examinations info booklet
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Examinations Info BookletTRANSCRIPT
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EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS
Academic Year 2011-12
INSTRUCTIONS &
INFORMATION FOR
STUDENTS AND PARENTS
Mrs A Wilson
Examinations Officer
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Contents
Page 4 Dates
Times
Timetable
Clashes
Page 5 Absence from Exams
Lateness
Special Considerations
Warnings
Exam Regulations
Conduct in Exam Room
Cheating
Mobile Phones & Electronic Devices
Page 6 Conduct in Exam room
Cheating
Mobile Phones & Electronic Devices
Prohibited Materials
Page 7 Equipment
Bags & Coats
Results
Examination Appeals
Certificates
Page 8 Coursework
Mobile Phones, iPods & MP3 Players in Examinations and the
penalties awarded by Examination Boards
Page 9 What to do if Ill on the day of an Exam
Page 10 Exam Checklist
Page 11 Information for Candidates Written Exams
Page 12 Information for Candidates Controlled Assessments
Page 13 Information for Candidates Coursework
Personal Timetable
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Examination Instructions to Candidates
Neville Lovett Community School hopes that all students will be successful in their
examinations.
In order that the examinations that you take run as smoothly as possible, there are a
number of rules and regulations that you must be aware of.
The following information is important so it is essential that you read this booklet
carefully. Please take the time to do so.
DATES
November 2011 9th
– 15th
November 2011
January 2012 10th
– 30th
January 2012
March 2012 1st – 5
th March 2012
Summer 2012 14th
May – 27th
June 2012
TIMES
Unless otherwise stated, all examinations at this school commence at:
ALL Morning exams – 9.00 am
Afternoon exams – 1.00pm
Candidates should report to the appropriate exam room printed on their exam
timetable.
TIMETABLES
You will receive a separate timetable for your examinations well before the first
exam. Please check your personal timetable carefully. If there are any errors (e.g.
name, date of birth, gender, examination entry), please notify the Examination Officer
immediately. Dates and times of the exam are given on the timetable issued to you.
Check carefully to see if the examination is in the morning or the afternoon – extra
time will not be permitted for candidates who misread their timetable. Take special
note of any re-arrangements due to a timetable clash. You alone are responsible for
checking your examination timetable.
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CLASHES
If you have an examination clash involving different subjects, you will be contacted
as to which exam you will take first.
ABSENCE FROM EXAMINATIONS
You must attend all examinations to which you are allocated on your personal
timetable. If you miss an exam you will NOT be able to do it again. Misreading the
timetable will not be accepted as a satisfactory explanation for absence.
Candidates may be invoiced for the full cost of the GCSE if they fail to attend an
examination that has been paid for by the school, currently £28.10 per subject single
award £56.20 per subject if double award.
LATENESS
If you know you are going to be late, phone the school as soon as possible after
8.00am. If you arrive before 10.00 am for morning exam or 2.00 pm for afternoon
exam you will be allowed to take the exam.
If you arrive after 10.00 am for the morning exam or 2.00 pm for an afternoon exam
you may be allowed to sit the exam, however the exam board will be notified and
may decide not to accept your script.
For exams lasting less than 1 hour if you arrive after the examination has finished
you will NOT be allowed to take the exam under any circumstances.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
The awarding bodies will not apply special consideration for anything other than
serious reasons. Special consideration can only be applied for if an event has affected
the candidate’s performance on the day of the examination or absence due to illness.
Special consideration will only be applied if at least 35% of the total exam (written
exams & coursework) has been completed.
WARNINGS
All the awarding bodies’ make it clear that:
Their official examination sessions must be run under strictly fair
conditions, with no form of deception – this rule severely excludes any
form of communication between students during an examination, as well
as any other practice that could conceivably be seen as an attempt to
deceive.
Anyone attempting unfair practices can expect cancellation of
examination entries and possible exclusion from GC(S)E/AS and A2
level examinations for a period of up to five years.
