Examination preparation and invigilationRichard Gill, Collaborative Partnerships ManagerTeresa Cox, Collaborative Partnerships Officer

Aims

At the end of the session you will:•Know how to prepare for an examination•Understand the importance of examination security and know how to deal with malpractice•Know how to run an examination•Be aware of the process for invigilating an examination•Be aware of the responsibilities of the Chief Invigilator•Understand the post-examination process

Principles

• Examination security is fundamental to the integrity of the award and the University.

• Examination practice should be consistent across all partners to ensure that all students are treated fairly.

Examination Preparation – papers and scripts

• Papers and scripts should be stored securely in a locked filing cabinet in a lockable room which students have no access to.

• A master examination paper will be supplied and you will be required to make the appropriate number of copies (including spares) – ensure that the copying is supervised at all times.

• Check that all copied papers have the required number of pages and questions.• Scripts should have a colour cover which students fill in. Source scripts in

multiple colours and decide which colour to use on the day of the examination.• Scripts should be securely stored in the same manner as papers.• Keep additional copies of scripts so that students can ask for these as

necessary.• Ensure that you have a stock of treasury tags to secure scripts together.

Timeframe• Copying of papers and sourcing of scripts should be completed between one to

two weeks before the examination.

Examination preparation – the Examination Room

• Tables should be spaced at least 1.5m from another table (measured centre to centre).

• Clocks should be placed in the room so all students can see them.• An area should be set aside for student belongings (either in this room or

outside it).• The room should not be a thoroughfare (so other rooms should not be accessed

through the examination area).• Immediately prior to the examination a script, paper, attendance slip and

treasury tag should be placed on each desk.• Only invigilators and other authorised staff may be admitted to the examination

room during preparation.• Desks should be labelled so that students know where they should sit and an

attendance list should be prepared so that this can be checked against it.• Toilets that will be available to students during the examination should be

checked for hidden notes prior to commencing the examination.

Running the examination – admitting students

• Students should be told what they will need for the examination at least four weeks prior to the examination.

• Students should arrive outside the examination room 10 minutes prior to the examination.

• A seating plan and examination notice (detailing what students may do and bring into the examination) should be clearly displayed on the walls of the waiting area.

• Students should be admitted to the room by the invigilators 10 minutes prior to the start of the examination, in a controlled fashion.

• Prior to admission, students should be told where they should put their belongings and what they are permitted to place on their desk and the examination conditions should be explained to them.

• Silence must be maintained whilst students find their seats.

During the examination

• The Chief Invigilator should read out the examination requirements and regulations, and the fire procedure.

• Invigilators should check that students are seated in the correct place and that their identity can be confirmed. This should be checked against the attendance list.

• Students should be asked to fill in the cover sheet on their scripts.• Invigilators should check that each student has the permitted materials on their

desk. Calculators and dictionaries (if permitted) should be checked for writing/invisible ink, etc.

• The Chief Invigilator should announce the beginning of the examination and warn students 15 mins before the end of the examination.

• The Chief Invigilator should announce the end of the examination. Students must stop writing, but are permitted to fill in their details on the scripts.

• Scripts and papers should be collected before students are permitted to leave.

Entering and leaving the examination room

• Late arriving students will be permitted to the examination room up to 30 minutes after the beginning of the examination. They should not be given any additional time to complete the examination.

• Students who wish to go to the toilet must be escorted by an invigilator. If one is not available, the student must wait until an invigilator has returned.

• Students may leave the examination, if they have finished, up to 15 minutes before the end of the examination, but not within the first 45 minutes of the examination. Scripts and papers should be collected before they leave. They are not permitted to return.

• Late arrival, early departure and toilet breaks should be logged on the incident sheet.

• In all cases, disruption must be kept to a minimum.• If a student arrives who is not on the attendance list, they should be added to

the list and permitted to take the examination.

