Resources to help support exams officers in their roles
Resources to support exams officers in their important role, covering GCSE, A level, T Level and vocational and technical qualification (VTQ) assessments
Delivering exams and assessments is a tough job and one that requires all-year-round effort as well as managing particular challenges. Ofqual recognises the pivotal role of the exams officer in the smooth running of exams and assessments in schools, colleges and other exam centres. We will continue to talk to exams officers and their representative bodies to find ways we can help them run a smooth, incident-free series.
Ofqual has updated a range of resources to support exams officers in their important role, covering both GCSE and A level, T Level and vocational and technical qualification (VTQ) assessments. Ofqual wrote a letter to centres at the beginning of the academic year confirming arrangements for the timely delivery of VTQ results for 2024 and beyond. Please familiarise yourself with this.
Here you can find out about a day in the life of an exams officer and you can also learn how to be successful in the role by reading these tips.
You can also read a blog post looking at malpractice statistics.
Working with exams officers, we have created a short film about the role of the exams officer to raise awareness with other school staff and parents of the important work they do.
Exams are an all-year-round effort
GCSE and A level exams take place at set times of the year – mostly in May and June. For some schools and colleges, that might mean that in the summer the exam halls get packed up for another year, and all the ‘silence’ signs disappear.
For some schools, colleges, training providers and other types of exam centres, VTQ exams and assessments occur all year round although there might be a particular focus in November, January and May to June.
In either case, the work of an exams officer is much more than managing the exams venue while exams take place. Exams officers work throughout the year to ensure that, among other things:
- the correct students are entered for the correct qualifications or assessments on time
- mock exams and practice assessments run smoothly
- exam results are accurate and distributed properly
- reviews of marking and appeals are made at the correct time
The knowledge and skills needed by exams officers are varied. The 10 most common skills as identified by exams officers themselves to undertake their role effectively are:
- time management
- people management
- contingency planning and risk management
- prioritising tasks and workload, and multitasking
- problem solving
- communication skills
- handling difficult conversations
- presentation skills
- managing deadlines
- working collaboratively
Contingency arrangements
While exams officers are well versed in contingency planning arrangements in the event of an emergency in the exam hall, senior leaders should also consider what they need in case the exams officer is unexpectedly unavailable. Having someone else in the school or college who could step in to cover in an emergency gives reassurance that everything will still go smoothly.
To help mitigate this, exams officers might want to discuss contingency arrangements with their senior leadership team, and make sure they are aware of the priorities and processes that have to take place and that processes are clearly documented and accessible.
Keeping students’ mobile phones, watches and internet-enabled devices out of exams and assessments
While many schools and colleges do not allow mobile phones in classrooms, we know one of the key challenges exams officers face is keeping students’ mobile phones and other communications and/or internet-enabled devices out of the exam hall. It’s important that students understand the consequences of their actions. Bringing a mobile phone or other communications and/or internet-enabled device (such as a smart watch) into an exam hall or assessment room is classed as malpractice - and it’s just not worth the risk as it can lead to:
- the removal of marks from that assessment
- the disqualification from that subject, meaning they would have no result for that subject
- the disqualification from every subject the student is taking, meaning they would not have a result from any of their subjects
Ofqual has talked to students about the reasons they might bring their mobile phones and other communications devices into the exam hall, and they might not be what you think. For most students, their phone is the most expensive item they own and they are proud of that and don’t want to lose sight of it. They have become so used to having it on them that they don’t even think about it. Not intending to cheat however, or forgetting that it was in their pocket, isn’t a justification.
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Last updated 23 January 2024 + show all updates
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Added link to blog titled Embracing challenges: a reflective journey in exams administration.
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Updated with some small modifications for the 2024 exam year.
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First published.