01 Jun 2022
Following the announcement by the NAEO of the hosting of its inaugural skills-based Summer Conference taking place on 5 July, Jugjit Chima considers some of the key skills required to be an effective exams officer.
The exams officer role requires an individual to be aware of a range of JCQ and awarding body regulations and information. However, it is also critical that those undertaking the role possess – or acquire – a range of skills which enable them to manage, administer and conduct examinations and assessments successfully.
During the recruitment process, centres should ensure that these skills are highlighted to applicants, and that if the successful individual does not possess these skills, then a plan – perhaps as part of professional development - is in place to support the exams officer in acquiring these skills.
The exam cycle
The skills which an exam officer requires to perform the role effectively are determined by the tasks which need to be undertaken. For this, we need to consider the exam cycle.
There are five stages within the exam cycle:
- Planning
- Entries
- Pre-exams
- Exam time
- Results and post-results
Before we consider the skills required to effectively deliver each area within the exam cycle, we need to identify the key tasks involved in each of the five stages.
Key tasks
Planning
Planning is the first stage of the cycle. This is a period when an exams officer is primarily identifying key tasks and key dates/deadlines, and when during the academic year these tasks must be undertaken. The areas associated with this may include (this is not an exhaustive list):
- Creating an annual exams plan/calendar which highlights deadlines and identifies any planned events that may impact upon your role, on exam rooms or even on exam candidates (e.g. parents evenings, educational visits, work experience periods etc.)
- Identifying events or meetings you will be attending and considering other activities which impact upon your role/time (e.g. your involvement in internal tests/assessments)
- Understanding the role of, and being prepared for visits by, the JCQ Centre Inspection Service
- Creating, updating, and reviewing exam related policies
- Gathering qualification and candidate information from teaching staff and liaising with the SENCo regarding the management and administration of access arrangements and your role within the process
- Assessing, recruiting, and training your invigilation team
- Compiling and disseminating information which must be briefed to candidates, parents/carers, and staff and when this should be shared/distributed
- Ensuring that your centre is compliant with JCQ regulations (and any updated regulations) for the current academic year
Entries
Entries refers to the period when data and information is collected, collated, checked, processed and final entries submitted to awarding bodies to meet clearly published deadlines. The areas and tasks associated with exam entries may include (this is not an exhaustive list):
- Being aware of:
- Entry dates
- Entry series
- Entry types and entry codes
- Entry fees
- Using basedata (this is an electronic file of data containing exam information including qualification/specification entry codes, timetable information (date, session, and duration of exams/assessments) and fee information
- Submitting early entry information (e.g. estimated entries)
- Submitting final entry information – exams officers will need to identify their centre’s internal process for collecting and collating final entry information and confirm this with each awarding body. This will include the details of each individual candidate and the entry codes for the exams/assessments each are being entered for in the particular exam series
- Entry checks, confirmation, and feedback
Pre-exams
This is the period when preparation for an upcoming exam series gets underway, and includes such tasks as:
- Identifying and making arrangements for candidates taking exams elsewhere or under joint teaching arrangements
- Confirming arrangements for candidates with access arrangements and/or reasonable adjustments, including the ordering of modified papers
- Receiving, logging, checking, and storing confidential examination materials
- Administering internal assessment (coursework, non-examination assessments (NEAs), endorsements)
- Timetabling - producing a centre (master) exams timetable for the entire exam period (series) and an individual timetable for each candidate
- Resolving exam timetable clashes
- Arranging rooming for each examination session/day
- Creating seating plans for each exam room
- Training and allocating invigilators
- Ensuring that contingency planning is in place in line with JCQ requirements, and any centre-specific issues
- Briefing candidates on all the information they are required to know in advance of exams/assessments and so they know what is expected of them at exam time
- Managing and supporting private candidates (if applicable)
- Researching, understanding, and planning to deal with any emergencies and irregulates which may occur during the exam series – for example, the emergency evacuation of the exam room, a candidate feels ill, candidates who arrive late/very late, dealing with suspected malpractice incidents and special consideration requests or any events/incidents that may happen in exam rooms or in the run up to an exam that are unplanned
- JCQ centre inspections – being prepared for inspection visits
- Confirming the identification process for all candidates in the exam room
- Ensuring that all exam rooms will be set up in accordance with JCQ regulations
- Confirming the arrangements for the dispatch of scripts
Exam time
Exam time is the period when exams take place: when exam preparation is complete and the running and conducting of exams is the primary focus. The areas and tasks associated with an exam series may include (this is not an exhaustive list):
- Applying the regulations - Ensuring that the instructions as set out in JCQ’s Instructions for conducting examinations, that relate to exam time, are known, understood and followed by all those engaged in the conducting of examinations
- Handling question papers and exam materials
- Completing attendance registers
- Creating and following a list of key tasks to be undertaken each exam day with reminders of how to deal (in a standard way) with unplanned for events that may arise on a daily basis
- Ensuring that all exam rooms comply with JCQ regulations
- Briefing invigilators on any particular information relating to the exam(s) taking place in the room they have been allocated to