Post-examination process

• Invigilators should ensure that a student’s scripts are secured together using the treasury tag and that all of their scripts are labelled with the student’s details.

• Any disruptions should be logged on the incident sheet and this should be faxed or emailed immediately to Glyndwr.

• The attendance sheet should be similarly communicated to Glyndwr.• Papers and all scripts should be secured securely. Completed scripts should be

signed for by markers when they are collected.

Unfair practice

• If you suspect a student of cheating, try to do the following:- Ask a fellow invigilator to confirm what you have seen;- Approach the student together and inform them of what you have seen;- Mark the student’s script with the time of the incident and confiscate any

materials you believe they have been using to cheat;- Report the incident to the Chief Invigilator so it can be logged on the

incident form;- Allow the student to complete the examination – only in extreme cases

should they be removed.

• Keep disruption to a minimum.• Post-examination, the Chief Invigilator should provide a full report and any

evidence to the Examinations/Assessment Officer (Elen Weston, e.weston@glyndwr.ac.uk) at Glyndwr.

The Chief Invigilator

• There should be one Chief Invigilator in each examination room.• They are responsible for:

- Collecting relevant examination materials from the Assessment Office (or appropriate body at the partner);

- Setting out the examination materials within the room;- Enforcing examination conditions and ensuring that the examination is

properly invigilated;- To maintain an attendance list and incident report and to return these to

the Assessment Office at Glyndwr immediately upon completion of the examination

- To maintain the security of the examination and examination materials.• The Chief Invigilator should collect materials at least 30 minutes prior to the

examination and should arrive at the examination room at least 20 minutes before the start of the examination.

Invigilators

• There must be a minimum of two invigilators for each examination room and one additional invigilator if there are more than 50 students in the room (rising by one invigilator for every 50 students thereafter).

• One invigilator should be from the subject being examined and one should be from an unrelated subject.

• Invigilators should arrive in the examination room at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the examination and should assist with preparation and running of the examination as requested by the Chief Invigilator.

• Invigilators should remain within the examination room for the duration of the examination (unless required to escort students to the toilet) or until a previously agreed time.

• There should always be at least two invigilators within the examination room throughout the assessment.

• Invigilators may exclude people (with the exception of University Officers) from the examination room.

Dealing with disruptions

• If the room needs to be evacuated (fire alarm or bomb scare):- The Chief Invigilator should instruct candidates to leave as quickly as

possible.- The invigilators should take candidates to the assembly point and ensure

that examination conditions are maintained throughout. The examination cannot be resumed unless examination conditions have been maintained.

- If resumed, students should draw a line under the work completed prior to the evacuation and write examination interrupted underneath.

- Additional time should be added to the examination equal to the duration of the disruption.

• If the examination is disrupted for any reason (noise outside or inside the room, etc.), this should be logged on the Chief Invigilator’s report.

• If a candidate is disrupting the assessment, they may be warned once. If they continue they may be excluded from the examination room.

Dealing with problems with the paper

• The member of staff who set the paper may be present 10 minutes prior to the examination and for the first 10 minutes of the examination to notify the candidates of any errors and answer any appropriate questions. This should be co-ordinated by the Chief Invigilator.

• If there is a problem with the paper, the Chief Invigilator may decide to delay the start of the examination and add any lost time to the end of the examination. This should be recorded in the Chief Invigilator’s report.

Students with learning disabilities

• Students with declared/identified learning disabilities may need special examination requirements, such as extra time, specially coloured paper or other arrangements.

• Some of these students may need to have a separate room to themselves – these students will need to be invigilated and appropriate measures made to accommodate their disability.

Things to consider

• Glyndwr maintains a stock of calculators (to replace confiscated or forgotten ones) and dictionaries that can be provided to students on request. These are limited in number. Can you provide these to your students?

• Students are entitled to ask for their examination paper in Welsh. Students should notify the Superintendent of Examinations within two weeks of commencing their studies.

Questions