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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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