External Examinations Summer 2015

EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS SUMMER 2015

This booklet is designed to help you in your organisation for this summer's examinations. If you have two examinations scheduled at the same time and have not yet had a letter about how this clash will be sorted out, please see Mr Cunningham or Mrs Kendrick as soon as possible.

Please note that in GCSE Language examinations both Higher and Foundation levels appear on your statement of entry, you will only take one tier and this will be shown on the relevant seating plans.

Please organise yourself in advance, make sure that you have the correct equipment and that you have made arrangements for your lunch if you have an examination in the afternoon. All students are expected to bring specific equipment for the subjects they sit. At the most basic level this is at least two black pens. For subjects such as Maths, Science and Technologies all students are aware of the specialist equipment they must provide themselves such as rulers, lead pencils, erasers, protractors, calculators, compasses and coloured pencils. The school is under no obligation to provide specialist equipment to candidates who do not bring their own when they have been warned well in advance.

The seating plan for the Hall will be displayed in the foyer windows at the front of the Hall and on the Year 11 tutor block noticeboard. The seating plan for the 6th Form Conference Room will be displayed on the noticeboard outside the 6th Form Conference Room. Leave yourself enough time to make sure that you know which row and in which seat you will be sitting. Students must be ready to enter the examination room 15 minutes before the start of an exam. Your place in the Examination Room will vary from examination to examination.

NOTES FOR CANDIDATES

1. From the timetables and Statement of Entry, make sure that you know on which day and at what time of day each of your examinations take place. You should bring your Statement of Entry with you to each examination.

2. Examinations will usually be held in the Hall, Room J7 or 6th Form Centre. You will be informed of any changes to these main locations if necessary.

3. Morning examinations start at 9.30 am; those in the afternoon at 1.30 pm. Make sure that you are outside the examination room 15-20 minutes before the starting time and if it is not raining assemble on the hard play area in row order, with Row A being the nearest to the fence. Ensure that you allow plenty of time to get to school - if for any reason you are delayed, telephone the school (023 92259214).

You may not be allowed to start an examination if you arrive more than thirty minutes late, nor may examinations be taken at any other time without exceptional circumstances. Check the starting times carefully .

4. If for any reason, normal buses are not running, get to school as soon as possible. Telephone if you can, but in this case allowance will be made and you will not be penalised (023 92259214) 5. If you are ill and cannot attend, the school should be informed by telephone and you may have to obtain a Doctor's certificate. Please ask Mr Cunningham or Mrs Kendrick if you need some clarification (023 92259214).

If you are ill immediately before, or during an examination please advise Mr Cunningham or Mrs Kendrick. You may need a certificate from your Doctor which can then be sent to the Examination Board. The school cannot pay for medical certificates.

6. If, through your own fault, you miss an examination and therefore cannot be awarded a grade, you will have to pay the entry fee for that subject. This includes coursework, orals, listening tests, practicals etc.

7. School Uniform must be worn by Year 11 Students in examinations. The school may exercise its authority to ban from the examination room anyone who does not comply.

8. Outdoor clothing such as scarves, gloves, caps, hats etc. are not permitted to be worn during exams by any students at both GCSE and GCE (AS/A2 Level).

9. Talking is not allowed either before, during or after an examination. If you require anything, raise your hand. Entry and exit to hall must be in complete silence.

10. All bags, coats etc are to be PLACED on the blue seats in the hall in the areas where you would normally sit for assembly. Please leave the front row free. Bags are to be left neatly inside the Conference Room/JP Block rooms if you have an examination there.

11. Desks will be checked for graffiti after every exam.

12. No pencil cases or tins will be allowed into the examination rooms unless they are see through. Pens, spare pens, ruler, pencil etc can be brought in a small clear polythene bag. You must provide equipment such as compasses: protractors: templates etc.

13. Liquid paper/correcting fluid/paper, such as Tipp-Ex and correcting pens are not permitted.

14. Unless specifically instructed on your Statement of Entry or on your exam paper you must write in black ink.

15. If you have any answer papers which ask you to fill in circles or lozenges in multi-choice questions (known as Objective Tests) you will need an HB/B pencil and a clean eraser.

16. Electronic calculators are allowed in most examinations; check with the Maths Department that yours is permissible/allowed. Instructions for the calculators are not to be brought into the examination rooms.

17. Rough work has to be done in the Answer Books or on supplementary sheets and crossed out but not obliterated. You must hand in every sheet of paper that you write on.

18. Mobile Phones, MP3s, IPods, data watches etc. should not be turned on or kept on your person in the examination rooms. Candidates must check that alarms on electronic devices are switched off, as these can still sound even when a device is turned off. Any student found with a mobile phone or other data enabled device on their person in an exam, even if it is turned off, may be disqualified from that exam, subject or exam board if the exam boards see fit.

19. Food must not be brought into the examination rooms. Water bottles, with all labels removed and containing water only (with a sports top) are allowed. Invigilators will not provide water to candidates during an exam. Students are not allowed to leave the exam to go to the toilets during an exam, unless in the case of a dire emergency.

EXAMINATION RESULTS

These are due into school on the following dates:

A2 & AS Level Thursday 13 August 2015 (A2 - 8.00 am, AS – 9.00 am)

GCSE Thursday 20 August 2015 (10.00-11.00 am)

A2/AS Level results are issued from the reception area on the ground floor of the Sixth Form Block. GCSE results are issued from the Conference Room on the first (top) floor of the Sixth Form Block.

ENQUIRIES ABOUT RESULTS

This is a service that is available from all the Examination Boards. It is a very expensive service and if it is done at the request of a student, they will be charged for it. Therefore this should only be used if the grade that you are awarded is significantly different from your predicted grade.

COURSEWORK (for students who have left Oaklands)

This can only be collected from school after October half-term via the main office. Please ring in advance so that the work will be there for you.

COURSEWORK (Internal Appeals Procedure)

If at any stage during your exam courses you have concerns about the procedures used in assessing your internally marked work for public exams e.g. coursework/portfolio etc you should see the Examinations Officer (Mrs Kendrick) or Mr Cunningham as soon as possible. A copy of the appeal procedure is available from Mr Cunningham/Mrs Kendrick

SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS

These may be available at Oaklands in November for GCSE English and Mathematics only if demand is sufficient. Other institutions may not offer this service. If you have left Oaklands please note that this facility will be unavailable to you.

CERTIFICATES

These will be given out at a presentation evening which will be held in the school hall in January 2016. If you do not collect your certificates on that evening, they will be available from the school office after the date. Please note that certificates that are not collected will be destroyed at the end of the year. You must look after your certificates as you cannot easily get replacements and they are very expensive if you have to use this service.

GOOD LUCK!

Mr Quinn, Mr Cunningham, Mrs Bonnington, Mrs Ludlam, your Form tutors and all the Staff at Oaklands wish you every success in your forthcoming examinations and hope that you will continue to work hard over the last few weeks in order to gain the results which you are hoping for. Good Luck!