Kepier Staff Examination Contingency Plan / Risk Assessment

Produced by:	Examinations Officer, Mrs K Walmsley
Reviewed and Ratified by:	The Principal, Mrs N Ashton
Date Ratified:	April 2023
Review Date:	April 2024
Version Number:	20230407
Location:	G:\Shared drives\Whole School - Policies
Circulation:	Staff, Governors
Statutory/Discretionary:	Statutory

Purpose of the Plan

This plan examines potential risks and issues that could cause disruption to the management and administration of the exam process at Kepier. By outlining actions/procedures to be invoked in case of disruption, it is intended to mitigate the impact these disruptions have on our exam process. This plan is updated as and when additional risks are identified.

Reference will also be made to awarding body guidance.

Alongside internal processes, this plan is informed by:

JCQ Joint Contingency Plan for the Examination System in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
JCQ Preparing for disruption to examinations
Ofqual guidance what schools, colleges and other centres should do if exams or other assessments are seriously disrupted

copies of which are available from Kepier’s Exam Office.

This plan complies with JCQ general regulations (section 5) in that:

The centre has in place “a written examination contingency plan which covers all aspects of

examination administration. This will allow members of the senior leadership team to act immediately in the event of an emergency or staff absence. The examination contingency plan should reinforce procedures in the event of the centre being unavailable for examinations, or on results day, owing to an unforeseen emergency. The potential impact of a cyber-attack should also be considered.”

Causes of potential disruption to the exam process

1. Exams Officer extended absence at key points in the exam cycle

At Kepier, a full time Examinations & Administration Officer covers all aspects of examination administration. Should this person be absent at any stage of the examination cycle, the Exams & Data Manager will take up the role and activities. The Senior Leadership Team has a member assigned to oversee examinations. The Examinations & Data Team will provide procedures, work instructions and forms as appropriate to support the whole examination cycle.

Key tasks required in the management and administration of the exam cycle to be undertaken including:

Planning

• annual data collection exercise to collate information on qualifications and awarding body specifications being delivered

• annual exams plan identifying essential key tasks, key dates and deadlines

• sufficient invigilators to be recruited and trained

Entries

• awarding bodies to be informed of early/estimated entries which prompts release of early information required by teaching staff

• candidates to be entered with awarding bodies for external exams/assessment

• awarding body entry deadlines not to be missed or late or other penalty fees incurred

Pre-exams

• exam timetabling, rooming allocation and invigilation schedules to be prepared

• candidates to be briefed on exam timetables and awarding body information for candidates

• exam/assessment materials and candidates’ work to be stored under required secure conditions

• internal assessment marks and samples of candidates’ work to be submitted to awarding bodies/external moderators

Exam time

• exams/assessments to be taken under the conditions prescribed by awarding bodies

• required reports/requests to be submitted to awarding bodies during exam/assessment periods eg. very late arrival, suspected malpractice, special consideration

• candidates’ scripts to be dispatched as required to awarding bodies

Results and post-results

• access to examination results affecting the distribution of results to candidates

• the facilitation of the post-results services

Centre actions:

• Exams & Data Manager takes up the role of Exams Officer.

• Exams & Data Team to continue to work to provide procedures, work instructions and forms to support the whole examination cycle.

2. SENDCO extended absence at key points in the exam cycle

Key tasks required in the management and administration of the access arrangements process within the exam cycle to be undertaken including:

Planning

• candidates to be tested/assessed to identify potential access arrangement requirements

• evidence of need and evidence to support normal way of working to be collated

Pre-exams

• approval for access arrangements to be applied for to the awarding body

• modified paper requirements to be identified in a timely manner to enable ordering to meet external deadline

• staff providing support to access arrangement candidates to be allocated and trained

Exam time

• access arrangement candidate support to be arranged for exam rooms

Centre actions:

• Raise situation at SLT meeting for resolution.

• SEND Learner Support Lead may be able to provide support as regards actions and timescales.

3. Department/Subject Leader/Teaching staff extended absence at key points in the exam cycle

Key tasks to be undertaken including:

• Early/estimated entry information to be provided to the exams officer on time, resulting in pre-release information being received

• Final entry information to be provided to the exams officer on time, resulting in:

candidates being entered for exams/assessments or not being entered late
no late or other penalty fees being charged by awarding bodies

• Internal assessment marks and candidates’ work to be provided to meet submission deadlines

Centre actions:

• Designated deputy stands in for DL absence.

• Exams Officer guides the replacement/deputy through requirements.