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EXAMINATION REGULATIONS
It is the candidates responsibility to familiarise themselves with the copy of the
awarding bodies’ regulations ‘Information for Candidates’ which is on pages 11-13 of
this booklet.
CONDUCT IN THE EXAMINATIONS ROOM
Candidates must be quiet at all times when entering and whilst in the examination
room. You must sit at the desk with your name and candidate number on it. Should
you require any assistance, raise your hand clearly and wait for the invigilator to
attend you. Once a candidate has entered an examination room, they are not allowed
to leave unescorted until the conclusion of the examination. During the exam you
must not turn round or try to communicate with another student in any way. If a
student’s behaviour during the exam is deemed unsuitable they will be removed from
the examination room, the incident will be reported to the examination board and their
paper could be cancelled. You are not allowed to leave the exam room until the end of
the examination, even if you have finished your exam, so please do not ask.
At the end of the examination you must remain silent until the examination papers
have been collected.
Question papers, answer booklets and additional paper must not be taken from the
examination room.
CHEATING
Candidates caught cheating in examinations, including being in possession of a
mobile telephone, using unauthorised aids, copying from and communicating with
other candidates, will be reported to the awarding bodies. See ‘Information for
Candidates’ on pages 11-13. Penalties include exclusion from examinations for up to
five years.
MOBILE PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES We cannot stress enough how important it is NOT TO BRING MOBILE PHONES
AND ANY OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS OF COMMUNICATION into the
examination room. The school and awarding bodies’ regulations forbid you to bring
any of these devices into any examination room or any room being used for
quarantine, either before or after an examination. You are strongly advised not to
bring such devices with you to school on the day of the examination. See attached
‘Mobile Phones in Examinations’.
PROHIBITED MATERIALS
The following items must not be brought into any examination room but left in a
designated place:
Mobile telephones, pagers, or other electronic communications device
Pencil cases – use a transparent plastic bag or clear plastic pencil case
Calculator cases and instruction books
Books (unless set texts for specific examinations), notes, letters, diaries, or other
printed material
Bags, briefcases etc
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EQUIPMENT
Black ink or ballpoint pen must be used in all papers. Students may also need further
equipment such as coloured pencils, a calculator, a novel and an Anthology depending
on which exam you are sitting. Highlighter pens and correcting fluids may not be
used in any exam. All rough work must be done in the answer booklet provided and
should be crossed out.
Dictionaries may not be used unless they are specifically permitted by the subject
specification or unless special arrangements have been approved by the awarding
bodies.
You are allowed to bring a clear bottle of water, with the label removed, into the exam
room. However you are NOT allowed to bring the following items:-
Canned or cartons of drinks
Chewing Gum
Any other food or sweets
BAGS AND COATS
For examinations bags and coats must be left at a designated place. CANDIDATES
MUST WEAR SCHOOL UNIFORM WHEN TAKING EXAMS IN SCHOOL.
The school accepts no liability for items of value (e.g. money, mobile telephones)
which are left in bags. Please do not bring valuables with you when you have
examinations. If you do so it is at your own risk. There is limited space to store bags
and if at all possible you should avoid bringing one with you on the day of your
examination.
RESULTS
Year 11 students may collect their results from school on 25th August 2012 from
10.00 until 12.00 noon. Students should collect their results personally. If the student
is unable to collect them personally they may be collected by a third party but they
must have a letter signed by the student giving them permission to do so. Year 9 & 10
results will be issued to students on their return to school after the summer holidays.
EXAMINATION APPEALS
If you would like a copy of Neville Lovett Community School Examination Appeals
Procedures please contact Mrs Wilson, Examinations Officer.
CERTIFICATES
Certificates are issued if you achieve A* to G at GCSE and will be available to
collect, together with any other certificates you have been awarded, from November
onwards. Certificates can also be collected by a third party but they must have a letter
signed by the student giving them permission to do so.
Most awarding bodies will not issue replacement certificates, and those who will,
charge a minimum of £35 for their service. Keep your certificate(s) in a safe place.
