Exams Information

Many of our students will be sitting exams in the spring term; for students taking vocational courses, this will be the real thing. The public exams window runs from the start of January until the beginning of February.

Year 11 and sixth form students will be sitting formal mock exams. This is an important time and provides an opportunity for students to practise and familiarise themselves with the exam process. It also allows us to gather assessment data which could be used should a student encounter circumstances that prevent them taking their exams in the summer session.

Exams can be stressful, and we are keen for our students to feel prepared and supported during this period. Students should remember that our staff are behind them and that we all want them to perform as well as they can and achieve their God-given potential.

A full timetable and the 'Spring Exams Assembly Presentation' can be found at the bottom of this page.

	Start Date	End Date
Vocational Public Exams	Tuesday 7 January	Tuesday 21 January.
Year 11 Mock Exams	Thursday 23 January	Tuesday 4 February
Year 13 Mock Exams	Wednesday 5 February	Thursday 13 February

Morning exams will start at 9 am. Students will need to arrive at school before 8.30 am and register in forms. Most afternoon exams will start at 1 pm; some will start a little earlier. Students will go on early lunch only if they are sitting an afternoon exam. It is very important that students are punctual; they should arrive fully prepared and at least ten minutes earlier than start times so that they can be seated, and any problems can be resolved before the exam starts. If students arrive more than thirty minutes late, they will not be able to sit the exam.

Timetables - General Advice

Students will receive their timetables electronically. Venues, dates and times will be stated on the exam timetable in chronological order. Students must check their timetable carefully and inform the Exams Officer as soon as possible if anything is incorrect. Students should make every effort to familiarise themselves with their seat, as this will help to ensure that they have a smooth and relaxed start to their exam. If a timetable is lost, another can be emailed on request.

Access Arrangements

Access arrangements are granted to students who have special educational needs, disabilities or other obstacles that make accessing the examination materials difficult. We are permitted to make reasonable adjustments for students based on special or additional needs. Students with access arrangements may benefit from support, such as the use of a laptop, a smaller venue or 25% extra time. Students with access arrangements will sit their exams in room B40 or B44.

Rules and Regulations

Several prohibited items cannot enter the exam venue. Being caught with these objects will result in disqualification. Other items are permitted but there are stipulations:

Mobile phones, earphones and any type of watch cannot enter the exam venue. No electronic device of any kind is permitted.
Calculators can be used in many exams, but these must have the back removed.
Pencil cases must be transparent.
Water is permitted, but it must be in a clear bottle with no label. No other cans or bottles are permitted.
No notes or written material are permitted unless it is official exam pre-release material.

JCQ: The Joint Council for Qualifications

JCQ is the national organisation that sets the rules for exams. It comprises of the eight largest providers of qualifications in the UK. This includes AQA, OCR, Pearson, NCFE and WJEC.

JCQ are the organisation that governs administrative arrangements for examinations. They provide support for schools and colleges and ensure that regulations are fully complied with. The JCQ website has a vast amount of information about exams and how they must be conducted.

https://www.jcq.org.uk/

JCQ also provide support for students. Some useful resources can be found here:

Academy Contacts

If you need further assistance, please contact:

Exams office: Eoffice@stpetersacademy.org.uk

Exams and Data: mbuck@stpetersacademy.org.uk