What is an Examinations Centre?

• An Examinations Centre is a school, college or other educational establishment approved and registered by AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR for the entry of candidates to examinations/tests and for the conduct of those examinations.
• The Head of Centre is the Head of Alton Convent School registered with AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR as an examination centre.
• The Head of Centre appoints the Examinations Officer.

Role of the Head of Centre/Examinations Officer

The Head of Centre/Examinations Officer must be familiar with the system of public examinations, which operates in the United Kingdom, and must be capable of providing adequate invigilation.

The Head of Centre/Examinations Officer undertakes to:

• Provide an address to which all correspondence in connection with the administration of examinations and tests can be directed.
• Facilitate any inspection of the centre on behalf of AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR. Currently operated collectively by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ)
• Make secure arrangements to receive, check and keep examination material secure at all times, maintain the security of confidential material from receipt to the time when it is no longer confidential and keep scripts secure from the time they are collected from the candidates to their despatch to AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR.
• Provide suitable accommodation and facilities for all parts of all examinations and tests entered, including centre-assessed work.
• Provide fully adequate invigilation of examinations and tests.
• Provide appropriate supervision of a candidate in the event of that candidate being timetabled for 2 examinations at the same time.
• Remit examination fees in the manner and at the time specified by AQA, EDEXCEL and OCR.
• Submit to AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR, in accordance with the instructions, all the information that AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR may reasonably require in relation to their examinations and tests.
• Make arrangements to receive and to issue to staff and candidates, material received from AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR, and to notify them of advice and instructions relevant to their examinations and tests as appropriate.
• Make arrangements to notify each candidate of her examination entry and dates and times of her examinations.
• Assign a teacher in each subject with a centre-assessed component or components for which centres will be made to be responsible for co-ordinating and submitting estimated grades for candidates to the examination boards in accordance with their instructions.
• Assign a teacher in each subject with a centre-assessed component or components for which entries will be made to be responsible for co-ordinating and standardising all teachers' marking of those components and ensure that candidates' centre-assessed work is produced, marked and despatched in accordance with the instructions of AQA, Edexcel or OCR.
• Submit any applications for special arrangements, including changes to the timetable or examination venue, and special consideration in accordance with the Regulations.
• Facilitate any special requirements by students.
• Have in place procedures to verify the identity of all candidates.
• Report to AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR any established, suspected or alleged case of dishonesty involving the examination or malpractice by a candidate or of malpractice or maladministration by a member of staff discovered by the Centre, assist any investigation which ensues from that or from any malpractice suspected by AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR, and provide such information and advice as AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR may reasonably require.
• Download results.
• Submit and process any result enquiry and appeal in accordance with the Regulations.
• Distribute any certificates issued to candidates, and retain all unclaimed certificates under secure conditions for a minimum period of twelve months from the date of issue and not destroy any unclaimed certificates at the end of that time but return them to AQA, EDEXCEL or OCR, together with a list of the certificates being returned. The centre will retain a copy of the list.

Health and Safety Issues

During Internal or Public Examinations all girls will be informed of emergency evacuation procedures from the examination hall. A notice of such evacuation procedures will be clearly displayed.