Welcome back…
Firstly, I hope you have all had an opportunity to enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation in recent weeks. However, with a new term now upon us, our focus turns to the academic year ahead – the changes we will need to adapt to, the challenges we will need to address and the many tasks we will need to complete within often demanding deadlines.
Over the summer, the NAEO has been considering the key challenges facing the examinations and assessment sector, and exams managers/officers in particular, during the 2026/27 academic year.
We will continue to launch initiatives that raise awareness of the importance of the exams manager/officer role and strengthen its profile and status within centres.
Alongside responding and adapting to ongoing educational reforms – which currently appear to be focused largely on vocational and technical qualifications – we have identified the following areas as immediate priorities for the NAEO during 2026/27.
Unauthorised items
In response to the Chief Regulator’s letter sent to awarding organisation chief executives on 2 March about malpractice, we will be focusing efforts on supporting centres in addressing the use of unauthorised items in examinations.
We will continue to work with JCQ and the awarding bodies to identify and address new forms of technology which may impact the security and integrity of examinations. Therefore, we fully support the introduction of smart glasses to JCQ’s Unauthorised items poster, and the amendment to JCQ’s Suggested wording for the invigilator’s announcement at the beginning of written examinations, which now includes a specific warning to candidates about handing in their mobile phone.
The NAEO is also partnering with The Exams Office to offer a complimentary mobile phone detection tool to all delegates attending their autumn training events with guidance on when and how this tool should be used as a detection and deterrent for candidates.
The Exams Office is also highlighting the use, detection and reporting of unauthorised items as part of their training for invigilators.
Senior leader knowledge of regulations
The NAEO is committed to supporting senior leaders in developing their knowledge and understanding of JCQ regulations, awarding body requirements and best practice. This will also help senior leaders in providing more effective support for their exams managers/officer.
In October, in conjunction with The Exams Office, the NAEO will be launching an online question and answer tool which will be available within their Hub. This tool will contain the questions and answers from the autumn training events and a functionality to ask a question which will be answered from a database of examination regulations and general information.
We are also delighted that The Exams Office has agreed to provide live streams and recordings of their training events, so the content is accessible to senior leaders – and exams managers/officers – who are unable to attend these invaluable events for either time or financial reasons.
The NAEO is also supporting the introduction of a free to access online certificated Senior Leader training and assessment for members of The Exams Office within the newly launched Learning and Skills Office (available late September). For the 2026/27 academic year, the assessments will cover the following JCQ documents:
- General Regulations for Approved Centres
- Suspected Malpractice: Policies and Procedures
- A guide to the special consideration process
The Instructions for conducting examinations and Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments booklets will be added for the 2027/28 academic year.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and plagiarism
Although the vast majority of exams managers/officers are not involved in detecting the use of AI and plagiarism in candidates’ work, to ensure that the integrity and security of the examination and assessment system is protected within centres, the NAEO is committed to ensuring that AI is used in accordance with Ofqual and JCQ guidance, whilst plagiarism is identified and dealt with.
We are delighted that ATP Cyber (website to be available by the end of September - https://atpcyber.com/ ) have agreed to offer member centres of The Exams Office 50,000 free words/credits within their plagiarism and AI detection tool and the opportunity to purchase additional words/credits at a heavily discounted rate of £10 for 10,000 words.
The NAEO has supported the development of guidance within the use of a plagiarism and artificial intelligence (AI) detection tool policy template which:
- Reiterates teacher responsibility for marking/grading candidates’ work
- Emphasises that the tool is designed to support teacher judgement and not to be sole or primary means of deciding whether an AI tool has been used or a piece of work has been plagiarised
- Explains the need to define the circumstances under which candidates may/may not use AI based upon the guidance provided for a particular qualification/examination
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
The NAEO places great emphasis on the professional development of our members, and we are delighted that JCQ regulations have been updated in recent years to require ‘…examinations officers [to]… undertake regular CPD, such as attending an annual update course’.
To support exams mangers/officers address their CPD needs, the NAEO has updated the Exams Manager/Officer Professional Standards so they are now available on the new Learning and Skills Office platform. This allows exams officers to register for, track progress and claim certification which can be downloaded to be signed by a senior leader/line manager.
The NAEO has also influenced stakeholders to offer the following to help exams managers/officers meet their CPD needs:
- The Exams Office – access to live streams and recordings of training events to develop knowledge and understanding of regulations and best practice
- The Learning and Skills Office – free access to certificated online Key Skills training and assessments
The Learning and Skills Office has also agreed to offer free access to a suite of online certificated wellbeing training and assessments.
In relation to wellbeing, the NAEO is also looking to offer free materials at conferences to improve the wellbeing of members…watch this space for more information!
Good luck for the 2026/27 academic year and keep up the excellent work.