It has been quite a ride since my last blog back in April 2023, in which I wrote about the daily challenges all of us working in exams delivery face. Fast forward to the present, and we have been through another summer exam series, processed and released results to learners, dealt with new registrations, and concluded the autumn re-sits.
It only proves the point I was trying to make – that our roles are as varied as they are challenging. Looking back at what we have achieved and how far we have come in just a few short months proves my other point – that our roles can be incredibly rewarding. The last academic year was full of new challenges and new opportunities.
Reflecting on the past academic year, I admit it was tough at times for our exams office team at Newcastle College. However, there is a sense of pride and delight in the improvements we have made. Successfully delivering exam series and ensuring timely results would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our entire team, supported by our leadership, quality assurance, curriculum, admin, and learner support teams. This is another element of my earlier blog – collaboration with others, which I will focus on this time around too.
Welcoming new team members to our team prompted me to focus on equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to excel in their roles. I know from my own experience (and I hear this all the time from other exams officers) that it is exceptionally rare to have an opportunity of shadowing an experienced exams officer. This lack of meaningful handover is not unique to exams teams, but it seems more pronounced, possibly due to the unique demands of the role.
We sometimes hear that new exams officers can experience especially tough times at the beginning, but with each exams series we learn to love our work. It is, therefore, hugely important for both new and experienced exams officers and SLT to take up awarding organisation training; training that supports us in understanding our roles and awarding organisations’ requirements. I have previously emphasised the pride and joy exams officers take in their roles once they become accustomed to the expectations. Here are my insights into what worked well for me, and I hope you find them useful if you are a new exams officer.
Planning is crucial in any role, but in exams administration, it is paramount. Even if you’ve stepped into the role midway through the academic year, I would encourage you to take the time to go through the following tasks. It might help you identify what your school or college is already doing well, what will require your immediate attention and where you will need support from your line manager, senior leaders, or other colleagues.
Identify key collaborators and meet with them to discuss the above-mentioned tasks. I believe you will be better able to navigate your role if you build your exam diary by considering key tasks, dates, and those colleagues you need to work closely with. These may include:
While there may be many tasks to consider, you do not have to tackle everything simultaneously. Build your own exam diary that includes internal deadlines. You also do not need to tackle everything on your own. Consider who will need to supply you with information or help you achieve external deadlines, complete term-time data checkpoints, submit learner results and release of results.
On another positive note, it is evident that the feedback from exams officers is being heard. Ofqual’s recent updates on the Delivery of VTQ results for 2024 and beyond reflect a commitment to addressing difficulties faced by exams officers. Changes include better dates for term-time checkpoints, advance release of results, and enhanced communication strategies.
In conclusion, the journey of an exams officer may seem daunting, but with strategic planning, collaboration, a proactive approach, as well as positive changes on the horizon, the path becomes more manageable. Remember, you are not alone – reach out, seek support, and embrace the challenges as opportunities. And if you find the odd moment when you are having a good time, that is an extra bonus.
I hope your academic year is a story of growth and success.
]]>Here are a few things to remember if you’re receiving results on Thursday.
To recognise the disruption from the pandemic, there was support in place for GCSE students this summer. In maths, physics, and combined science exams, students were given formulae and equation sheets, so there were fewer things to memorise for the exams. In GCSE modern foreign languages, the exams did not have to test unfamiliar vocabulary.
For VTQs, Ofqual allowed awarding organisations to adapt their assessments in 2021/2022, so that students were supported as we emerged from the pandemic. These adaptations were designed to free up time to recover lost teaching and learning. For many students, results from those assessments will be used towards qualifications this year.
For GCSEs, there has been a return to pre-pandemic grading this summer. There is protection in place and allowances have been made where the quality of student work is a little weaker than before the pandemic. This means that a typical student who would have achieved, for example, a grade 5 in GCSE maths before the pandemic, will be just as likely to get a grade 5 in GCSE maths in 2023, even if their performance in the assessments was a little weaker.
VTQs have different assessment arrangements and, unlike GCSEs (where all the exams are taken at the end of the course), VTQs are designed to be flexible so students can take assessments at different times of the year. Accordingly, awarding organisations have considered what was appropriate for grading each of their qualifications. Where possible, senior examiners have been monitoring for evidence of disruption and have taken this into account when setting grade boundaries for externally examined assessments.
