Plans are in place to cope with winter weather, exam candidates assured
Tuesday, 21 December 2010 14:55
As the threat of another icy examination season looms, we are assuring learners that contingency measures are in place to cope with any disruption.
We congratulated schools and colleges for their work in keeping the vast majority of centres open for examinations during the disruption caused by heavy snow in January and February 2010.
For any candidates who were unable to attend, measures were in place to ensure they were treated fairly and consistently.
The same tried and tested contingency plans are in place should the adverse weather which has already closed schools and roads this winter continue into the GCSE and GCE examination series which starts on January 10.
Isabel Nisbet, Chief Executive of Ofqual, said, "We know that any disruption to examinations is distressing to candidates who have worked so hard to prepare. In January, the work of schools and colleges to keep open and allow 2.5 million exam entries to go ahead was impressive. Their efforts meant that only 14 centres were unable to hold examinations as planned.
"Candidates can be assured that, should we have more bad weather during the up-coming examinations series, tried and tested contingency measures are in place to make sure that any who are unable to sit their papers as a result are treated fairly and consistently by awarding organisations."
Schools and colleges are asked to make every effort to open for examinations. They can also make arrangements to use alternative venues, and are advised to keep in touch with their awarding organisation for advice and guidance on this. If a headteacher or college principal decides that it will not be possible for the examination to go ahead, the awarding organisation should be informed as soon as possible. Individual candidates who are unable to attend due to the inclement weather are advised to keep in touch with their school or college in the first instance.
Depending on the circumstances, options for candidates who have not been able to take their examinations may include sitting the paper at the next available opportunity, or an application being made for special considerations, which means an award made based on prior attainment.
Jim Sinclair, Director of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), said: "It is understandable that students preparing for their January exams will have one eye on the weather as snow and ice cause disruption across the UK. But they can be assured that if these conditions continue, no-one will be disadvantaged as a result of the weather.
"Schools and colleges will remain open wherever possible, with examinations continuing as scheduled. But if schools and colleges are prevented from opening or students are unable to travel to sit their exams, awarding organisations have well-rehearsed processes in place to ensure a fair examination series for everyone."
Examples of the contingencies that may be utilised in the event of disruption can be found on the Joint Examinations Contingency Plan.
Notes to editors:
1. The January 2010 examination series ran from January 11 until February 3 and involved more than 2.5 million exam entries for over 1,300 separate examination papers. Due to the hard work of candidates, their families, headteachers, college leaders, teachers, examinations officers and support staff, only 14 centres were unable to hold examinations as planned. These were mostly one-day closures and in most cases fewer than 10 candidates were affected. The closures affected 190 examinations in total.