4. Invigilators - lack of appropriately trained invigilators or invigilator absence

• Failure to recruit and train sufficient invigilators to conduct exams

• Invigilator shortage on peak exam days

• Invigilator absence on the day of an exam

Centre actions:

• Exams Officer to update and issue briefing document to staff who are required to act as invigilators.

• Exams Officer and Exams & Data Manager can act as invigilator(s).

5. Exam rooms - lack of appropriate rooms or main venues unavailable at short notice

• Exams officer unable to identify sufficient/appropriate rooms during exams timetable planning

• Insufficient rooms available on peak exam days

• Main exam venues unavailable due to an unexpected incident at exam time

Centre actions:

• Exam planning meeting to be held in order to facilitate booking of the required number of appropriate rooms.

6. Failure of IT systems

• MIS failure at final entry deadline

• MIS failure during exams preparation

• MIS failure at results release time

• Cyber attack

Centre actions:

• Daily use of the MIS prior to entry deadline will alert Exams Officer to any likely issues.

• Exams Officer to check A2C communication system prior to entry deadline for any warning or error messages.

• IT Support to assist where required.

• Use awarding body secure sites for making entries or obtaining results.

• IT Support has technical measures in place to minimise the risk to the centre’s systems of attack from the outside world. It also has backup and disaster recovery procedures in place in the event of data loss due to a number of reasons - one of which could be a cyber attack.

7. Disruption of teaching time – centre closed for an extended period

• Centre closed or candidates are unable to attend for an extended period during normal teaching or study supported time, interrupting the provision of normal teaching and learning

The centre to communicate with parents, carers and students about the potential for disruption to teaching time and plans to address this.

Centre actions:

• Candidates continue to be taught either through an alternative method of learning eg. Google Classroom or at an alternative venue.

• Prioritise candidates who will be facing examinations soonest.

• Exams Officer notifies awarding bodies as appropriate.

8. Candidates unable to take examinations because of a crisis – centre remains open

• Candidates are unable to attend the examination centre to take examinations as normal

The centre to communicate with relevant awarding organisations at the outset to make them aware of the issue. The centre to communicate with parents, carers and candidates regarding solutions to the issue.

Centre actions:

• Identify whether the examination can be taken at an alternative venue in agreement with the relevant awarding body.

• Apply to awarding body for special consideration for candidates where they have met minimum requirements.

9. Centre unable to open as normal during the exams period

• Centre unable to open as normal for scheduled examinations

A centre which is unable to open as normal for examinations must inform each awarding organisation with which examinations are due to be taken as soon as is possible.

Centre actions:

• Consider opening only for examinations and candidates, if possible.

• Use alternative venues in agreement with relevant awarding bodies.

• Apply to awarding body for special consideration for candidates where they have met minimum requirements.

10. Disruption in the distribution of examination papers

• Disruption to the distribution of examination papers to the centre in advance of examinations

The centre to communicate with awarding organisations to organise alternative delivery of papers.

Centre actions:

• The Exams Officer will cross check delivery of exam papers with centre timetable and where papers are short, communicate with awarding bodies to organise alternative delivery of papers.

• With awarding body permission, obtain exam paper(s) from secure exam site.

11. Disruption to the transportation of completed examination scripts

• Delay in normal collection arrangements for completed examination scripts (by Parcelforce)

The centre to communicate with relevant awarding organisations at the outset to resolve the issue.

Centre actions:

• Ensure secure storage of completed examination scripts until courier collection.

• Only make alternative dispatch arrangement with approval of awarding body.

12. Assessment evidence is not available to be marked

• Large scale damage to or destruction of completed examination scripts/assessment evidence before it can be marked

It is the responsibility of the head of centre to communicate this immediately to the relevant awarding organisation(s) and subsequently to students and their parents or carers.

Centre actions:

• Communicate the matter immediately to the awarding body.

• Request the possibility of the awarding body generating candidate marks for affected assessments based on other appropriate evidence of candidate achievement, as defined by the awarding body in consultation with the regulators.

13. Centre unable to distribute results as normal

• Centre is unable to access or manage the distribution of results to candidates, or to facilitate post-results services

Centre actions:

• Contact awarding bodies about alternative options.

• Arrange to access results at an alternative site.

• Inform staff, candidates and parents as soon as possible of the change in distribution of results.

Reference is also made to the following table outlining additional possible risks and corrective actions. This is by no means an exhaustive or comprehensive list and is updated as and when additional risks are identified.