- Ensuring that invigilators and other centre staff understand the rules around the people present in exam rooms
- Managing examinations for candidates with access arrangements and/or reasonable adjustments, and those being invigilated on a one-to-one basis
- Ensuring that all examinations start and end in line with JCQ requirements
- Dealing with any emergencies and/or irregularities
- Completing any post-examination administration – e.g. very late arrival, suspected malpractice, special consideration reporting processes
- Packaging and dispatching exam scripts
Results and post-results
This is the final stage of the exam cycle where candidates are issued with their provisional results, where post-results services are made available by the awarding bodies and ultimately certificates, to confirm final results, are issued. The key tasks associated with results and post-results include:
- Creating a centre policy to confirm your centre’s way of working in managing results and post-results
- Identifying relevant key dates for results and post-results services for qualifications taken in your centre
- Briefing candidates so they are aware of the arrangements that will be in place for the issue of their results and certificates
- Identifying how results information will be accessed on the day of restricted release
- Understanding and interpreting examination results
- Identifying how statements of results will be prepared for issue to candidates
- Sharing and publishing examination results
- Managing and administering post-results enquiries from candidates
- Dealing with candidate enquiries about re-sits and re-takes
- Analysing examination results – e.g. departmental analysis, performance tables checking exercise etc
- Receipt, distribution, and retention (destruction) of certificates
Key skills
Having detailed the key tasks associated with the exams officer role, we can identify that it is a role with a wide range of tasks. Therefore, an exams officer will require a range of skills in order to complete these tasks successfully.
Below are ten skills which all effective exams officers must possess…this most certainly is not a definitive list (!):
- Written and oral communication skills - being able to explain regulations and processes clearly and concisely to a range of audiences (e.g candidates, parents/carers and a range of staff members) and maintaining accurate records so you know what needs doing, when and (if applicable) by whom; make sure you also record what has already been achieved or agreed
- Organisational skills – managing and undertaking a range of tasks at the same time. This includes skills such as time management, prioritising tasks and meeting deadlines
- Flexibility and multi-tasking – being versatile and adaptable is a crucial part of the exams officer role. For example, you are one of the few people within your centre who deals with such a wide range of external organisations (e.g. the DfE, Ofqual, JCQ, awarding bodies, NAEO, The Exams Office etc.), internal staff (from the head of centre, senior leaders, to teaching staff, SENCos and support staff (e.g. reception staff, site staff, IT staff)) to candidates and their parents/carers….not to mention recruiting, training and managing invigilators!
- Research skills – all exams officers must be aware of JCQ and awarding body regulations, not only to ensure that these are applied within their centre, but also to find the correct information to answer any questions or to confirm an understanding. You must ensure that you keep up to date with the latest exams-related information and any external or internal developments or issues which could impact on your role
- Problem solving – to manage conflicting workloads and priorities, you will need to work with colleagues. This may require working collaboratively, negotiation skills and building a consensus to ensure that your priorities are delivered
- Listening skills – being aware of what is required of you from within and outside of your centre, appreciating the pressures/deadlines faced by other, and listening carefully to questions so an accurate and appropriate answer can be given
- Analytical skills – the ability to analyse and interpret a range of information from within and outside your centre (e.g. from the JCQ and its awarding bodies) and, when required, to view this information critically when centre and regulatory requirements do not align
- Patience – being patient and calm with candidates, parents/carers and staff whilst explaining why specific information is being disseminated or is required
- Knowledge of regulations and processes – this is critical within the management, administration and conducting of examinations where a strict regulatory framework exists
- People skills and relationship building – developing relationships with members of support, teaching, and senior members of staff, and being personable so that positive conversations can take place. Try to be confident and assertive, without being confrontational or aggressive
Conclusion
Skills are acquired over time, and therefore, no one should expect an individual to possess the full range of skills to perform the exams officer role effectively upon their appointment to the role.
However, these skills should be detailed in the recruitment process as being ‘desirable’ and if the successful applicant is not in possession of these skills, they should be included within a professional development plan which supports the exams officer in acquiring them over a period of time.
Not only is it in the interests of the head of centre and senior leaders to have a competent, fully trained exams officer who possesses the skills to perform the role the effectively, but exams officers should strive to acquire and develop these skills if they are looking to make a case for additional remuneration or to further their career beyond the exams officer role.
By attending the NAEO Summer Conference, you will have access to workshops which support you in acquiring and developing a range of skills, whilst also networking with colleagues to discuss practical hints and tips which will support you in your everyday role and help you in your career progression.
In the coming months, as part of the NAEO initiative to launch the Exams Officer Professional Standards, we will be providing further information of an online platform which will support exams officers in obtaining, and then developing, their skills in a range of areas, including those listed above.