Exam Information May & June 2023

You can view exam Timetable HERE

An open letter to parents of Year 11 students from the Chief Regulator at Ofqual HERE

GCE & GCSE External Examinations

Enquiries About Results (EAR).

When results are released the Exam Boards allow a few weeks for students or teachers to make ‘Enquiries About Results.’ These include requesting scripts back or a review of marking, for example. These post-results services incur a charge which students usually have to cover.

Certificates.

Certificates are issued when a GCSE, GCE, BTEC or National course has been completed in full. Certificates are not issued where a ‘U’ grade is awarded. Each Exam Board issues their own certificates once all EARs have been completed, which is usually a couple of months after the results day. We are only legally obliged to hold these certificates for 12 months. Students will need these for any courses/employment so must collect from school. If certificates are lost it is the student’s responsibility to request replacement documents directly from the Exam Board, for which there is a charge of @£40 per certificate.

Who to seek help from on examination matters:

For more information contact the examination officer on (0151) 260 7600

I am unwell on the day of the examination and unable to attend …

If you are ill and are unable to attend an exam it is vital you phone the school first thing in the morning (0151 260 7600) and let us know.
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 – PHONE THE SCHOOL
If you do not attend an exam without a valid reason, it is possible that you will be charged for that exam.
Arrange an appointment a.s.a.p. with your GP and obtain a medical certificate. Bring it in to school and, whenever possible, have a word with the Examinations Officer.

I am unavoidably delayed for some reason …

Phone the office as soon as you can (0151 260 7600) and let us know. Get to school as soon as you can. You will be allowed to take your examination but, you should be aware that the Examination Board may not accept it. In such cases you will receive no marks for this component.

I have more than one examination in the same session …

This is known as a clash.
If the total time does not exceed 2½ hours (GCSE) you will be expected to take all papers during that session, as scheduled.
If the time allocated to the examinations exceeds the above times you should have been notified of the clash by the Examinations Officer, who will have given you specific instructions about which exams are to be taken when. If you have not been given this information, you must see the Examinations Officer as soon as possible.
If you have to be supervised at any time during the day you MUST FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AND AVOID ALL CONTACT WITH OTHER CANDIDATES. You will normally be given a break between examinations. If you are to be supervised over lunchtime, you should bring with you some food and drink and, probably, your revision notes for the next exam(s). You will not be allowed to keep your mobile phone with you.

I feel ill during the examination …

Inform the invigilator. It may be possible to give you (supervised) rest breaks in order to help you through the examination. Please DO NOT WAIT TO BE SICK IN THE EXAMINATION ROOM.
Let an invigilator know that you have a problem and you will be escorted out. You may be able to return later, if you feel better.
Consult your GP a.s.a.p. and ask for a medical certificate. You may be entitled to special consideration (although you should be aware that the Board will never award more than 5% of the marks scored in the paper concerned)

My performance in the examination has been adversely affected by illness or other difficult circumstance …

You may be entitled to special consideration (see above). You should obtain a letter either from your GP in the case of a medical problem or, in other circumstances, from your Head of Year. The evidence should be handed to the Examinations Officer, who will contact the Board on your behalf.

I misread my timetable and/or fail to turn up for an examination …

Please note that misreading the timetable will not be accepted as a satisfactory explanation of absence.
You will not be given another opportunity to sit the examination.

I need to go to the toilet during an exam …

Put your hand up and tell an invigilator. He or she will arrange for you to be escorted to the nearest lavatory. You will be allowed a little extra time, if necessary. It is, however, in your best interest to go before the examination begins.

The fire alarm goes off during an examination …

Await instructions from the invigilator(s) or Examinations Officer. If it is necessary to evacuate the examination room, you should leave everything, including your examination paper, on the desk and leave the room one row at a time, as instructed. You should assemble by subject and in candidate number order inside the cage, away from other members of the school. YOU MUST NOT TALK TO OTHER CANDIDATES. Provided that you are able to return to the room later, you will be given the full time allocation. The Board will be informed of the disruption.

Managing your revision

Knowing that you’ve organised your revision and have a plan of action can be a tremendous relief.  If you plan a revision timetable carefully, you can manage your workload, plan time to relax, play sports or whatever you like to do to unwind, and reward yourself for working hard.
The following sites offer useful tips on how to revise and how to plan your own revision timetable.

This BBC website had lots of tips on how to revise.

An excellent website by Collins, the educational publishers. Includes a revision timetable creator that does some of the work for you! It takes a couple of minutes to register, but is worth the effort.
www.activerevision.com

Student-friendly tips on how to prepare for your exams without getting stressed
www.s-cool.co.uk

Revision skills

Use these links for revision tips and skills.
www.gcse.com/revision.htm Three pages of revision tips for GCSE Students
www.getrevising.co.uk/ Revision notes on a range of subjects.

Learning and testing yourself

What do you do if you missed vital lessons, or weren’t paying attention, or lost the notes? It’s not too late to catch up on missed topics, if you know where to look.

An excellent website by Collins, the educational publishers. Great online tests to help you check your knowledge in English, Maths and Science. It takes a couple of minutes to register, but is worth the effort.
www.activerevision.com

S-Cool revision guides cover Biology, Chemistry, English, Food Tech, French, Geography, Maths, PE and Physics.
www.s-cool.co.uk/subject_index.

The BBC’s site has revision sessions for a wide range of subjects, presented as games, puzzles and short learning exercises.
www.bbc.co.uk/education

Revision links for all subjects

Use these links to find out information on all subjects.

Useful topic summaries for a wide range of GCSE subjects.
http://revisioncentre.co.uk

The BBC’s site has revision sessions for a wide range of subjects, presented as games, puzzles and short learning exercises.
www.bbc.co.uk/education

Revision notes on English, French, ICT, Maths and Physics
www.gcse.com

Revision guides on a range of subjects – stick with the free ones!
www.sparknotes.com

Getting ready for your Exams doesn’t have to be as daunting as you might imagine.
Below, you’ll find some top tips to help you make the most of your preparation time.

Planning a revision programme

• Start in good time
• Spread out the range of subjects
• One or two subjects per evening
• Time for relaxation
• Allow days off (unless close to exams)
• Chunk your revision time
• Revision Timetable & Exam details
• Half-hour or one hour slots

‘Chunking’ your revision

If you study for a long period, there is only one beginning and one end. Your attention drops in between and you remember less. But if you divide that one long period into three short ones, you have three beginnings and three endings. So you remember more.

Organisation

• Organise a quiet space to work at home
• Organise materials needed to revise
• Ask teachers for list of topics to revise
• Make time to revise

Revision Techniques

• Play to your strengths, using the learning styles that suit you best
• Know what to revise for each subject and each paper
• Key terms
• Self-testing
• Mind Maps & Spider Diagrams
• Pair/group work – teach what you’ve learned to a friend!

Dealing with stress

• It can be positive!
• Find someone you can talk to
• Build exercise into your revision programme
• Make some time for yourself
• Eat well
• Positive Mental Attitude
• Work in a tidy, organised environment