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Exam centres explanatory notes

Term of reference  Explanation

Invigilators

Invigilators are appointed by examination boards to ensure the maintaining of proper conduct of examinations in accordance with the exam regulations.

Examination Board

This is the official body that will mark the exam paper and provide the qualification.

There are five examination boards in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland:

  • AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance)
  • CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment)
  • City & Guilds.
  • Pearson Edexcel.
  • OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Exams)
  • WJEC (Welsh Joint Examinations Committee)

Costs

Prices are set by the exam centres themselves so there can be differences in the costs. To be clear on the costs to undertake the examinations, contact the exam centres via email or telephone direct.

Time to arrive for exams

The exam start time will be advised usually via email with other details you need for the exam. It is advisable to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start time of your examination. And if a candidate is running late, inform the exam centre directly.  

Identification

Please bring photographic ID every day of exams. This will normally be a passport. Where candidates do not possess a passport, examination boards may accept some other form of identification.  Please contact the examination board to clarify.

Exam equipment

Generally, the following can be taken into an exam:

  • a black pen (plus spares)
  • pencils and erasers.
  • a clear pencil case.
  • a wrist watch (no smart watches)
  • a water bottle.
  • calculator

Items prohibited by exam boards

You are not permitted to take the following into the room when exam conditions are in place;

  • Notes
  • Potential technological/web enabled sources of information such as:
    • an iPod,
    • an iWatch,
    • a mobile phone,
    • a MP3/4 player or
    • a wrist watch which has a data storage device.

SEN candidates

Schools and colleges must have a designated member of staff, usually the SENCo, who organises exam arrangements and then works with an exam officer to put the arrangements in place that would support a student during the examination.  The most common arrangements are;

  • Extra Time
  • A reader
  • A scribe
  • Modified papers
  • Assistive technology
  • Separate room
  • Rest breaks 

Other Information

Please contact an exam centre directly, for further details on other arrangements such as;

  • Dress code
  • Parking Facilities
  • Specific location of the exam centre building (if any)