Al Ain English Speaking School

Secondary School 

Exams Guide
This brief guide is designed to inform you about the A level and GCSE exams that will be held next term. It should answer frequently asked questions and explain the exam system to you. The information tells you what to expect, and what is expected from you, in your public exams. Please take the time to read it before the January exams, and use it for reference.

Information for Candidates

Warning to Candidates

Information for Candidates- written Exams

Timetables
 

In addition to the general final timetables, links above, all students will receive an official personal Statement of Entry in the week after the November Eid holidays.
Please ensure you carefully check your Statement of Entry and inform your tutor, subject teacher or the Exams Office as quickly as possible if there are any errors:-
Is your name spelt properly? Your exam certificates will be issued exactly as per the entry on your Statement of Entry, so it is IMPERATIVE that this is correct.
Are your other personal details correct? E.g. your date of birth.
Are all your expected exams showing?
Are any unexpected exams showing?

Timetable Clashes
Sometimes candidates find they have two or more exams scheduled for the same start time when they check their timetables. These are called Clashes. The Exams Office will need to reschedule 2nd papers to start five minutes after the end of the first exam paper.
The Exams Officer will have already identified those students with exam clashes in January and they will be spoken to by their subject tutors. Please ensure you see the Exams Office if you identify a clash you have not discussed with your subject teachers when you received your personal exam timetable.

Where exams run for more than three and a half hours in a session, or six and a half hours in any one day, the Exams Office can move one of the papers to the morning or afternoon session, as applicable.
Affected students have to be held in isolation, over the break to prevent their contact with other candidates. They will need to bring their lunch, drinks etc. with them as they will be under strict supervision in a classroom until their afternoon papers start. Such students will not be allowed internet access or be able to use their mobile phones.

Exam Days
• Arrive in plenty of time.
• January 2012 'Morning' exams start at 12.30hrs
• January 2012 'Afternoon' exams start at 16:30hrs
• Be ready outside your exam room at least 15 minutes before these start times. Room 80
• Know your desk and candidate number before you enter the exam room. These will be normally displayed outside at the start of each exam session, and staff will be there to help you.
• Absent ? If you are ill, or absent for any reason, on the day of an exam, you will not be allowed to take it at a later date.
• We will always try to make telephone contact with all absentees very quickly after exam start times, so ensure we have your current telephone number on record.
• Late? Don’t panic.
• Report to your exam room as quickly as possible.
• You can be allowed into an exam late at the Exam Officer’s discretion, but be warned, that the Exam Board could still decline to mark your paper.
Invigilators
• Invigilators are employed to assist with running the exams.
• They must deliver examinations according to the strict regulations.
• Invigilator’s instructions must be followed by candidates at all times.
• If you experience any difficulty during an exam, raise your hand and an invigilator will come to your assistance.
• Always ask to speak to the Exams Officer, if the invigilator cannot deal with any problem you may have during an exam.
But they can’t help you with the answers!

Results
Results Days for 2012
• November 2011 results will be released on Thursday 11 January 2012
• January 2012 results will be released on Thursday 8 March 2012
• Summer 2012 A Level results will be released on Thursday 16 August 2012
• Summer 2012 GCSE results will be released on Thursday 23 August 2012
• Results will be available to collect after 12.00noon on each results day.
• Results will not be given out over the phone as it can cause confusion.
Edexcel ResultsPlus Direct - Students taking exams with Edexcel will be able to view their results on line using the ResultsPlus Direct service. We have nominated all Edexcel candidates for this service and will distribute PIN numbers and full instructions about how to register before the end of the summer term. Cambridge Exam Board will issue a different login service to access grades for the Summer series.
Post Results Services
• Students can apply for photocopies of their exam scripts, or the return of the original, under the Access to Scripts service
• Remarks and Clerical checks can be requested using the Enquiries about Results service.
• Candidates should be aware that their mark can go down as well as up if a remark is requested.
• Details of how to apply, application forms and the costs of each service will be available from the Exams Office from each Results day until the deadline dates.
• Deadlines for applications are often extremely tight following the issue of results so students need to act quickly if they require these services
• All post results services require the student’s written consent so please ensure you sign the application forms.
Special Consideration
• It is possible for students to apply to the Exam Boards for Special Consideration to be applied to the marking of any exam paper(s) where their exam performance may have been affected by situations beyond their control.
• These reasons include bereavement, difficult family circumstances and illness. Evidence is always required to support any claim. If you qualify the Exams Officer will make the exam board aware of your circumstances and they will decide what action they can apply.
• Applications on medical grounds always require supporting medical evidence from a doctor, and must cover the date of the actual exam – i.e. cannot be dated retrospectively.
• There are strict rules for applying for Special Consideration and the exam boards make individual decisions according to their guidelines. The school is not involved in this process, although the Exams Officer does have to support the initial application.
• The Exam Boards decision is final in these cases. They will not enter into any discussion with students, nor is there any feedback, nor course to appeal.
• You should see the Exams Officer if you experience any circumstances that may have adversely affected your exam performance.