Examinations

During November, the Academy will be hosting GCSE mathematics and GCSE English retakes for Year 12 students. These exams will take place between Monday 2 November and Monday 9 November.

Students taking vocational courses will sit mock exams immediately after this period, between Tuesday 10 November and Friday 13 November.

Timetable overviews and further information will be posted here shortly.

Exams can be a stressful experience, and we are keen for our students to feel prepared and supported. 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.

Exam start times

Morning exams will start at 9.00 am. Students will need to arrive at school before 8.30 am and register in their form groups. Most afternoon exams will start at 1.00 pm; some will start a little earlier. Students will go on an early lunch only if they are sitting an afternoon exam.

It is essential that students are punctual. They should arrive fully prepared and at least ten minutes before the start time 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 may 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 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 a separate room.

Rules and regulations

Several prohibited items cannot enter the exam venue. Being caught with these items will result in disqualification. Other items are permitted but with the following 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 the back must be removed.
• Pencil cases must be transparent.
• Water is permitted, but must be in a clear bottle with no label. No other cans or bottles are permitted.
• Notes or written material are not permitted unless they are official exam pre-release material.

We are keen that students conduct themselves well during the exam period. Communication regarding student conduct has been sent to parents and carers in the form of a Home/School Agreement. A copy of the Home/School Exam Agreement can be found here.

JCQ: the Joint Council for Qualifications

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

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

jcq.org.uk

JCQ also provides resources to support students:

jcq.org.uk/exams-office/information-for-candidates-documents
jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IFC-Written_Examinations_2023_FINAL.pdf
jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/JCQ-Preparing-to-sit-your-exams-2023_24.pdf
jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/JCQ-AI-teacher-presentation-for-students.zip

Academy contacts

If you need further assistance, please contact:

Exams Office: Eoffice@stpetersacademy.org.uk
Exams and Data: mbuck@stpetersacademy.org.uk