Risk	Early Warning	Control to Prevent	Control to Resolve
Invigilator does not turn up.	Checking invigilator attendance list provided.	Invigilator timetable sheets issued in advance of examinations.	Emergency invigilator provided designated by Senior Leader for Cover or Exam Office team cover.
Fire alarm goes off.			Ensure invigilators are aware of policy. SLT to assist in maintaining security of exam. Allocate specific area for exams.
Student taken ill during exam.			First aider on call. Consider application for special consideration.
Risk	Early Warning	Control to Prevent	Control to Resolve
Learners do not turn up for exam.	For afternoon exam, check morning attendance.	Issue of learner timetables and information from subject teachers	Year Manager on hand to follow up absentees. On arrival, learner to sit in allocated seat and Exam Office team to invigilate if allowed full time of exam.
Learners turn up who are not entered for the exam.		Subject teachers/Dept Leaders ensure returned entry checklists are correct. Year Manager issued with A-Z seating list for posting outside Year Office for candidates to check.	Check exam entry lists and if they are to sit the exam, confirm the exam to be sat with Dept/Subject Leader, seat the learner and provide them with a question paper. Amend attendance list and make entry by EDi/A2C to Awarding Body. Re-charge late fee?
Malpractice in the exam room - eg. learner cheating / mobile phone.	Invigilator reports the problem.	JCQ notices/warnings issued to learners at start of each academic year. Assembly by Deputy Head on exams/conduct. Warnings at start of each exam.	Report obtained by Exam Office from invigilator/learner and any other parties. JCQ documentation referred to and duly completed. SLT/Year Manager/parent made aware.
Malpractice in the exam room - eg. disruption.	Invigilator reports the problem.	JCQ notices/warnings issued to learners at start of each academic year. Assembly by Deputy Head on exams/conduct. Warnings at start of each exam.	SLT on call to deal with issues.
Risk	Early Warning	Control to Prevent	Control to Resolve
Late arrival of learner to exam.	Phone call or just turn up late.	Issue of learner timetables and information from subject teachers.	Note time of arrival. Allow full exam time if appropriate. Complete Very Late Arrival form if appropriate.
Exam Officer does not turn up.	Phone call.	Support provided for exams from Exams & Data Manager.	Exams & Data Manager to action exam activity on exam day. SLT to have back-up policy.
Exam Officer leaves/long term sick.	Notification from Exam Officer.	Support provided for exams from Exams & Data Manager.	Exams & Data Manager to action exam activity on exam day. SLT to have back-up policy.
Exam room flooded/unusable.	Check room or invigilator reports problem.	Regular premises checks.	Find alternative accommodation. Application for Special Consideration.
Wrong entry made/incorrect paper on day of exam.		Subject teacher/Dept Leader ensures entry checklists are correct.	Contact Awarding Body for copy of paper if necessary. Provide exam paper, seat and amend entry.
Curriculum model changes.	Government white paper. Information from Awarding Bodies.		Curriculum planning within centre – meet as required.
Damage to office.		Regular premises checks.	New equipment, phone line, office space, MIS. Copy relevant information from Dept Leaders. Contact field support for assistance.
Risk	Early Warning	Control to Prevent	Control to Resolve
Receiving inaccurate or late entry information.	Checklist for return of exam entries.	Subject teacher/Dept Leader ensures entry checklists are correct and submitted to Exam Office by internal deadline.	Charge late fees to Department. If recurring problem, see SLT.
Change of syllabus and no notification.	Pre-release material does not arrive. Materials arrive that are not expected.	Subject teacher/Dept Leader ensures entry checklists are correct. Subject codes checked at time of collecting estimated entries.	Contact Awarding Body and take appropriate action.
Department Leader long term sick or leaves.	Resignation or sick note.		Replacement to be nominated by SLT. Exam Office to guide replacement through requirements.
Non-receipt of exam question papers (QP) / attendance registers (AR) / examiner address labels (AL).		Check receipt of all three items (QP/AR/AL) well in advance of exam date, i.e. check public exam timetable in Exam Office has been annotated to show receipt of all three items.	Contact Awarding Body at least 1 week before exam date if any of the items have not been received.
Awarding Body communications systems fail.	Papers do not arrive, on-line systems incorrect, difficult to contact by telephone.		Contact JCQ for support (At the JCQCIC, we have a co-ordinating role and can provide up-to date information, advice, support and guidance regarding most matters of exam administration.) JCQCIC Ground Floor, 4 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA Tel 020 7638 4132 Fax 020 7374 4343 Website www.jcq.org.uk E-mail info@jcq.org.uk