In 2019, Ofqual announced that we would seek to align grade standards in GCSE French and German with Spanish, following the conclusion of our inter-subject comparability work. To seek this alignment, we required exam boards to award GCSE French and German more generously this summer, as in summer 2022.
The results from the National Reference Test (NRT) 2023 will be published on Thursday. The tests are designed to provide evidence on the performance of 16-year-old students in English language and maths. The first live NRT, taken in 2017, was benchmarked against the first awards of the reformed GCSEs in English language and maths, and subsequent tests compare the performance of students with those in previous years. Results are reported at 3 grade boundaries – grade 7, grade 5 and grade 4. Results are reported as expected percentages of students achieving those grades (and above) based on changes in performance on the NRT.
If you’re receiving results on Thursday, we wish you all the best for the next stage of your education or training. If you have any questions about your results, you should speak to your school or college in the first instance who will be able to advise you.
Rachel Taylor
Associate Director, Standards & Technical Issues, Ofqual
This wouldn’t have been possible though without the hard work and resilience of all those involved each exam series – teachers, exams officers, invigilators, markers and moderators, and of course, the students themselves. We’d also like to recognise the hard work of so many school, college and training provider staff who have been involved in delivering the new requirements to support the timely delivery of VTQ results this summer.
Ofqual set out a 2-year plan in September 2021 to return to pre-pandemic grading this summer. This means that results will be lower than summer 2022. Getting back to normal is important so that qualifications prepare students for college, university or employment in the best possible way, and help them to make the right choices about their next steps.
Here are a few reminders about marking, grading and results this summer:
Students are at the heart of Ofqual’s decisions. It’s important that we get back to normal so that grades prepare students for college, university or employment in the best possible way, and help them to make the right choices about their next steps.
Here are 10 things that you need to know about grading and results for GCSEs, AS and A levels this summer. For information on vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs), including Technical Qualifications within T Levels, check out our VTQ blog.
Rachel Taylor
Associate Director, Standards & Technical Issues, Ofqual
Many students taking vocational and technical qualifications take assessments throughout their course of study. Ofqual has been working with awarding organisations to make sure that their plans for all assessments taken at each stage in students’ courses were appropriate.
In 2021 to 2022, Ofqual allowed awarding organisations to adapt their assessments, so that students studying vocational and technical qualifications could get the support they needed as we emerged from the pandemic. These adaptations were designed to free up time to recover lost teaching and learning. For many students, results from those assessments will be used towards qualifications this year.
Some VTQ assessments are graded directly, using pre-set criteria. For other assessments awarding organisations set grade boundaries after students have taken the assessment. As normal, senior examiners review student work and look at data on student performance. They balance this information to set grade boundaries. Awarding organisations will expect broadly the same quality of work at each grade as they did before the pandemic. However, where possible, senior examiners will monitor for any evidence of disruption and consider it when setting grade boundaries. Awarding organisations have been taking this approach since assessments restarted after the pandemic. This means that students should not be advantaged or disadvantaged if they took assessments early in their course, or at the end.
The range of qualifications available to students has changed since before the pandemic, and the impact of the pandemic itself means that students may be making different decisions about the qualifications they take. Reformed Level 3 qualifications (such as BTEC Nationals or L3 Cambridge Technicals) were introduced shortly before the pandemic. The reformed qualifications introduced external assessment, often in the form of traditional written exams, though a large percentage of assessment remains as coursework. Schools and colleges have been moving across to the reformed qualifications over time, and funding for the old qualifications was removed for students starting qualifications from August 2020, so entry numbers have increased over time. For some schools and colleges, due to the use of teacher assessed grades in the pandemic, this will be the first year that students have taken external assessments for the reformed qualifications. These changes mean that even though the approach to grading in 2023 may be similar to 2019, the pattern of grades achieved may look different from 2019. As for all qualifications, the return to formal assessments means that outcomes are expected to be lower than outcomes in 2022. Universities and employers are aware of this and have taken this into consideration when making offers to students. Awarding organisations are monitoring for evidence of disruption, as set out elsewhere in this blog, so that students are not advantaged or disadvantaged whatever qualification they are taking.
While there are important differences between Technical Qualifications (TQs) within T Levels, there is greater consistency of approach between them compared to other VTQs. TQs are at a relatively early stage of delivery. We have asked awarding organisations to be generous in awarding to reflect the fact that TQs are new qualifications, and that students and teachers are less familiar with the assessments.