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COURSEWORK
The awarding bodies will return most coursework during October. Students wishing to
reclaim their coursework should apply to their teachers by 1st May 2011 as it will not be
kept by the school indefinitely.
Mobile Phones, iPods and MP3 Players in
Examinations and the Penalties Awarded
by Examination Boards
The examination boards have issued very clear guidance about mobile phones, iPods
& MP3 Players.
Students who carry any of the above with them into an examination room
must hand them over to an invigilator who will issue them with a
numbered card for collection after exam
All phones must be switched off.
If a phone is not switched off and it rings during an examination - even if
it is out of reach - the student who brought it will be reported to the
examination board which could result in zero marks for that
examination paper.
Students who have not handed their phone over to an invigilator even if it
is switched off and are found to have a phone in their possession will be
reported to the examination board and face receiving zero marks for
every examination paper in the subject being sat(if there is more than
one paper).
Pupils who actually use a mobile phone, iPod or MP3 Player during an
examination - ie who either place or answer a call or take or send a text
message –will be reported to the examination board and face being
disqualified from all examinations during that series (eg all of the
summer GCSEs) and possibly disqualified from taking any examinations
for up to 3 years.
The exam boards will apply the penalties shown above whether or not the pupils had
any intention of using the phone, and even if they forgot that they had it.
A phone brought into an examination room and placed out of reach of the
examination desks can be left only on the clear understanding that it is entirely at the
risk of the pupil.
The easiest, safest and best course of action is not to bring mobiles to school.
If you have any questions about any of this please speak to the Examinations Officer
before the day of your examination.
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What to do if you are ill on the day of the exam
If you are ill and are unable to attend an exam it is vital you phone the school first thing in the morning (01329 318003) to inform us. You must also obtain a note from your doctor detailing the reason for non-attendance or alternatively, Self Certification Form14 may be filled in - Part B by doctor or surgery receptionist. There is the possibility of submitting this note to the Examinations Board to ask for special consideration. The Board looks at this in conjunction with other exam marks from the student in that particular subject, coursework marks and mock exam marks. This will then sometimes enable them to adjust the mark and grade accordingly. If you are feeling unwell, but still able to travel, I suggest you come to the exam and we can assess the situation then. In most cases it is better to take the exam if you can. If in doubt call the school! If you do not attend an exam without a valid reason, it is possible that you will be charged for that exam.
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GCSE Exam Check List
Every pupil will receive an individual statement of entry detailing times
and dates of their examinations. It will also tell them which exam room
they will be in and their exam number.
Aim to arrive at school 15 minutes prior to an exam AT THE LATEST.
It is much better to leave yourself a safety margin on timings in case
of problems with the journey.
Pupils should refer to your exam timetable & the seating plans outside
the exam rooms and take note of where their desk is by looking for
their exam number
When taking exams, bags and coats should be left at the back of the
room. Pupils are expected to wear full school uniform.
Phones – Students must not have mobiles phones in their possession
(either on or off). They can be handed in for safe keeping during the
exam if necessary. This is very important – if a phone is found, there
is a good chance that your whole exam will be cancelled.
You should not have notes, pagers, MP3 players etc in your
possession.
You should bring pen, pencil, rubber and any other writing equipment
needed to your exams. Only clear pencil cases are allowed on your
desk, any others should be left in your bag. Pens should use black ink.
Do not use gel pens – this is because many of the exam papers are
now scanned and sent electronically for marking – gel pens do not scan
well.
In an exam where you have the use of a calculator, you should not have
a calculator cover on your desk.
There is absolutely no talking or communication between students
once you enter the exam hall. If you have any questions, you should
raise your hand once seated and an invigilator will come to you.
No food allowed in the exam room
Water bottles are allowed in the exam room if necessary. These
should be clear bottles with a spill-proof cap. There should be no label
on the bottle.
In the event of a fire alarm. Please follow instructions of
invigilators leaving exam papers on desk and depart through fire exits.
If you are in the gym or hall this should be via sports hall entrance.
Assemble without talking behind sports hall on the tennis courts.
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