Examination Information

During your time as a learner of the college you will take examinations related to your course of study.

Examination Staff and where to find them

If you are studying at one of the 5 main centres of the college you will find that examinations are managed by the following examination officers:

Centre	Contact Officer(s)	Telephone
Arts/Mulberry	Jenny Costello/Faitma Sahed	0151 252 4268
Bankfield	Debbie O’Toole	0151 252 3102
Clarence	Julie Martin/Cathy Rigby	0151 252 3324/3323
Duke	Marian Copeland	0151 252 4557
Vauxhall	Amanda Pollack	0151 252 4726

Students studying at college outreach centres should direct any examination queries to either the relevant Drop-in Study Centre manager or the Customer Support officer.

Registrations for Examinations

Once you have completed your enrolment, you will automatically be registered with the relevant examination board. Only learners who have enrolled can be entered for examinations.

Payment of Fees

All examination fees and contributions are payable at enrolment with the exception of re-sit fees. The amount payable will depend on your personal circumstances.

Late Entries

You should be aware that if you enrol on your course late, you may have missed the examination board closing date and your examination entry may incur late fees that you will be liable to pay. Examination board closing dates can be obtained from your examinations officer and will be published on the notice boards.

Refund of Exam Fees

Learners will only receive a refund for their exam fee if they have withdrawn from their college course and the withdrawal is made before the college submits the exam entry to the board. Applications for examination refunds must be made on an examination refund form which is available at the centre office.

Statement of Entry

When the college registers you with an examination board you are issued with a statement of entry, which includes details such as your name, your candidate number, the exams you have been entered for and the dates they are held. These must be checked carefully for any spelling errors and any errors must be reported back to your examinations officer immediately.

Your statement of entry will either be available for collection at your centre office (your tutor will inform you of this) or will be posted out to you.

Please make sure the office has your correct contact details

Special Requirements

If you have any special requirements, for example visual impairment or dyslexia, then you must let your tutor know of this special requirement as early as possible in the course. Your tutor must inform the examinations officer at your centre and they may be able to make arrangements with the examination board for you to get extra time or an enlarged question paper etc.

Please be aware that some examination boards set deadlines for requests for modified papers and other special requirements.

Special Consideration

If there is any reason why you may be unable to perform at your best in any examination paper, please make sure you discuss this with your tutor or with your examinations officer. You may be eligible to apply for special consideration. You will have to provide relevant supporting evidence.

Examples of this would be illness or any other stressful incidents.

Indentification

You must bring with you your college ID badge when you are taking your examination. Failing that, you must bring some form of identification.

Please remember: NO ID – NO ENTRY

Starting Times

Morning exams start at 9:30am

Afternoon exams start at 1:30pm

Arrive and be ready at least 20 minutes before the start of your exam

Statement of entry slips from some awarding bodies may mention start times. These are for guidance only and the college is allowed to vary times by up to 30 minutes to fit in with other examinations that may be running at the same time. The times will be confirmed on the college examination timetable.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you know your examination start times and locations of examinations.

Conduct in the Examinations

The official notices for learners and warnings for students are displayed outside and around the exam room. Any learner who breaks any of the published regulations will be asked to leave the examination room and the incident will be reported to the examination board. The board may cancel the learner’s entry to that subject and perhaps any other entries made with that particular board.

Students must be aware that they are under examination conditions as soon as they enter the examination room. There should be no talking from this point on, except to the invigilator.

Students must listen carefully to the instructions given by the invigilator at the start of the exam, as different examinations have different instructions for the completion of the paper.

If students require assistance or have a query during the exam, they must inform the invigilator as soon as possible. Students must raise their hand so it can be seen clearly; they must not call/shout out. Students must NOT LEAVE the examination room until the invigilator instructs them to do so.

Behaviour

It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with examination board rules and regulations and to bring the correct stationery and equipment to the examination with you.

Misconduct in examinations will not be tolerated. If you have any doubts consult your local examinations officer.

Non-attendance

If you fail to attend an examination you have been entered for and for which you have only paid a £15.00 contribution, you will be liable for the full examination fee and administration fee unless you can provide a medical certificate. Learners receiving an Education Maintenance Allowance should be aware that failure to attend examinations will jeopardise their bonus payments.

Results

Most results come to the college and not directly to the students. The college processes these results and posts them out within 24 hours of receipt. (Please make sure that you have given your correct address to the college; if you have moved since enrolling then make sure you let the staff in your centre know these changes.)

A level and GCSE results can be collected from the centre office on the day of issue any time from 10.30am until 4.30pm. Any results not collected will be posted out the following day.

No results will be given out over the telephone.

Certificates

Most certificates come directly to the college and not to individual students. When a certificate is received the examinations officers will send out a letter to the students’s contact address advising them to collect, giving opening times of the centre office. Learners calling to collect certificates will be asked for ID.

Any uncollected certificates will be archived at the end of the academic year. There will be a £10 for charge for collection of archived certificates.

Re-marks and Accessing Scripts

It is recommended that you contact your course tutor before requesting a re-mark or access to your exam script. This should be done as soon as possible after receipt of results but no later than two weeks from that date. There may be a charge for this service.

Missing Results

If you are missing a grade on your results slip for an examination you have taken you will need to contact your examinations officer immediately.

Re-sitting Exams

Re-sits are available subject to completion of an examinations entry form and payment of the appropriate fee within the given deadline. You must see your course tutor and examinations officer to see if this is appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if……………

I miss an examination? You must check dates, times and venues for your examinations. It is not acceptable to claim that you forgot either the day or the time of your examination. If you did miss your exam you must contact either your tutor or a member of the Examinations Department as soon as possible.

I am unwell? The Examinations Department must be notified as far in advance as possible. If you are forced to miss any paper because of illness it may be possible to help you deal with this situation; you will need to provide supporting evidence within 7 days.

I am late? We cannot delay the start of an examination because you may have missed the train/ bus. In exceptional circumstances you may be allowed to start after the national start time, but this would be at the discretion of the college. The awarding body may still refuse to mark your paper if they feel that there is a possibility of security having been breached.

I have two examinations at the same time? You must check the timetable for all your examinations. A clash must be reported to the examinations officer immediately NOT FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF THE EXAM.

I am ill during the examination? You must let the invigilator know immediately. They will assist or escort you from the examination room if necessary. They will inform the examinations officer who will take the appropriate action.