Results Days & Certificates

Certificates for examinations sat in Summer 2023 are now available to collect from the school reception. Please remember to bring ID.  If you are unable to collect your certificates in person, you may nominate a third party to collect them on your behalf by completing a third-party collection form. The form can be found at the bottom of this page. We will not post certificates.  

 

A level and level 3 awards ~ 15th August 2024

GCSE and level 2 awards ~ 22nd August 2024

More details about Results Days will be shown here nearer to the time. 

 

Statement of Entry

All candidates receive a statement of entry from school indicating the subjects they are being entered for and the levels of entry, where applicable. Please check that these are correct. Some subjects only have one tier of entry; some have Foundation & Higher tiers. Students must check everything on their statements of entry very carefully. Particularly check that all personal details (date of birth, spelling of names which must be their LEGAL forename and surname) are accurate as these will appear on certificates and it may be difficult to change them once certificates are awarded.

Examination Timetables

Prior to each exam series, students will receive an individual timetable with their own specific examinations detailing dates, times and duration of exams, as well as their examination rooms. Check this carefully. If students think something is wrong, they need to see the Exams Manager immediately.

If a last minute change of tier for an exam entry is made at the request of the candidate or their parents, then the fee for the amendment will be invoiced to parents.

Subject staff will inform students of dates of practical examinations/language speaking tests when dates are confirmed.

For any student who has a clash where two subjects are timetabled at the same time, the school will make special timetable arrangements. Students must check their individual timetable and see the Exams Manager if they are unsure of what to do. If they think there is a clash on their timetable that has not been resolved, they also need to see the Exams Manager immediately.

Morning (AM) exams will normally start at 09:00 and Afternoon (PM) exams will start at 13:30. There are times when there are clashes with individuals who are due to take more than one exam at the same time. In such instances, an alternative arrangement will be put in place and you will be notified of this in advance.

Students must make sure that they know exactly when their exams are, especially whether they are morning or afternoon. Students should ensure that they allow enough time to get to school so if they are delayed for any reason e.g. traffic, they will still arrive in good time.

Please note that for exams in the afternoon, candidates may finish after 15:15pm so arrangements may need to be made to collect students should this be required.

Equipment

Students need to make sure that they bring in all relevant items for each exam, e.g. compasses for a Maths exam. Students should also make sure that they bring in black pens, pencils, eraser, ruler and a sharpener in a CLEAR (not coloured or tinted) pencil case or plastic bag. Do not use correcting pens, fluid or tape, erasable pens, highlighters or gel pens in your answer.

Where calculators are allowed for the exam, they must be free of lids, cases and covers. Students are responsible for clearing the data in their calculators prior to taking any exams. Students should check the regulations in the ‘Notices to Candidates’ which are on the JCQ website and are also linked below.

Examination Regulations

Notices to candidates which are issued jointly by all the examining boards are available to view on the JCQ website; they are also linked below. All candidates must read them carefully and note that to break any of the examination rules or regulations could lead to disqualification from all subjects. The school is obliged to report any breach of regulations to the examinations board.

Attendance at Exams

Candidates must arrive at school at least 15 minutes prior to the start time of their examination. Candidates who arrive late for an examination may still be admitted but need to understand that if they are very late, the exam board may refuse to accept and mark their paper. 

Full school uniform must be worn by all students attending school for examinations.

Once inside the exam room, exam board rules state that candidates must be silent. If there is any communication between any candidates, it will be assumed that cheating is taking place and this will be treated accordingly. Candidates must not talk until they have left the examination room.

Examination regulations are very strict regarding items that may be taken into the examination room. If candidates break these rules they may be disqualified from the examination.

Candidates are not permitted any web-enabled sources of information such as tablets, mobile phones, MP3 players or smartwatches in the examination room. Ideally, these devices should be left at home. However, if this is not possible, they must be switched off and be stored in students' bags or be handed-in for safe keeping.

If a mobile phone (or any other type of electronic communication or storage device) is found in their possession during an examination (even if it is turned off) it will be taken from the candidate and a report made to the appropriate exam board. No exceptions can be made, and the school cannot be held responsible for accidental damage.

Food is not permitted in the examination room, although water is allowed provided it is in a small, clear (not coloured or tinted) plastic bottle with the label removed. Filter and infusion bottles are not allowed.

Under no circumstances are bags or coats allowed into the examination room. Please note that we cannot accept responsibility for personal belongings and would recommend that valuables are not brought into school.

Candidates must listen carefully to instructions and notices read out by the invigilators – there may be amendments to the exam paper that they need to know about.

Candidates must check they have the correct question paper – check the subject, paper and tier of entry. Candidates must not start writing until told to do so by the invigilator. All instructions should be carefully read and answers numbered clearly.

Candidates will not be allowed to leave an examination early. If they have finished the paper they are advised to use the remaining time to check over their answers and ensure they have completed their details correctly.

Candidates must check that they have completed the front of their answer books (and any supplementary sheets) with their candidate number, legal forename and legal surname.

Question papers, answer documents and additional paper must NOT be taken from the examination room.

If the fire alarm sounds during an examination, the invigilators will tell candidates what to do. They should not panic. If the room has to be evacuated, candidates will be asked to leave in silence in the order instructed. Everything must be left on the desk. During this period of evacuation, examination regulations still apply and candidates must not communicate with other candidates or any other person. They will be escorted to a designated assembly point. On return to the examination room, candidates must not start writing until the invigilator tells them to. Candidates will be allowed the full working time for the examination and a report will be sent to the exam board detailing the incident.

Absence from Exams

If difficulties are experienced during the examination period (e.g. illness, injury, personal problems) please inform the school at the earliest possible point, so we can help or advise.

Only in exceptional circumstances are candidates allowed special consideration for absence from any part of an examination. It is essential that medical or other appropriate evidence is obtained and given to the Exams Manager without delay in all cases where an application is to be made for special consideration.

Parents and candidates are advised that the school will require payment of entry fees (approximately £40 - £125 per subject) should a candidate fail to attend an examination without good reason and without informing the school.

Please note that misreading the timetable will not be accepted as a satisfactory explanation of absence.

Parents are asked to refrain from arranging family holidays when examinations are taking place and if absence permission for this purpose is sought, authorisation will not be given; and if taken, parents may be liable to pay for the entry fees for the candidate (approximately £40 - £125 per paper per subject).

Pre-Public Exams (PPEs)

Pre-Public examinations are extremely important as they give students the external examination experience and ensure they are familiar with regulations and procedures to prepare them for the forthcoming GCSE examinations. The results also provide an indication of the GCSE grade that a candidate would have gained if it had been the real examination. Students will be able to see whether they are on target and establish the areas of study which need attention. It is worth noting that in some subjects the results are taken into account when determining the tiers of entry for the GCSE examinations students will be taking in the summer.

For these reasons, the internal examinations are run on the lines of the external GCSEs and the same rules and regulations regarding equipment, uniform, attendance, and absence apply.

Students are encouraged to make the most of this series of examinations in terms of preparation and performance.

JCQ Documents

All relevant information documents that relate to examinations are published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) which can be found here.

Ofqual's Student Guide can be found here here and a student checklist here.

 

For all enquiries regarding examinations, please contact Mrs Austin (Exams Manager) eleanor.austin@abbeyfieldschool.org.uk