Bailiff’s Ukraine Appeal
Please help the students of JCG raise money for the people of Ukraine
Read MorePlease help the students of JCG raise money for the people of Ukraine
Read More
Author : |
Emma Silvestri-Fox, Sian Goldhawk |
Reviewed By : |
Peter Marett, Sian Goldhawk |
Date : |
November 2021 |
Shared with Staff : |
November 2021 |
Shared with Governors : |
November 2021 |
Next Review : |
November 2022 |
At Jersey College for Girls we aim to provide all students with the opportunity to achieve their full potential in all areas, including external exams. In order for all students to excel in their exams we strive to have an exams system which is efficiently run and which is transparent so that all parties: staff, students and parents, understand their roles within it. We aim to ensure that all parties understand and adhere to the regulations regarding exams, non-examined assessments and coursework and that they are aware of the services available to them prior to, during and following exams and the release of results.
Aims of this Exams Policy:
It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the College’s (hereafter referred to as the Centre) exam processes to read, understand and implement this policy.
This exam policy will be reviewed every year.
This exam policy will be reviewed by the SLT and the Exams Officer.
Staff and students
Head of Centre (The Principal)
Overall responsibility for the College as an exam centre:
Assistant Head Teacher Exams
Exams Officer
Manages the administration of public and internal exams:
Heads of Department/Heads of Faculty
Have responsibility for:
ENCO
Has responsibility for:
Lead Invigilator/Invigilators
Have responsibility for:
Parents
Have responsibility for:
Students
Have responsibility for:
Administrative staff/Caretaking staff
Have responsibility for:
Relationship to other policies
Internal Policies:
The statutory tests and qualifications offered at this Centre are decided by the Head of Centre, Heads of Faculty and the Heads of Departments.
The statutory tests and qualifications offered are GCSE, IGCSE, A levels, EPQ, BTEC and IFS
The subjects offered for these qualifications in any academic year may be found in the Centre’s published prospectus for that year. If there has been a change of syllabus from the previous year, the Exams Officer must be informed in the summer term in the year preceding the change.
At Key Stage 4:
All students will be entitled and enabled to achieve an entry for qualifications from an external awarding body.
At Post-16:
It is expected that the majority of students will complete 3 A levels in Year 13
External exams are scheduled in November (English Language and Maths re-sits only) and May / June. IFS exam sessions take place in January, March, April and November.
The Head of Centre and the Heads of Department decide which exam sessions are used in the Centre.
The Exams Officer will send the exam timetables for external exams home, via InTouch.
The Exams Officer will post external exam timetables on the College website.
Students are selected for their exam entries by the subject teachers.
A student or parent/student can request a subject entry, change of level or withdrawal via head of department and head of school.
The Centre accepts re-sit entries from ex-students and staff but does not accept external candidates.
Entry deadlines are circulated to Heads of Department by the Exams Officer.
Any late entries are authorised by subject teachers and would have to be paid for by departments.
Students are allowed resits in GCSE and A level exams. Decisions on these will be in consultation with students, teachers and parents.
(See also section 4: Exam fees)
GCSE initial registration and entry exam fees are paid by the Centre.
A level initial registration and entry exam fees are paid by the Centre.
Late entry or amendment fees are paid by the departments. If the late entry is caused by the student then they will be responsible for paying the late fees themselves.
Students or departments will not be charged for changes of tier, withdrawals made by the proper procedures or alterations arising from administrative processes, provided these are made within the time allowed by the awarding bodies.
Reimbursement will be sought from students who fail to sit an exam or meet the necessary coursework requirements.
Re-sit fees for first and any subsequent re-sits are paid by the students.
(See also section 3. Resits)
Candidates taking exams for subjects which are not taught as part of the JCG curriculum or candidates who are no longer attending College may be entered for external exams at the discretion of the Head of Centre. They will be charged fees (see Appendix 12 for details). They should be made aware of these and pay prior to entry.
Students must pay the fee for an enquiry about a result.
(See also section 10. Enquiries about results [EARs])
A student’s special needs requirements are determined by the ENCO, doctor, pastoral teacher and the educational psychologist / specialist teacher.
The ENCO will inform subject teachers of students with special educational needs. The ENCO can then inform individual staff of any special arrangements that individual students may be granted during the course and in the exam. Individual staff will be expected to keep evidence of the student’s normal way of working.
