Becoming a more effective exams officer
Please share the NAEO Summer Conference 2025 Invitation with colleagues
Click here to book your place
The key aim of NAEO Summer Conference is to support delegates in 'Becoming a more effective exams officer', and consequently, workshops and presentations focus upon:
- The key skills required to be an effective exams officer
- Exams administration and management good practice
- Personal and professional development
- Wellbeing and mindfulness
The Department for Education, Ofqual, JCQ and the major awarding organisations are invited to attend either to exhibit, present or both.
The conference also serves as an opportunity for exams officers to support their professional development, and gain/develop some of the key skills required to undertake the exams officer role effectively and efficiently. The content has been designed to support exams officers in achieving the Exams Officer Professional Standards.
Delegates have a choice of workshops and should choose two during each session.
Delegate Information
A delegate letter will be available here at least two weeks prior the conference.
Timings (these are indicative timings)
8.00 onwards: Registration and refreshments
9.30: Welcome & introductions
9.45: NAEO update & Exams Officer of the Year announcement
10.15: Workshop 1
11.15: Break
11.45: Workshop 2
12.45: Lunch
1.30: Workshop 3
2.30: Break
2.45: Keynote speech
3.15: Prize draw and closing comments
Click here to book your place
Workshops
Workshop content focuses upon helping exams officers become more effective in their role, and achieving the Exams Officer Professional Standards. The following workshops will be available to delegates to attend on the day of the conference:
- The Exams Office – Handling difficult conversations with senior leaders, centre staff and candidates/parents: A workshop which provides advice and guidance in managing difficult exams-related conversations with senior members of staff, peers and external stakeholders
- OCR – Hot topics: This workshop will revisit a selection of the 'hot topics' and questions raised at network meetings and other events, with active audience participation and an opportunity to network. The areas covered will include managing conflicts of interest, Access to Scripts and laptops in exams
- AQA - Stakeholder management: Tools for helping you to effectively manage your stakeholders. Building your skills and expertise around stakeholder management to support exams officers in the role and ensure that they are working as efficiently as possible
- Pearson – Results Day Ready: Key steps to keep BTEC learners on track. Join Pearson staff for a practical, interactive session designed to help you navigate the key steps needed to ensure your BTEC learners receive their results on time. They will walk through essential checks, share best-practice case studies, and tackle common challenges so you can feel confident that every learner stays on track for success
- Katherine McDiarmid – Leading and managing your invigilation team: Following the success of the 2023 conference workshop (Leading your exams office) this session considers aspects of the exams officer role which are related to the management of invigilators
- Geraldine Jozefiak – Reducing requests for separate invigilation: As today's students are often called the 'anxious generation' (with this prolonged anxiety leading to an increased number of requests for separate invigilation), this session considers how students can be helped in overcoming some of their anxiety...and in the process, reduce your workload.
Cost
The cost to attend is £195 plus VAT per delegate (this includes refreshments and lunch) however, this is discounted to £175 plus VAT for delegates from centres which are members of the conference sponsor, The Exams Office.
Additional delegate places can be booked at the above rates.
As the NAEO Summer Conference serves to support an exams officer's professional development and enhances their ability to perform their role more effectively, the NAEO encourages centres to pay for their exams officer to attend the summer conference.
Booking form
Bookings will be taken from early-April 2025 via a booking form accessed from this page. Please send any questions to conference@thenaeo.org should the details on this page, or the booking form, not provide the information you require.
Additional information
Are lunch and refreshments included?
Yes. A two-course lunch has been arranged for all members. A light breakfast will also be available on arrival before the conference commences and a sweet treat at each break. All will be served with a choice of hot drinks and/or juice. Water will be available throughout the day.
Will there be parking at the venue?
Limited parking is available. Priority is given to delegates who require parking for accessibility reasons.
Parking can be requested by emailing conference@thenaeo.org
Will there be an opportunity to network with exams officer colleagues?
Yes and networking is encouraged. Time has been allocated prior to the conference start, during breaks and over lunch to allow you to network with other colleagues.
Will there be exhibitors at the event?
Yes. There will be a dedicated Exhibitor Zone so that members can meet and chat directly with representatives from the awarding bodies and with other exhibitors who will complement the theme of ‘Becoming a more effective exams officer’. Details of the exhibitors will be published ahead of the conference and added to the delegate letter.