This is the first year that T Levels are based fully on formal assessments, whereas those awarded previously have included at least some contribution from teacher assessed grades. This means that the profile of results is likely to look different from last year, so it will be important not to compare them with last year’s results. Such comparisons will not be meaningful, because of the different assessment arrangements.
We published information on the awarding of GCSEs, AS and A levels in a separate blog post.
Ofqual works with awarding organisations so that students are not advantaged or disadvantaged whatever qualifications they take. Different qualifications have different structures, while some qualifications, like Technical Qualifications within T Levels, are relatively new. This means that different approaches are appropriate for different qualifications. Ofqual works to make sure that awarding organisations take the right approach for their qualifications.
Following the issues with late and incorrect vocational and technical qualification results last summer, Ofqual designed a robust action plan to support the timely delivery of level 3 results in 2023. Ofqual has worked with awarding organisations, schools and colleges, FAB (Federation of Awarding Bodies) and JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) to monitor the progress of this action plan, and will continue to closely monitor awarding organisations from now until results days. Level 3 results will be released to students on or by August 17.
VTQ results Action Plan: measures for 2023.
Tom Bell
Senior Manager, Standards and Technical Issues
]]>Delivering timely results to students relies on a combined effort from everyone in the system: exams officers, teachers, subject staff and senior leaders in schools and colleges, as well as staff in awarding organisations. This joint effort should ensure that all issues are dealt with in term time.
Schools and colleges have now confirmed with awarding organisations which students expect to receive a result this summer. This means awarding organisations have a complete and accurate picture of student entries to track progress against. Ofqual heard many examples where these early checks helped awarding organisations, schools and colleges identify problems; for example, where personnel had recently changed and emails were therefore unmonitored. It proves that these checks are important. It is much better to discover any issues now than in August. We also heard views on how to make these checks more streamlined. Your feedback is important and we are making sure that lessons are learned not only from checkpoint 1 to 2, but with a view to ongoing arrangements.
Ofqual now expects awarding organisations to share details of the information and evidence available so far for each student, so that schools and colleges are able to see what information they still need to provide for students to receive results in the summer. It is also important that awarding organisations know if students change their plans. Please work with awarding organisations to ensure all student records are up to date. If a student chooses not to cash in their units, requires more time for assessments, or changes their mind, they may no longer be eligible for a result this summer. Awarding organisations need to know this, so that they can accurately track progress and know which results are still expected.
This checkpoint does not replace the awarding organisations’ normal moderation or verification processes – it is about information to help identify where the gaps are, to ensure that exams officers know what information teachers need to provide and when. This could include things like outstanding unit marks or samples of students’ work.
We have heard from exams officers and teachers how important it is that this process is undertaken during term-time so that exams officers have access to the students, academic staff and evidence they need to support student results in the summer.
Ofqual has published an information hub for Level 3 VTQs used for progression. This brings together, for the first time, the key dates from awarding organisations into one central location for schools and colleges to view and download. Here you will be able to see each awarding organisation’s dates for moderation or verification and final eligibility checks or claim deadlines.
Occasionally, awarding organisations may need to contact schools and colleges in the holidays. It is important that schools and colleges are prepared to respond to any urgent enquiries outside of term time, to ensure that all eligible students get their results on time. This is why we have asked awarding organisations to ensure that they have on record a senior designated contact in every school or college in case an urgent query needs to be resolved.
We know that the vast majority of schools and colleges will return information on time and when requested to awarding organisations, but there are examples of consistently late responses which jeopardise students receiving their results on time. It is important to note that schools and colleges could face investigations or even sanctions if they do not cooperate with requests for information or miss deadlines. Individual or repeated instances of this could be considered a form of maladministration which could result in awarding organisations issuing warnings, suspensions, withholding student results or even centre approval being withdrawn. Ofqual will shortly be writing to all Heads of Centre to remind them of their responsibilities in this matter. Further information should be available in each awarding organisation’s malpractice policy on its website.
We know that exams officers work extremely hard throughout the year and play a vital part in the successful delivery of exams, formal assessments and results. We have recently updated and republished our resources to support exams officers, with the goal of providing as much guidance and assistance as possible to those in this important role.
Ofqual knows there is more to be done over the next few months but I want to thank you for your engagement with this process so far. Working together to complete these checks during term-time will enable all involved to enjoy the summer holidays knowing that Level 3 VTQ results will be issued in full on or before Thursday 17 August, along with other Level 3 results such as A levels.
