Exam Information Booklet 2015
The aim of this guide is to help you get through the
examinations period by explaining the procedures and
answering any questions that you may have. Please read this
booklet carefully and if you have any questions or are still not
sure about anything then please come along to the Exams
Office and ask – we are here to help you.
It would also be useful for you to read the
Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) guide: Information for Students
This is available on our website to download here
If you require a printed copy, please call in to the Exams Office.
Examination Period 2015
GCSE Exam Session 2015 runs from 11 May - 22 June
GCE/A level Exam Session 2015 runs from 11 May - 24 June
Specific lessons will continue during the examination period for students
What if I’m ill or going to be late for the exam?
If you are ill, or going to be late on the day of your exam, you or your parent should notify the Exams Office
immediately by calling 01484 406380.
If you are unable to attend due to sickness, a medical note from your Doctor MUST be given to the Exams Office –
it must be specific about dates and exact reasons about why you could not sit your exam. A parental note or a
letter from the school will not be accepted. Without a medical note the Exam Boards cannot issue any final grades
for a missed exam. Also, please be aware that if you are late for your exam, the Examination Board may not
always accept your paper and you may not get the full time allowance for sitting the exam.
What if I have an appointment on the same day as my exam?
Simple — you will need to change your appointment!
Exams must happen at the date and time specified by the examination board. Going to a wedding or having your
hair done for the ball is not a valid excuse for not attending your exam!
Late Arrivals
The procedure below is as set by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ):
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Candidates arriving after 9.30am or 2pm will be allowed to enter the exam:
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on the attendance register, a note will be made of the time of arrival, reason for lateness and
the time the candidate started the exam
the candidate will be allowed to sit the exam, but warned that the Awarding Body may not to
accept the script and that they will finish at the same time as everyone else unless the reason
for lateness was beyond the candidate’s control, in which case the full time may be allowed
Candidates arriving more than 1 hour after the published start times:
 as above, but a full report is needed in order to allow the Awarding Body to assess the
security of the exam. The candidate must not be allowed to leave until he/she has spoken to
the Examinations Officer or SLT to explain the circumstances in full.
Uniform
School uniform must be worn at all times, when taking examinations.
Exam Timetables
Your timetable is IMPORTANT and should be kept safely for reference purposes. All students MUST refer to their
individual timetables for information on examination times and venues. Please read it very carefully and make
sure you know when and where your exams are going take place.
Your timetable is unique to YOU
Don’t ask your friends where the exam is …they may be somewhere different!
Your timetable will tell you the date, time, room and seat number of your exam. Display this somewhere obvious
at home; so that you and your family can see it and you are all aware when you should be at school taking an
exam. If you lose your timetable you may be able to get a replacement from the Exams Office.
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You can access an electronic version of the overall Examination timetable on our website near the exam period. A
copy is also displayed in the Year 11 social area for examinations along with copies of the seating plans; these are
also located in the PE corridor and outside the rooms on a daily basis for the following day’s exams.
Individual examination ID cards will also be used in the examination rooms for invigilation staff; as they do not see
students regularly, they will be able to readily identify you in an examination room to ensure you are in the
correct examination at the correct time.
Examination Clashes
Occasionally you may find that you have modules timetabled for the same session creating a clash of exams. If
the clash involves 2 or more modules, totalling 3hrs or less, these will be taken one after the other. If the clash
involves modules totalling more than 3hrs, it is important that you advise the examinations department, as
arrangements have to be put in place to move modules to another session. Please do not delay in notifying us of
any clashes. Where this has already been identified, you will have been notified of the arrangements that will
take place. If you are one of these, please note you will have been asked to bring a packed lunch with you; please
ensure you do this, as you must be supervised between examinations.
During the Exam Period
Punctuality is important. Exams are scheduled to start at 9.15 am and 1.30 pm; these are actual start times. You
must arrive 20 minutes prior to this time - this is to ensure efficient preliminary administration including seating
students, distribution of materials, going over instructions etc. You will in most cases have a pre-examination
Focus Session; it is important that you attend these sessions and arrive on time.
Rastrick High School Exam Procedures
The following are agreed standard procedures for all external procedures:
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Coats and jackets should be removed before entering the room;
Coats, bags etc to be left in designated area before candidates find their seat
Entering and taking seats should done in silence;
Exam regulations will be observed until the last script has been collected at the end of the
exam, there must be no talking, turning round or any other distraction;
You will not be allowed to leave the examination room until the end of the exam - do not
wait for friends near an exam venue where an exam is still in progress;
Do not deface or damage exam ID cards;
Only material listed on the question paper is allowed in the exam room. You must not have
on or near you any other material. If you are found to have any material with you which is
not allowed, even if you did not intend to use it, you will be reported to the Examination
Board. The Examination Board’s normal practice is to disqualify the candidate from that
subject.