Where there is a specific or suspected disability we will refer to the Disability section of our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy.
Making special arrangements for students to take exams is the responsibility of the Exams Officer.
Submitting completed access arrangement applications to the awarding bodies is the responsibility of the ENCO in liaison with the Exams Officer.
Rooming for access arrangement students will be arranged by the Exams Officer and the Office Manager.
A Separate room will only be issued under JCQ regulations (see pg.69 JCQ ICE booklet). ‘Separate invigilation reflects the candidate’s normal way of working in internal school tests and mock examinations as a consequence of a long term medical condition or a long term social, mental or emotional needs.’
Invigilation and support for access arrangement students will be organised by the Exams Officer.
The recruitment of invigilators is the responsibility of the Exams Officer.
Securing the necessary Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance for new invigilators via People Hub.
DBS fees for securing such clearance are paid by the Centre.
Invigilators are timetabled and briefed by the Exams Officer
Invigilators’ rates of pay are set by the Government of Jersey.
An invigilators’ booklet stating all guidelines is available.
Prior to all public exams the Exams Officer carries out a training session for invigilators and keeps a record of this for inspection.
Invigilators sign an annual declaration (Appendix 10)
The Office Manager will book all exam rooms after liaison with other users and the Exams Officer will make the question papers, other exam stationery and materials available for the invigilator.
Site management is responsible for setting up the allocated rooms.
The Exams Officer/lead invigilator will start all exams in accordance with JCQ / Cambridge International guidelines.
Subject staff are requested not to enter the exam room and to give any pre-exam briefing outside the exam room.
In practical exams subject teachers may be on hand in case of any technical difficulties.
Any teacher present at the beginning of an exam will be there to help check students, paper tiers, erratum notices and to help administer the start of the exam. Teachers of the exam subject are not allowed in the room. Exam papers must not be removed from the exam room before the end of a session. Papers will be distributed to Heads of Department according to JCQ and Cambridge International regulations.
The JCQ / Cambridge International regulations on behaviour and students’ use of mobile phones and all electronic devices applies at all times.
Students’ personal belongings remain their own responsibility and JCG accepts no liability for their loss or damage.
Disruptive students are dealt with in accordance with JCQ / Cambridge International guidelines.
Students may leave the exam room for a genuine purpose requiring an immediate return to the exam room, in which case a member of staff must accompany them.
The School Office is responsible for contacting students who are not present for their exams.
The Exams Officer will be responsible as necessary for identifying escorts, identifying a secure venue and arranging overnight supervision form.
Should a student be too ill to sit an exam, suffer bereavement or other trauma or be taken ill during the exam itself, it is the student/parent’s responsibility to alert the office, or the exam invigilator, to that effect.
Any special consideration claim must be supported by appropriate evidence within five days of the exam, for example a letter from the student’s doctor.
The Exams Officer will then forward a completed special consideration form to the relevant awarding body.
Heads of Department will ensure all coursework is ready for despatch at the correct time and the school office will keep a record of what has been sent, when and to whom by means of Special Delivery.
Marks for all internally assessed work are provided to the Exams Officer or input directly into the examination board’s online system by the Heads of Department. Enough time should be allowed to inform students of their marks and to give them opportunity to request a review, if necessary, prior to submitting marks to the exam boards
The procedure is published appendices 7 & 8 to this policy
Students will collect their results from College on results day. All results are emailed to students during that day. Results cannot be collected by a third party.
Arrangements for the school to be open on results days are made by the Head of Centre.
The provision of staff on results days is the responsibility of the Head of Centre.
ROMs may be requested by centre staff or students, in consultation with their subject teacher, if there are reasonable grounds for believing there has been an error in marking.
Students usually pay for ROMs themselves. (See section 4: Exam fees)
After the release of results, students may ask subject staff to request the return of papers or may request themselves within the allotted time.
Centre staff may also request scripts for investigation or for teaching purposes. For the latter, the consent of students must be obtained. If it is used with other students, the script must be anonymised.
Review of marking cannot be applied for once a script has been returned.
Certificates are presented in person or collected and signed for.
Certificates may be collected on behalf of a student by a third party, provided they have been authorised to do so in writing and on production of photographic identification.
Certificates not collected by a given date will be posted out to students.
Certificates are not withheld from students who owe fees.
Remember the mantra: ‘There should be no surprises!’