Catherine Large OBE
Executive Director, Vocational and Technical Qualifications
More than a million students will take exams at thousands of schools, colleges and other centres across the country. Over 70,000 examiners will be involved in marking and moderating students’ work so that around 5.7 million GCSE and A level results can be issued in August. Since September over a quarter of a million exams and formal assessments have already been taken by students working towards a range of vocational and technical qualifications. The rollout of the government’s ambitious new T Level continues too, with students working towards a T Level in 7 new subjects for the first time this year.
This year GCSEs, AS and A levels are returning to pre-pandemic grading arrangements, with protection for students to recognise the disruption they have faced. This means Ofqual expects national results this year to be similar to those in pre-pandemic years. The protection means that a typical student who would have achieved, for example, a B grade in A level geography before the pandemic will be just as likely to get a B in geography in 2023, even if their performance in the assessments is a little weaker than it would have been before the pandemic.
Students will also get formulae and equation sheets in some GCSE exams and modern foreign language GCSEs no longer have to test unfamiliar vocabulary. Exam papers in the same subject are more spaced out in the GCSE and A level timetable than they were before the pandemic. This gives students more time to revise between papers.
Vocational and technical qualifications are varied, so awarding organisations will use appropriate grading approaches for their qualifications. For those qualifications similar in structure to GCSEs and A levels, with assessments taken at the end of the course, awarding organisations will consider the grading approach for GCSEs and A levels.
For T Levels, Ofqual has asked awarding organisations to be generous when grading the Technical Qualification component to reflect the fact that these are new qualifications. This is the first year that Technical Qualifications in T Levels are based fully on exams, whereas some previously included teacher assessed grades. This means that the profile of results may look different in some subjects, so it is important not to compare them with last year’s results.
Students are at the heart of Ofqual’s decisions. Returning to a grading standard that is known and understood by teachers, schools, colleges, higher and further education and employers supports good teaching and learning and helps students make the right choices about their future.
Students deserve to get their results when they are due – whatever qualifications they take. This year, we have required awarding organisations to take extra steps so that students taking vocational and technical qualifications for progression to further or higher education receive their results at the same time as students taking A levels. You can find out more detail on this in Ofqual’s VTQ results action plan.
We know that students up and down the country are working hard to prepare for their exams and many have told us they want to sit them to show what they know and can do. We know that many others are preparing for summer exams in different ways too – parents and carers, teachers, exams officers, invigilators and examiners all play important roles.
To make sure exams and assessments run smoothly, here are a few reminders.
Please remember:
We know how much students and teachers depend on exams officers to make sure exams and formal assessments run smoothly and, thanks to your hard work, most do. We know that in such a huge system, there are a few things that catch some people out every year that are worth remembering:
Ofqual has a range of resources to support exams officers in their role.
Ofqual works all year round to oversee the exams system. During the summer exam series we monitor carefully any issues that arise, taking action where we need to in the interests of students. We’ll look at how exam boards manage those issues and check progress towards results days in August.
Students’ interests are always at the forefront of our minds, as we make sure that exams and assessments are delivered smoothly and that results are fair, accurate and received on time.
Michael Hanton
Deputy Chief Regulator, Ofqual
Each year, exam boards recruit thousands of examiners to mark, moderate and write GCSE, AS and A level assessments. Examiners ensure that assessments are marked on time and with a high level of expertise.
Ahead of summer 2022, we ran a survey of GCSE, AS and A level examiners in England. We wanted to update our knowledge of the examiner workforce since previous surveys in 2013 and 2018, and to understand any effects due to the disruption from the pandemic. We had almost 15,000 responses, which represent around a quarter of the workforce.
Overall, our findings show that the examiner workforce has remained stable since 2018. Examiners are highly experienced, conscientious and committed. This is reassuring given the disruption from the pandemic over the past few years, including that formal exams and assessments did not go ahead in summer 2020 or 2021.
Here are 10 key findings from this work:
We are extremely grateful to everyone who responded to our survey. For the full detail on the findings, please see our Survey of examiners report.
Rachel Taylor
Associate Director, Standards & Technical Issues, Ofqual
Ofqual collects malpractice figures from exam boards for GCSE, AS and A level students, and from over 40 awarding organisations offering vocational and technical qualifications that are used for progression to further and higher education.
