Click on a question below to find the answer:
1. Why do examination clashes occur?
2. How many hours of exams may be sat in one day and how is this decided?
4. What can candidates take into an examination?
5. Which items cannot be taken into an examination?
6. What happens about keeping exam materials safe?
1. Why do examination clashes occur?
The JCQ members work hard to minimise the number of clashes that occur each year. To help achieve this, a common timetable is agreed for GCSE and GCE qualifications, as well as Principal Learning units within Diploma qualifications. This helps to prevent many potential clashes occurring. However, awarding bodies offer such a wide range of subjects leading to a range of possible subject combinations for candidates sitting examinations.
The period in which examinations can be scheduled is limited. If examinations are scheduled earlier this will cut into valuable teaching and revision time. If they are scheduled later this will not allow sufficient time for examinations to be marked and subjected to the rigorous quality assurance process that is essential to ensure not only that the results are delivered to candidates on time, but also that they are correct and fair.
The Department for Education, in collaboration with the JCQ awarding bodies, operates an online examinations timetable which is a searchable database of general qualifications exam dates. The timetable makes it quick and easy for centres to create both a complete provisional and final timetable several months before the information is available in MIS systems, enabling advance planning for rooms, invigilation requirements and resolving timetable clashes.
2. How many hours of exams may be sat in one day and how is this decided?
When candidates are entered for three or more papers timetabled for the same day and the total time allowed exceeds:
6 hours (including extra time) for Level 3 qualifications (GCE AS/A2 units and Level 3 Principal Learning)
5.5 hours (including extra time) for Level 1 and 2 qualifications (GCSE examinations, Functional Skills and Level 1 or 2 Principal Learning
transfer to a session on a later day may be permitted for those candidates.
The maximum number of hours set has to balanced with the need to schedule all examinations within a restricted period of time. Candidates should not be expected to sit 5.5 or 6 hours (including extra time) of examinations without a supervised break.
Please refer to Section 2 of the ‘Instructions for conducting examinations’. This is available on the website.
3. What happens if a candidate has to take an examination on a later day than that published in the timetable?
Where the examinations scheduled in one day exceed the maximum number of hours:
6 hours (including extra time) for Level 3 qualifications;
5.5 hours (including extra time) for Level 1 or Level 2 qualifications;
centres may choose to allow candidates to take the examination on a later day than that published in the timetable, provided that suitable arrangements can be made to supervise the candidate(s).
N.B. The candidate may be offered the opportunity to sit all of the examinations on the scheduled day. An application for special consideration for the final paper taken should be submitted to the relevant awarding body.
Supervision must take place from 30 minutes after the scheduled starting time of the examination, as set out in the timetable, until the time when the candidate(s) begin(s) their examination(s). This is in order to ensure that there is no contact with other candidates. The centre must appoint a member of centre staff to supervise the candidate at all times while he/she is on the premises.
The supervision of a candidate on journeys to and from the centre, and overnight, may however be undertaken by the candidate’s parent/guardian/carer or centre staff. In all cases, the JCQ form Confidentiality Declaration for Overnight Supervision (which is available on this website) must be completed no later than two weeks before the start of the examination series so that those involved understand their responsibilities. Completed forms must be available in the centre for inspection until the closing date for Enquiries about Results.
The head of the centre must be satisfied that any arrangement for overnight supervision of a candidate is necessary and accepts full responsibility for the security of the examinations.
N.B. If candidates are taking two or more papers timetabled in a session and the total time is more than three hours (including extra time), the awarding bodies allow centres to hold examinations in a later or earlier session than the published time within the same day, without permission beforehand. However, the security of the examination must be maintained at all times. You must follow all arrangements for invigilating candidates during and between examinations and must ensure the security of the question papers. Please refer to Section 2 of the JCQ booklet ‘Instructions for conducting examinations’. This is available on the website.
4. What can candidates take into an examination?
The head of centre must decide whether candidates are permitted to bring items such as water bottles and/or sweets into the examination with them. Please note that the invigilator must ensure that candidates are not able to hide notes in any items they bring into the examination with them.
The invigilator(s) must ensure that:
- the official examination stationery, including Additional Answer Sheets where requested, for the particular examination is issued to candidates and that no other stationery, including paper for rough work, is provided;
- candidates take into the examination only those articles, instruments or materials which are permitted in the instructions of the question paper, stationery list or in the specification for the subject being examined;
- pencil cases taken into the examination room must be transparent;
- the instructions of the question paper will state if calculators are prohibited, or if they can be used in the examination. In the absence of either of these statements, calculators are regarded as standard equipment and may be used by candidates.
Please refer to Section 9 of the ‘Instructions for conducting examinations’ Information for candidates, Warning to Candidates and Suspected Malpractice in Examinations and Assessments: Policies and Procedures. These are available on the website.
5. Which items cannot be taken into an examination?
- Mobile telephones;
- Pagers;
- Products with digital text facilities;
- Notes;
- Electronic or radio communication devices such as MP3/4 players and iPods;
- Personal TV/Stereo.
These items must be placed out of reach of the candidate before the examination starts. Centre staff should remind candidates that there are penalties for bringing prohibited items into the examination and having them in their possession once the examination has started. Possession of unauthorised items in an examination whether for intended use or not constitutes an infringement which will be subject to penalty, including possible disqualification.
Please refer to the ‘Instructions for conducting examinations’, Mobile phone poster, Information for candidates, Warning to Candidates and Suspected Malpractice in Examinations and Assessments: Policies and Procedures. These are available on the website.
6. What happens about keeping exam materials safe?
The awarding bodies ensure that robust procedures are in place to avoid breaches of security and to safeguard the integrity of the examinations system. Schools and colleges are required to follow the requirements set out in the Instructions for conducting examinations for the use and storage of examination materials.
The safe storage of examination papers is imperative.
The JCQ booklet ‘Instructions for conducting examinations’ states that question papers must be stored in a safe or cabinet in a secure room or cupboard dedicated to exams. This room must be in a fixed building, preferably with no windows and on an upper floor.
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Advice: Where question papers are stored in a room with external windows, bars must be fitted or the room alarmed.
If the room has a glass panel in or above the door, e.g. for health and safety reasons, the glass should be toughened safety glass.
Where the volume of question papers is too great for secure storage in one room, you must use additional rooms within the centre which must meet the required security arrangements.
The JCQ Centre Inspection Service can visit a school or college to give advice to exams office staff. A fee may be charged for such a visit.
Telephone numbers: 01483 556 110 (England); 02920 265 130 (Wales); 02890 261 290 (Northern Ireland).
The JCQ does not publish a list of manufacturers who sell suitable storage.