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Exam Information

CANDIDATE EXAM HANDBOOK (to be updated shortly for 2023-24)

The handbook (available below) has been put together to ensure students and their parents/carers have access to all of the information they need regarding the external examinations in Summer 2024. The handbook has been divided into two parts. Part 1 is given to students at the beginning of their course and Part 2 is in relation to their final written examinations.

There are a number of regulations that students must be aware of for external examinations and these are either included in the handbook or available below.

Students taking external examinations in Summer 2024 need to sign and return a reply slip via Microsoft forms confirming they have read and understand the contents of this handbook.  Should students or parents/carers require clarification of any points, please see the Exams Officer, who will be happy to help.
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EXTERNAL EXAM DATES

The first examination on the national timetable for GCSE Thursday 9th May 2024.

The first examination on the national timetable for AS / A Level Monday 13th May 2024.

The final examination on the national timetable for GCSE and A Level is Wednesday 26th June 2024.

Please be aware that the awarding bodies have designated Wednesday 26th June 2024  as a ‘contingency day’ for examinations. This means that in the event of national or local disruption to a day of examinations in Summer 2024, the awarding bodies may, as a last resort, reschedule the examination to the published contingency date. Candidates should ensure they are available on that date and be mindful of this when making plans for the summer. 

Students will receive a Statement of Entry around March 2024, showing all of your exam entries, together with the nationally published dates and times.

You will receive your final exam timetable late April showing dates, times, venues, seating position, etc after all personal details have been checked and confirmed, and any timetable clashes have been resolved.

Please contact the Exams Office if you have any queries.

REVIEWS OF MARKING - CENTRE ASSESSED MARKS

(GCSE controlled assessments, GCE coursework, GCE and GCSE non-examination assessments and Project qualifications)

Sale Grammar School is committed to ensuring that whenever its staff mark candidates’ work this is done fairly, consistently and in accordance with the awarding body’s specification and subject-specific associated documents.

Candidates’ work will be marked by staff who have appropriate knowledge, understanding and skill, and who have been trained in this activity.  Sale Grammar School is committed to ensuring that work produced by candidates is authenticated in line with the requirements of the awarding body.  Where a number of subject teachers are involved in marking candidates’ work, internal moderation and standardisation will ensure consistency of marking.

  1. Sale Grammar School will ensure that candidates are informed of their centre assessed marks so that they may request a review of the centre’s marking before marks are submitted to the awarding body.
  2. Sale Grammar School will inform candidates that they may request copies of materials (within 7 days) to assist them in considering whether to request a review of the centre’s marking of the assessment.
  3. Sale Grammar School will, having received a request for copies of materials, promptly make them available to the candidate.
  4. Sale Grammar School will provide candidates with sufficient time in order to allow them to review copies of materials and reach a decision.
  5. Sale Grammar School will provide a clear deadline for candidates to submit a request for a review of the centre’s marking.  Requests will not be accepted after this deadline. Requests must be made in writing.
  6. Sale Grammar School will allow sufficient time for the review to be carried out, to make any necessary changes to marks and to inform the candidate of the outcome, all before the awarding body’s deadline.
  7. Sale Grammar School will ensure that the review of marking is carried out by an assessor who has appropriate competence, has had no previous involvement in the assessment of that candidate and has no personal interest in the review.
  8. Sale Grammar School will instruct the reviewer to ensure that the candidate’s mark is consistent with the standard set by the centre.
  9. Sale Grammar School will inform the candidate in writing of the outcome of the review of the centre’s marking.
  10. The outcome of the review of the centre’s marking will be made known to the head of centre.  A written record of the review will be kept and made available to the awarding body upon request.

The moderation process carried out by the awarding bodies may result in a mark change, either upwards or downwards, even after an internal review.  The internal review process is in place to ensure consistency of marking within the centre, whereas moderation by the awarding body ensures that centre marking is line with national standards.  The mark submitted to the awarding body is subject to change and should therefore be considered provisional.

Arrangements for Internal Appeals about Internal Assessment Decisions and Enquiries about Results

The Code of Practice published each year by the regulators (QCA in England) lays down requirements for all aspects of GCSE/GNVQ/GCE/VCE/AEA examinations with which Awarding Bodies and centres must comply. Centres` responsibilities include having formal, codified procedures in place for dealing with concerns about internal assessment procedures and enquiries about internal assessment decisions, as well as handling disputes when a candidate or carer disagrees with the decision of a centre not to support an enquiry about a result which would have been raised with an Awarding Body in the first instance.

Centres should have published appeals procedures relating to internal assessment decisions which are made widely available and accessible to all candidates and their carers. These can be found below as attachments.

The Head of Centre has appointed the Exams Officer to manage appeals. The Exams Officer is responsible for disseminating information to all candidates and their carers about the appeals procedures and for informing the Head of Centre about the existence and outcome of all such appeals.

Appeals should be made in writing to the Exams Officer stating the details of the complaint and the reasons for the appeal which should relate to processes rather than to outcomes. A copy of the appeal will be given to the teacher(s) concerned in marking the assessment, which is the subject of the appeal. The teacher(s) can then respond to the appeal in writing and a copy will be sent to the candidate. If the candidate is not happy with the written response, then he or she may request a personal hearing. The candidate will be given reasonable notice of the hearing date and will be sent copies of relevant documents to the case (e.g. the marks given, the assessments made) in advance of the hearing. If a candidate is presenting his or her own case, then they will be allowed to be accompanied by a single carer/friend. The teacher(s) and candidate will have the opportunity to hear each other’s submission to the panel at the hearing. The appeals panel will comprise a member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team and a Governor, neither of whom have previously dealt with the particular case.

The centre will maintain a written record of all appeals, which will include the outcome of an appeal and the reasons for that outcome. A copy will be sent to the candidate and, where appropriate, to their carer within seven working days of the appeal hearing.

The centre will inform the Awarding Body if there is any change to an internally assessed mark as a result of an appeal. Any internal dispute or appeal against an internal assessment decision must be resolved speedily, since Awarding Bodies cannot change the dates on which certificates are printed and issued. Therefore, appeals must be made in writing to the Exams Officer at school.

 

Page Documents Date  
Internal Appeals Policy Nov 2022 11th Nov 2022 Download
Non Examination Assessment Policy Nov 20... 11th Nov 2022 Download
Appendix 1 Coursework 11th Nov 2022 Download
Appendix 2 Non Examination Assessments 11th Nov 2022 Download
Appendix 3 JCQ On Screen Tests 11th Nov 2022 Download
Appendix 4 JCQ Written Exams 11th Nov 2022 Download
Appendix 5 JCQ Privacy Notice 11th Nov 2022 Download
Appendix 6 JCQ Social Media 11th Nov 2022 Download
Appendix 7 JCQ No Mobile Phones Poster 11th Nov 2022 Download
Appendix 8 JCQ Warning to Candidates Pos... 11th Nov 2022 Download
GCSE Candidate Information Handbook Part... 09th Nov 2023 Download
Candidate Information Handbook Part 2 09th Nov 2023 Download
A Level Candidate Information Handbook P... 09th Nov 2023 Download