Rationale
Coursework (or NEAs) are an essential component of many GCSE & A level subjects. The exact details and requirements vary from board to board and subject to subject, but essentially the work must be the student’s own work, verified by the school and submitted for marking by a specified date. The need for a systematic approach to coursework is essential if students are to maximise their success in this component of their examination and if all candidates are to be treated fairly. JCG will provide support, advice and a structured process for the management of coursework.
JCG Coursework Deadline Date
All coursework is to be completed by all students by the given date in mid March (published on the College’s calendar). It is expected that the minimum grade coursework will be a grade 4 (or equivalent) at GCSE and grade C at A level.
This coursework deadline date will allow lesson time afterwards to be devoted to exam revision. This should also make the administration of coursework and the associated form filling easier to manage.
The Head of Department in liaison with the Head of Faculty is responsible for
Assistant Headteacher Exams is responsible for
When a student does not meet an interim deadline or the work is substandard the following will apply:
If the newly agreed deadline is not met then
If the work remains outstanding then
It is essential that this procedure is followed after each deadline
Mid March set date
For any student who has not met the whole school coursework deadline or whose work is likely to be below Grade C (GCSE or A level)/4(GCSE) the following scaled response will apply.
Our approach to coursework is designed to ensure that every effort is made to support the student in her completion of high quality coursework.
It is crucial that all departments comply with these guidelines to ensure consistency and fairness across year groups.
It is the expectation that this procedure will ensure the quality of coursework produced and the meeting of deadlines.
Key tasks required in the management and administration of the exam cycle not undertaken including:
Centre actions:
Key tasks required in the management and administration of the access arrangements process within the exam cycle not undertaken including:
Centre actions:
Key tasks not undertaken including:
Centre actions:
Centre actions:
Centre actions:
Centre actions:
Centre actions:
Centre actions:
JCG does wish to run such external exams where possible for the benefit of students providing that no student or member of staff’s health and safety is put at risk. As health and safety is our first priority, the following procedure will apply only when it is deemed appropriate to do so:
The final decision as to whether students attend external exams having been informed the school is open, rests with the parent. In taking this decision, they should ensure that they can make provision for the safe travel of the student to and from school. If the student is unable to attend her exam, she will be entered in the next exam season (now in the following year).
Centre Actions:
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Centre actions:
Centre actions:
Centre actions:
Centre actions:
Please adhere to the following procedure in the case of a student wanting to withdraw from an exam immediately prior to the commencement of the exam:
Please adhere to the following procedure in the case of a student failing to attend an exam:
Illness of Exams Officer
The Exams Officer and the Administration Manager both have relevant keys and both can find relevant papers as required. Exams would continue as per exam timetable. Should both members of staff fall ill then the admin staff know how to locate keys and Assistant Head Teacher Exams will administer exams.
The invigilator must take the following action in an emergency such as a fire alarm or a bomb alert.
When it is safe for the candidates, return to the room and continue their exam
When dealing with emergencies you must be aware of any instructions from relevant local or national agencies.
Reference should also be made to the following document - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bomb-threats-guidance/procedures-for-handling-bomb-threats
Any review of marking of public exams sent to examination boards must be supported by the College. The College may initiate a review if a significant number of candidates appear to have underperformed in external assessments. It may also agree to pursue a review on behalf of an individual candidate at the candidate’s request if there is a considerable and inexplicable variation in the candidate’s performance across modules/papers or inexplicable overall underachievement. In circumstances where the grounds for pursuing a review are relatively slim, the candidate will be asked to meet the costs of the review.
Appeals Procedure
If, following a review of marking, the Centre or candidate is convinced that the awarding body has not followed due procedures, it is possible to submit an appeal. If an application for an appeal is accepted, an investigation into candidates’ or Centre’s results, and the awarding body’s procedures, will follow. An appeal investigation does not generally involve a further review of candidates’ work.
The appeals process will be managed by the College’s Exams Officer who is responsible for informing all candidates and their parents of the existence of the appeals procedure. The Exams Officer is responsible for informing the Head of Centre about the existence and outcome of all such appeals. The appeals process is subject to a tight timeframe because of the need to ensure its completion prior to the printing and issuing of certificates by the examination board.
Candidates and their parents wishing to appeal against the Principal’s decision not to support an enquiry should appeal in writing to the College’s Exams Officer stating the reasons for the appeal. Any appeal must be lodged with the Exams Officer no more than one week after the date on which the Principal refused to support an enquiry.
