01 Dec 2022
Following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and no summer exams series since summer 2019, the 2022 Exams Officer survey was utilised to identify the issues experienced by centres and exams officers during last summer’s exams series….and to look forward to summer 2023 to identify any problems which need to be addressed in the coming months.
Reviewing the summer 2022 exams series
Considering that a significant number of exams officers had not previously delivered an exams series ahead of summer 2022, there was an expectation that issues in the management, administration and conducting of examinations would occur during the first summer series since 2019.
Malpractice
Over half (54%) of all centres experienced instances of malpractice during the summer 2022 exams series - a figure which is significantly higher than suggested in data from previous years.
From those exams officers who reported instances of malpractice, 72% experienced candidate malpractice, 17% encountered instances of centre staff malpractice and 11% of cases involved invigilators. The latter may be attributed to centres appointing invigilators at short notice because of a shortage of invigilators leading up to the summer series.
Examples of invigilator malpractice include:
- Allowing inaccurate extra time to candidates
- Calculators used in non-calculator examinations
- Incorrect timings written on the board at the front of the exam room
- Centre supervision not correctly observed
- Candidates leaving the examination room with the question paper
- Not ensuring that candidates’ scripts were handled securely at the end of the examination
- Dealing inShcorrectly with candidate anxiety/’meltdowns’ during the examination
Shortage of invigilators
As predicted in the months leading up to the summer exams series, many centres experienced a shortage of invigilators during the May and June examinations. The survey revealed that 58% of centres experienced a shortage of invigilators, with many turning to centre staff to fill the shortfall. As detailed above, using centre staff (many of whom, despite undertaking training, would not have recent experience of invigilating) increases the likelihood of invigilators engaging in malpractice.
Results day issues
A significant number of exams officers reported issues on results days – 42% associate with AQA qualifications/examinations, 18% with Pearson and 11% with OCR.
However, these issues should be considered with the statistic of 15% of exams officers failing to acquire the necessary information or documentation from teaching staff to enable awarding bodies to award grades to candidates on results days. The issues seemed to be particularly prevalent for vocational qualifications where some teaching staff were unaware of the information required by awarding bodies across two years incorporating a mixture of Covid-imposed teacher assessed grades/candidates’ work and timetabled written examinations.
Lack of support from head of centre/senior leadership
15% of exams officers expressed a lack of support from their head of centre/senior leadership team before and during the summer exams series. Additional responses in the survey, including the number of senior leaders who do not familiarise themselves with the regulations, or do not acquire the appropriate training, reveal that a significant number of heads of centre/senior leaders do not possess the necessary knowledge to support their exams officer effectively.
Last summer, more than any other exams series, was when many exams officers required the support of their senior leaders, however, in many centres this support was not forthcoming…which may help to explain some of the issues which existed.
Looking ahead to the summer 2023 exams series
The annual survey has revealed the following eight areas which are concerning exams officers ahead of the summer 2023 exams series:
A shortage of invigilators
As over 50% of exams officers have expressed concern at a shortage of invigilators again for the summer 2023 exams series, the NAEO recommends that centres launch a recruitment drive in the coming weeks and then again post-Christmas. The NAEO will acquire feedback from exams officers in late February to ascertain the major issues faced by the exams officer community and, if required, work with stakeholders to help centres to ensure that there is an adequate number of invigilators to enable examinations to be conducted effectively. Our CEO’s November message provides further information.
Managing an increase in the number of access arrangements/rooming of access arrangements
At The Exams Office’s recent training events for experienced exams officers, 92% of delegates confirmed that they had received requests for separate rooming from candidates, parents/carers and/or staff as a result of exam anxiety or nervousness.
It is hoped that changes in JCQ regulations – including highlighting the responsibilities of the SENCo, and clarity in the definition of separate invigilation – will support centres in addressing many issues relating to access arrangements.
Lack of support from heads of centre, senior leadership team and/or their line manager
As witnessed before and during the summer 2022 exams series, there is concern amongst exams officers that they will not receive the necessary support from their head of centre/senior leaders when it comes to making key decisions or offering support.
The JCQ requirement that the exams officer should be line managed and actively supported by a member of the senior leadership team who has a good working knowledge of the examination system should help the situation.
Concerns over awarding processes (in particular, AQA)
Unfortunately, there were numerous issues raised by exams officers, in particular with reference to AQA.
The awarding bodies will have analysed these issues and will address them to ensure there is not a repeat before and during this summer’s exams series. The NAEO recommends the following actions by awarding bodies to prevent a repeat of last summer’s issues:
- Identify and address issues from summer 2022
- Contact all centres where issues occurred during summer 2022 and provide solutions and wider support
- Identify and provide additional support for centres where a new exams officer is in post
- Provide exams officers and senior leaders with the opportunity to engage in face-to-face training, network meetings and webinars
- Utilise opportunities such as The Exams Office National Exams Officer Conferences to meet with exams officers, address their issues and provide information via workshops
- Produce timelines and checklists for teaching staff to follow to ensure that they are providing their exams officer with the correct information in a timely manner – this is particularly significant in relation to vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs)
- Train call centre/telephone staff in JCQ regulations and awarding body processes so the correct information is disseminated
- Provide additional resource to reduce telephone call time responses
- Ensure the effective delivery of confidential materials
- Review and improve online systems/portals, in particular AQA Centre Services, and provide effective user guidance for any centre staff engaging with these systems
A lack of consistency in awarding body processes/systems
As much as centres would support greater consistency in awarding body processes, this is a longer-term programme, and one which will not result in commonality across all areas of examination administration.
However, the NAEO will support any initiative which supports greater consistency amongst awarding bodies.
Missing key deadlines (including teaching staff not submitting information to deadlines)
This is an area which is very frustrating for exams officers as they are unable to complete their key tasks until the necessary information is received from teaching staff/heads of departments.
The NAEO encourages the DfE, as policymaker, and Ofqual, as the regulator, to ensure that heads of centres, senior leaders responsible for examinations within centres and teaching staff are aware of their responsibilities. This includes being aware of how a qualification is structured, the information which will be required by awarding bodies, and the deadlines associated with the submission of this information.
The JCQ should continue to produce infographics to inform students, teaching staff, senior leaders and exams officers of key processes, regulations and deadlines. JCQ should build upon the excellent infographics which were produced during the 2021/2022 academic year, but also ensure that these are promoted and communicated more effectively to centres.
Concerns over how to successfully administer BTECs
Pearson and any other awarding bodies who experienced issues with specific qualifications should, at the very least identify and address issues from summer 2022 and contact all centres where issues occurred, providing solutions and wider support.
They should also identify and provide additional support for centres where a new exams officer is in post so they are aware of the administrative requirements of specific qualifications – particularly vocational and technical qualifications.
An increased workload
Although an improving situation since 2020, 53% of exams officers still do not feel that they receive sufficient support in their role as exams officer within their centre. If you also consider that 52% of exams officers undertake an additional role, then the issue of an increased workload upon exams officers should be addressed at centre level with the employment of an exams assistant or similar administrative support, or a reduction in the workload in an additional role.