Access Arrangements
You may have been assessed and allocated Examination Access Arrangements at the beginning of Year 10. These
arrangements should be used in all tests, internal and external examinations and coursework where appropriate.
If you decline the identified Access Arrangement during an external examination you will be notified by letter.
The following advice below indicates what a student who has been allocated a reader or a scribe as an Access
Arrangement can expect. All students with Access Arrangements will sit their examinations in smaller rooms to
accommodate their needs, therefore you will be asked to meet prior to your examinations to ensure you are
aware of the room you will be using.
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Reader in Exams
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They can to read for the student in their examination;
Student must make it clear what they want to be read;
They can only read the instructions and the questions;
They can repeat instructions, but only if the student asks them to;
They cannot tell the student which questions to choose;
They cannot tell the student when to move on to the next question;
They cannot tell the student which questions to do first;
They can spell words if the student asks, but only words on the question paper;
They can read back the students answer, but only if they ask.
GCSE English Examinations: They can read the questions in the writing section of the paper, but cannot read any
of the questions in the reading section
Scribe in Exams
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Can write for you in your examination;
Must write exactly what the student says;
Can draw maps, graphs and diagrams, but can only draw exactly what the student tells them;
Cannot draw for a student in a Design Technology examination;
Can change what they have written, but only if the student asks them to;
If they have problems communicating, they must tell the invigilator;
Cannot give the student any help with answers;
Cannot suggest when an answer is finished;
Cannot tell the student which questions to choose;
Cannot tell the student when to move on to the next question;
Cannot tell the student which questions to do first;
If the student is allowed rest breaks, they cannot write in those breaks;
Can read back what has written, but only if the student asks them;
Extra time in Exams
If you qualify for this Access Arrangement the amount of extra time normally awarded is 25%, so if you are sitting
a one hour exam you will have an hour and fifteen minutes; although this may vary depending on the exam.
Make sure before the exam that you know:
 When the exam is;
 How long it is;
 How many questions there are;
 The type of questions e.g. multiple choice or essay.
The Right Equipment
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the necessary equipment with you for each of your examinations,
i.e. Black Pens, Pencils, Ruler, Rubber, Sharpener, Calculator, etc in a clear pencil case/bag.
Please be prepared before every examination you are due to take. The following rules apply as far as the use of
various pieces of equipment:
“You must write only in black ink or ball-point pen, except for drawings and rough notes. You must write all rough
work in your answer book and neatly cross it through with a single line. You should cross any mistakes through
neatly with a single line. You must not use correcting pens, fluid or tape, highlighters or gel pens in your
answers”.
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Always bring a spare pen and pencil, and don’t forget a ruler and a rubber. We do not lend calculators, so if you
forget yours, you may have to do without.
You must not bring any unauthorised books or rough paper into the exam – this is considered CHEATING…
However, remember to bring any set books or texts, such as an anthology if this is required.
No sweets are allowed in the exam room but, we will provide you with a banana plus a drink of water in a clear
and unlabelled bottle.
You will be reminded of these regulations at the beginning of the exam.
Mobile Phones, iPads, iPods, PDAs, MP3 players MP4 players, & any other electrical gadgets …
You CANNOT bring mobile phones to school during the examination period. Please note that if you are found to
have a mobile phone on you during an examination – whether it is turned on or not - you can be disqualified from
that examination and it may also jeopardise any other exams – the exam board can disqualify a student from
taking any examination for up to 5 years!
The Examination Boards make it clear to all students that taking mobile phones, MP3 players or any unauthorised
electrical device into an examination is strictly forbidden.
Any infringement of this rule will be reported to the relevant Examination Board. Don’t risk failing an exam by
forgetting this. There are no exceptions!
If possible please leave mobile phones and other similar things at home.
Did you know …?
The main reason exam boards have been given for phones ringing in exams was the parent or carer trying to
find out if the student had finished their exam – they certainly had by the time the phone call was over …
beware!
Headwear
Only head wear worn for religious beliefs can be left on during the exam. Advise the invigilator of this and a check
can be conducted in private (by a female member of staff if required) to ensure headphones are removed. Sports
caps and woolly hats etc. will not be allowed. Refusal to observe staff requests may result in you not being
allowed into the examination room.
What if the Fire Alarm Sounds During the Exam?
