may need to be undertaken to effectively plan and prepare for the administration of post-results services in summer
Senior leaders are also encouraged to consult the NAEO May article which considers the rules associated with the Sharing examination information/results with third parties (including parents).