A copy of this written appeal should be given by the Exams Officer to the Principal who will respond to it in writing. The Exams Officer should ensure that a copy of this response is sent to the candidate and their parent. In the event of the candidate and their parent not being happy with the written response received, they may request a personal hearing. They must make this request within one week of receiving the written response.
The personal hearing will be before a panel consisting of a member of the Senior Leadership Team who has not previously been involved in the particular case and the Principal. The candidate and their parent should be given at least seven days’ notice of the date of the hearing. At the same time as they are sent notification of the hearing they should be given copies of all relevant documentation. Candidates may present their own case or may ask a single parent or friend to do so on their behalf. If they choose to present their own case, they may be accompanied by a parent or friend in the role of supporter. The Principal and the candidate should have an opportunity to hear each other’s submission. Once the submissions have been heard, the panel will withdraw to consider its verdict.
The candidate and her parent will be given a written copy of the outcome of the appeal within seven days of the hearing. The outcome will include an explanation of the reasons for the decision. In the event of a decision being made to support an enquiry, the Exams Officer will immediately inform the examination board involved and make an enquiry. Unless the panel rules otherwise, the candidate will be asked to pay the costs of the enquiry. A copy of the appeal and the outcome will remain in the school records maintained by the Exams Officer.
Rationale
We acknowledge the importance of giving students prompt and constructive feedback in relation to all assignments. In assessing work submitted as coursework for public Exams, staff use the assessment criteria, guidelines and procedures published by the examination boards. The College supports staff attendance at examination board training sessions and is committed to ensuring that staff are provided with opportunities to update their knowledge and skills in relation to public examination assessments. Where a number of subject teachers are involved in marking candidates’ work, internal moderation and standardisation will ensure consistency of marking.
Students should be informed of the marks awarded internally for a non-examination assessment (NEA) and given time to request a review of marking prior to the Head of Department submitting marks to the exam board. However, students should be aware that any marks awarded internally are subject to external verification and moderation. The correlation between raw marks (i.e. the score the candidate actually got) and UMS (the mark scale in which marks are finally reported to candidates) is not available to staff when they mark coursework, neither is the precise correlation between marks and grade boundaries.
The procedure for issuing marks and requesting a review of marks for NEAs is as follows (Appendix 11 should be completed by teachers issuing marks to students):
The appeals process will be managed by the College’s Exams Officer who is responsible for informing all candidates and their parents of the existence of the appeals procedure. She is responsible for informing the Head of Centre about the existence and outcome of all such appeals. The appeals process is subject to a tight timeframe because of the need to ensure its completion prior to the printing and issuing of certificates by the examination board.
Candidates and their parents wishing to appeal should appeal in writing to the College’s Exams Officer stating the details of the complaint and the reasons for the appeal. Any appeal must be lodged with the Exams Officer no more than one week after publication of examination results by the examination board.
A copy of this written appeal should be given by the Exams Officer to the teacher(s) concerned in making the assessment which is the subject of the complaint. The teacher(s) should have the opportunity to respond to this in writing. The Exams Officer should ensure that a copy of this response is sent to the candidate and their parent. In the event of the candidate and their parent not being happy with the written response received, they may request a personal hearing. They must make this request within one week of receiving the written response.
The personal hearing will be before a panel consisting of a member of the Senior Leadership Team who has not previously been involved in the particular case and a governor. The candidate and their parent should be given a least seven days’ notice of the date of the hearing. At the same time as they are sent notification of the hearing they should be given copies of all relevant documentation e.g. marks awarded, assessments made, assessment criteria, exemplar material, assessment guidelines, Centre report etc. Candidates may present their own case or may ask a single parent or friend to do so on their behalf. If they choose to present their own case, they may be accompanied by a single parent or friend in the role of supporter. The teacher(s) and candidate should have an opportunity to hear each other’s submission. Once the submissions have been heard, the panel will withdraw to consider its verdict.
The candidate and her parent will be given a written copy of the outcome of the appeal within seven days of the hearing. The outcome will include an explanation of the reasons for the decision. In the event of a decision being made to change an internally assessed mark, the Exams Officer will immediately inform the examination board involved. A copy of the appeal and the outcome will remain in the school records maintained by the Exams Officer.