You must follow the procedures below if there is an emergency during an examination
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Listen carefully to the instructions given by the invigilators;
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Leave the examination room calmly and stay with the members of staff at all times;
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Do not talk to other students, either from the examination or from outside – remember you are still
under examination conditions and have to follow the examination regulations;
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Staff will take you out of the building and will wait outside until the emergency is over;
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You will not lose any time from the examination. When it is possible to return to the exam room, any time
lost will be added onto the end of your examination time;
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If you break any of the examination regulations during the evacuation procedure, this will be dealt with in
exactly the same way as if it had happened in the examination room.
What if I need to go to the toilet during an exam?
Toilet breaks are not generally permitted during an exam. However, if you are desperate to go to the toilet during
the exam, raise your hand and wait for an invigilator to come to you. He or she will then accompany you to the
toilet.
Please remember – going to the toilet not only disturbs other people in the room, it can also break your own
concentration.
What if I feel ill during the exam?
If you feel unwell during an exam, raise your hand and wait for an Invigilator to come to you.
Remember – if you have a cold or you suffer from hay fever for example, please bring plenty of tissues with you!
Revision
You should now be ‘fine-tuning’ your revision programmes. Advice will have been given to you about revision
strategies, but it is worth restating some broad principles. You should:
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Endeavour to revise in an active manner, that is, to rewrite and reorganise their notes and not just read
through them. Sometimes it is helpful to produce flow charts, diagrams, lists etc. to aid your learning and
retention of material;
Ensure your learn the more unfamiliar and ‘harder’ parts of the work before the more familiar ‘easier’
topics;
Seek to revise in short bursts of time, punctuated with a break, then a short walk, a cup of coffee or such
like, can be taken. None of us have the ability to concentrate for lengthy periods of time without
becoming distracted!
The timing of revision is very important for many people. Some study best in the early morning, others
late at night, and others at yet a different time;
Having a revision timetable and sticking to it is important. The task is seen to be a manageable one, and
you are able to see that you are ‘on target’ to complete a topic by a set date.
Support and Guidance
If you are encountering any problem with your revision programme, you should seek the support of an
appropriate teacher; this may be subject staff, Form Tutor, Achievement Manager or your Achievement Leader do not be afraid to ask for help. Revision sessions will be organised prior to and during the exam season and you
will be notified of when these are taking place.
Top tips for the exam
Plan your time
• Look carefully at how long the paper is;
• Work out roughly how many questions there are;
• Having your own watch is very useful;
• Allow time to check work.
Plan a written answer
• This is so important and you do have time;
• Planning will ensure that you have included all of the main points and that they are sequenced and
presented clearly;
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You need to generate ideas, sequence these ideas and write them down.
Remain calm
• Extra-time will enable you to approach the exam in a calm manner;
• You will not be able to perform at your best if you are panicking, as it affects your ability to think clearly
and remember what you have learnt;
• If you start to panic take a minute to calm back down, it will be worth it.
Read the question
• Make sure you have read the questions carefully and understand what
• you have to do;
• Do exactly what you have been asked, e.g. if it says tick 2 boxes then do not tick 3;
• Underline the keywords so that you know what you are being asked to do e.g. evaluate means you need
to give an opinion by explaining both the good and bad points;
• Only putting across one point of view will mean you lose marks.
Believe in yourself
• You can do it and you have time to do it.
Finally…
Your examinations represent the culmination of several years’ of your hard work. Please do not behave in any
way that might jeopardise your chances or the chances of others in the examination room.
Remember – even eye contact can be taken as communication.
Examination Board rules are strict and must be followed to the letter – the Exams Manager has no choice but to
report any breaking of rules (it’s their job!).
Any misbehaviour must be reported to the Exam Board and will always be dealt with very severely.
Arrangements for the Collection of Results
A level examination results: Thursday 13 August 2015 in the Technology Centre from
8.00am –12.00 pm for Year 13 students
10.00am for Year 12 students (AS Levels)
GCSE examination results: Thursday 20 August 2015 in the Main Hall from
8.00am –12.00 pm for Year 11 students
10.00am for Year 10 students
Results will not be handed to a 3rd party unless they have written authorisation from yourself giving us permission
to release them.
Results will not be given out over the phone
Results not collected on the day will be posted home by 1st class post that night
Our aim is to hand out results as speedily as possible. We would ask, therefore, that you avoid telephone enquiries
except in exceptional circumstances.
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Publicising results
Results are the personal property of individual students and will therefore not be put on display but handed out in a
sealed envelope.
If the results are delayed notices will be displayed in school and on the school website with details of any new
arrangements.
Once you are in possession of your results, there will be information included pertinent to them. On results day,
staff will be in school to offer advice and guidance on the best course of action, so it is important that you come into
school on results day, particularly if this is your final year of study.
Our full results are published in the local press in the days following the results.
Good luck!
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