Criteria for implementation of the plan

Key tasks required in the management and administration of the exam cycle not undertaken including:

Planning

• annual data collection exercise not undertaken to collate information on qualifications and awarding body specifications being delivered
• annual exams plan not produced identifying essential key tasks, key dates and deadlines
• sufficient invigilators not recruited

Entries

• awarding bodies not being informed of early/estimated entries which prompts release of early information required by teaching staff
• candidates not being entered with awarding bodies for external exams/assessment
• awarding body entry deadlines missed or late or other penalty fees being incurred

Pre-exams

• invigilators not trained or updated on changes to instructions for conducting exams
• exam timetabling, rooming allocation; and invigilation schedules not prepared
• candidates not briefed on exam timetables and awarding body information for candidates
• exam/assessment materials and candidates’ work not stored under required secure conditions
• internal assessment marks and samples of candidates’ work not submitted to awarding bodies/external moderators

Exam time

• exams/assessments not taken under the conditions prescribed by awarding bodies
• required reports/requests not submitted to awarding bodies during exam/assessment periods, for example very late arrival, suspected malpractice, special consideration
• candidates’ scripts not dispatched as required for marking to awarding bodies

Results and post-results

• access to examination results affecting the distribution of results to candidates
• the facilitation of the post-results services

Centre actions

Line Manager Jane Hopcroft, College Principal to liaise with Kate Edwards Deputy Exams Officer. Kate is a former Exams Officer and is fully conversant with all aspects of the examination process and Sims Examinations Organiser. She also has regular examinations updates.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Key tasks required in the management and administration of the access arrangements process within the exam cycle not undertaken including:

Planning

• candidates not tested/assessed to identify potential access arrangement requirements
• centre fails to recognise its duties towards disabled candidates as defined under the terms of the Equality Act 2010
• evidence of need and evidence to support normal way of working not collated

Pre-exams

• approval for access arrangements not applied for to the awarding body
• centre-delegated arrangements not put in place
• modified paper requirements not identified in a timely manner to enable ordering to meet external deadline
• staff providing support to access arrangement candidates not allocated and trained

Exam time

• access arrangement candidate support not arranged for exam rooms

Centre actions

• Deputy Senco Ali Grady to cover role. Ali  has had extensive training in all aspects of the Senco role and practical experience.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Key tasks not undertaken including:

Early/estimated entry information not provided to the exams officer on time; resulting in pre-release information not being received

Final entry information not provided to the exams officer on time; resulting in candidates not being entered for exams/assessments or being entered late/late or other penalty fees being charged by awarding bodies

Non-examination assessment tasks not set/issued/taken by candidates as scheduled

Internal assessment marks and candidates’ work not provided to meet awarding body submission deadlines

Centre actions

• Exams Officer and Line Manager to liaise with remaining teaching staff.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Failure to recruit and train sufficient invigilators to conduct exams

Invigilator shortage on peak exam days

Invigilator absence on the day of an exam

Centre actions

• Recruitment and training is done well in advance.
• Exams Officer and Senior Invigilator to cover absences and shortages, although Connell Co-op College’s  policy is not to work to the minimum ratio requirements.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Exams officer unable to identify sufficient/appropriate rooms during exams timetable planning

Insufficient rooms available on peak exam days

Main exam venues unavailable due to an unexpected incident at exam time

Centre actions

• In an emergency the Sports Hall or Drama Studio could be utilised for examination purposes along with the Conference Room and Silent Study Room.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

MIS system failure at final entry deadline

MIS system failure during exams preparation

MIS system failure at results release time

Centre actions

• Exams Officer and IT Manager to liaise with Examination boards as to appropriate action.
• Examination boards secure websites can be used as an alternative to the MIS system.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Whole centre evacuation (or lock down) during exam time due to serious incident resulting in exam candidates being unable to start, proceed with or complete their exams

Centre actions

• Follow Emergency Evacuation Procedure which is available in all exam rooms and all invigilators are aware and understand policy.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Centre closed or candidates are unable to attend for an extended period during normal teaching or study supported time, interrupting the provision of normal teaching and learning

Centre closed interrupting the of normal teaching and learning

Centre actions

• Centre to communicate with parents, carers and students about the disruption and provide appropriate work via Sims ‘in touch’ messaging system, college website , emails and texts.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Candidates are unable to attend the examination centre to take examinations as normal

Centre actions

• Exams Officer will communicate with relevant exam board to make them aware of the issue.
• Centre will then communicate solutions to parents/carers and candidates.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Centre  unable to open as normal for scheduled examinations (including centre being unavailable for examinations owing to an unforeseen emergency)

Centre actions

• Exams Officer to inform examination board of exams to be affected.
• Look where possible to provide alternative provision.  (TEMA)

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Disruption to the distribution of examination papers to the centre in advance of examinations

Centre actions

• Exams Officer to discuss alternative delivery of papers to centre.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Delay in normal collection arrangements for completed examination scripts

Centre actions

• Scripts remain securely stored in safe in exams office or Exams Officer transports them to Post Office by Parcelforce.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Large scale damage to or destruction of completed examination scripts/assessment evidence before it can be marked

Centre actions

• Immediate communication to be made with relevant exam board.

Criteria for implementation of the plan

Centre is unable to access or manage the distribution of results to candidates, or to facilitate post-results services

Centre actions

• Exams Officer to contact exam boards to discuss alternative means of distribution.
• Exam board secure website could be used as an alternative.

Contingency planning

The qualifications regulators, awarding bodies and government departments responsible for education have prepared and agreed a Joint contingency plan for the examinations system in case of wide scale disruption as a result of a flu pandemic, adverse weather conditions or other event.

The joint contingency plan is designed to ensure consistency of response in the event of major disruption to the examinations system affecting significant numbers of candidates.

In addition, awarding bodies have their own well-established contingency plans in place to respond to disruptions. It is important that exams officers who are facing disruption liaise directly with the relevant awarding body/bodies.

Centres should prepare plans for any disruption to examinations as part of their general emergency planning. It is important to ensure that relevant centre staff are familiar with the plan. Consideration should be given as to how these arrangements will be communicated to candidates, parents and staff should disruption to examinations occur.

In the event that the head of centre decides the centre cannot be opened for scheduled examinations, the relevant awarding body must be informed as soon as possible. Awarding bodies will be able to offer advice regarding the alternative arrangements for conducting examinations that may be available and the options for candidates who have not been able to take scheduled examinations.

The Joint contingency plan for the examination system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland may be downloaded from the Ofqual website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exam-system-contingency-plan-englandwales-and-northern-ireland

Responsible Staff

Emma Soper/Julie Howarth

Approving body

Governors

All policies are available to stakeholders either on the College website or upon request from the College Office.