The number of penalties issued to GCSE and A level students for bringing mobile phones, smartwatches and other communication devices into exam halls increased in 2022. There were 1,845 penalties last year, compared with 1,385 in 2019, the last time exams were sat.
The number of penalties issued for VTQ students for having a mobile phone or other communication device in an exam also increased in 2022. There were approximately 750 penalties for this in the year 2021 to 22, compared with 300 in 2018 to 2019 the last time VTQ assessments were undertaken in normal circumstances.
At Ofqual, we know that Exams Officers in schools and colleges use a range of ways to tell students about this important rule. Students know that breaking it could lose them marks or even disqualify them. So why do they still do it?
The answer, from research Ofqual commissioned is that students simply don’t wish to be without their mobile phones. They are likely to be the most expensive possession of many students and they are concerned about loss or damage.
We have also spoken to many Exams Officers (who are integral to making the exam system run smoothly every year) who say that most students don’t intend to use their phones to cheat. Instead, mobiles have become such a fundamental part of modern life that students do not wish to be without them, even for a few hours.
Here are some examples of what Exams Officers have told us:
A common theme evident in Exams Officers’ views was that students cannot understand how they could be ‘caught’ if they are not actually using their phones.
They do not realise that the simple act of having a mobile on them while taking an exam is a breach of the rules and therefore malpractice, which must be reported to the exam board:
Mobile phones are not allowed in exam venues, regardless of how much battery they have left, if they are in aeroplane mode, switched off or otherwise.
The consequences for students are clear; this includes losing marks, being disqualified from a paper or disqualified from one qualification or all qualifications.
In 2022 more than two-thirds of the penalties that were issued for mobile phones for GCSE and A level students were a loss of marks, and more than 250 students lost an aggregation or certification opportunity.
In 2022 approximately three-fifths of all penalties that were issued for mobile phones for students taking higher stakes VTQs were a loss of marks, and fewer than 150 students lost an aggregation or certification opportunity and the same received a warning.
There are also consequences for schools and colleges such as special conditions, suspensions, training, written warnings or referral to the Teaching Regulation Agency.
Exams Officers in schools and colleges and awarding organisations are working hard to communicate the realities of rule breaches to students and identifying ways of addressing any concerns students might have.
We hear that some of the most successful methods for keeping phones away from exams and assessments are often those recognising the value of them, such as bag and ticket systems to keep them safe.
Clearly those who are best placed to impact on students’ fortunes in this area are students themselves. So, if you’re taking exams or assessments this year, please don’t be tempted to take your mobile phone, smartwatch or any other into the exam hall or assessment venue. If you have any concerns about your mobile, please talk to your Exams Officer and they will be pleased to help.
If you would like to talk to Ofqual about any of the issues raised in this blog, please contact us at public.enquiries@ofqual.gov.uk
This is an updated version of a blog post published in 2019.
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Those of us involved in exam delivery are often employed in distinct roles with a wide variety of responsibilities. Many work alone as a sole exams officer; others will be members of wider data or student services. All of us, however, share similar pressures and challenges and so one thing is certain; a day in the life of an exams officer is never a dull or boring day.
Personally, I work for the UK’s largest group of FE colleges and that offers some unique challenges. On some of the busier days this summer, we will need around 120 staff to cover invigilation alone. There are thousands of Applied General learners enrolled at our largest centre and overseeing all those external assessments is a huge logistical challenge. Our exams office is also responsible for the successful delivery of A level exams to our large sixth form college and that is a mammoth task.
Working for a large and complex organisation, however, means I can enjoy some unique benefits too. I am supported by a team of fabulous exams administrators. We have a dedicated and fantastic quality team and my line manager, who leads the wider data services team, has a wealth of knowledge and experience I can fall back on.
As I mentioned earlier, it really doesn’t matter what our specific roles are or what type of organisation we are a part of, being involved in exams delivery means we are expected to:
Demanding roles are often the most exciting and rewarding and this can be true for exams officers. While it can often feel like things are not going to plan or our to-do lists are getting out of hand, there are a few things I’ve found we can do to make our lives easier:
Another period of summer exams is just ahead, and I am sure that just like every previous year, we all will be working long days. And just like every previous year, with a huge amount of hard work, maybe some tears and just a tiny bit of luck we’ll get through it. We always do. I have a feeling that it is the overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment that will make us do it all over again next year.
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