We hope you will be successful in the forthcoming exams. Consult your teachers for advice on how best to prepare. These instructions are designed to help you avoid problems and do your best on examination days. Please keep them in a safe place.

There is a presentation that maybe of intrest. Candidate Instructions Presentation

1. Check you have a copy of the Examination Timetable and make sure you highlight or mark in red the exams you are actually sitting. You should note whether an exam is in the morning or the afternoon and where you are to sit it. If you have an exam clash (two exams at the same time) you must inform the exams officer at once so that special arrangements can be made.

2. Students are responsible for getting themselves to the correct site in plenty of time for the start of the exam.

3. Exams will start promptly in the morning at 9:00 a.m. and in the afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Any different starting times are shown on the College examination timetable.

4. Please be outside the exam room at least 10 minutes before the start, but do not arrive too early! Do not wander around the building: stay near the exam room.

5. If you arrive late report immediately to the exam room.

6. If you are more than 30 minutes late for an examination then the Board may not accept your examination paper unless you have a very good excuse - getting up late or forgetting are not acceptable excuses. You will have to complete a report about why you were late after you have finished the exam. You will be charged for a wasted exam fee if you fail to turn up or are too late.

7. In case of illness, please telephone the College as soon as it is obvious you will not be well enough to attend the exam: Telephone 01457 862336. If you have a contagious disease you may sit the exam supervised either in the medical room, another classroom or at hospital. (See note 19).  

8. Make sure you have black/blue pens, pencil, ruler, rubber and calculator if required, and any other mathematical equipment you are likely to need. This equipment should be carried either loose, in a clear soft plastic see-through bag or see-through pencil case. The College is not obliged to provide any of this equipment and without it you may be at a disadvantage and not able to answer some of the questions. Calculator cases (and their instructions) are not allowed into exam room and examination boards do not allow the use of liquid paper/correction fluid.

9. Most of the written papers are held in the Gyms and to avoid damaging the floors, students must wear clean soft-soled shoes. Anyone wearing unsuitable footwear will be asked to remove it.

10. Candidates are asked to gather in the entrance to the gyms when the exams are to be held there or outside any other exam room. You should not enter an exam room without an invigilator’s, or teacher’s, permission. Subject books/materials may either be collected before the start of the exam or handed directly to your teacher.

11. Apart from writing, drawing and calculating equipment you MUST NOT take anything into an examination room nor take anything out. The cloakrooms may not be 100% secure so items of value should not be left in them. Valuable items should be labelled with your name and candidate number and either placed in the valuables tray or handed in to the invigilator for safekeeping. Mobile phones are not allowed in the exam room. However, if you must bring them into college they must be handed in as a valuable item providing they are turned off and clearly labelled with your name and candidate number. Sticky labels may be available for this. Food and drink are considered unauthorised materials and are not allowed in the exam room. Only in the event of a heat wave will unlabelled clear plastic bottles of still water be allowed.

12. The Examination Boards need to know exactly where everyone is sitting in each exam so seating plans are arranged beforehand. These seating plans are displayed outside the examination room. The seating plans use candidate numbers so memorise your own number so that you will be able to check where you will be sitting before you enter the room. Your candidate number will be shown on the attendance register outside the exam room, which you must initial when you arrive for an exam. This lets the invigilator know everyone is present before letting you into the exam room. It is also kept as confirmation that you attended the exam

13. You must sit at the desk with your candidate number on it. If you cannot find your desk then ask the invigilator; do not speak to other candidates. The last three numbers of your candidate number will be on a small card on your exam desk.

14. Once you are in the exam room you must not speak or communicate with anyone. Find your seat, sit down, face the front, do not turn round and wait for instructions. Put up your hand if you need help and wait for an invigilator.

15. If at anytime before, during or after the end of the examination and whilst you are still in the examination room you turn round, make signals or speak you will be reported to the examination board and as a result you could be disqualified not only from that exam but for all exams for which you are entered with that Board. Any disruption which prevents other candidates from doing their best will be reported. Anything that is considered to give one candidate an unfair advantage will also be reported. If you drop any item then put up your hand and it will be returned to you by one of the invigilators.

16. No candidate may leave the exam room before they are dismissed by the invigilator. All students will remain for the full length of each examination. If you finish early check your answers and then put down your pen and have a rest on folded arms. Do not draw on the desks.

17. There may be other students doing a longer exam in the same (or nearby) room (s), so when you are dismissed please leave the room and general exam area as quietly as you can. Please do not disturb other students working in College - leave the site as soon as you can.

18. The examination boards markers will not mark answer papers, which have any graffiti or offensive language on them so only write what is needed to answer the questions.

19. If you feel ill before you enter the exam room then please tell the exams officer or an invigilator so arrangements can be made to help you. You may need to sit by the door with a bowl, or if very ill, be supervised in the medical room. If you feel ill during the examination then raise your hand well in advance of being sick or fainting! At the end of the exam please collect a note telling you how to apply for special consideration (you have only a few days after an exam when you can apply).

20. You should go to the toilet before going into the exam room. We do not expect you to need to go out to the toilet during the examination; if you do, you will have to be supervised throughout and will not be given any extra time.

21. CHECKLIST

Do you have the following:

            (1) A copy of the timetable showing all your exam times and locations?

            (2) All the equipment you need for each exam?

• Do you understand all the examination rules?

• Do you know what to do if you are ill?

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