guide to exams 2013-14

7/27/2019 Guide to Exams 2013-14

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INFORMATION FOR EXAMINATIONSTUDENTS

2013 - 2014

CHEW VALLEY SCHOOL

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CHEW VALLEY SCHOOL A Foundation School serving the whole community

Chew Magna, Bristol. BS40 8QB

Headteacher: Mr M Mallett, LLB, MA October 2013 Telephone: (01275) 332272

Fax: (01275) 333625

Email: [email protected] Website: www.chewvalleyschool.co.uk

Dear Students/Parents/Carers,

The forthcoming academic year will be of vital importance to your son/daughter as they prepare to take their GCSE/GCE examinations in May/June 2014.

All public examination students have to comply with regulations for candidates issued by the Joint Council for Qualifications, JCQ. JCQ is the regulatory body for all Examination Boards in the UK.

Every effort has been made to ensure that JCQ regulations are clear and familiar to our students. To assiststudents, they have been issued with a copy of the documents below which are also available on our website;

Information for Candidates for Written Examinations Information for Candidates - Controlled Assessments

Information for Candidates - Coursework Assessments

Information for Candidates - Guidelines when referring to examinations/assessments through theInternet.

Students have also been given a copy of our Examination Booklet which gives them information and reminderspertinent to Chew Valley students which, again, includes the notices listed above. We would also urge Parentsand Carers to read the Examination Booklet so everyone is familiar with the content.

Staff will give students support and assistance towards preparing for their final examinations throughout theforthcoming year both in class and via special assemblies. Deadlines for coursework and dates for Controlled

Assessments are set by class teachers and will vary depending upon your son/daughter’s subject choices.

It may be of some assistance to parents/carers to have some overview of what to anticipate throughout theforthcoming academic year:-

Year 10

January 2014 Cambridge National exams in Science for sets Joule and Kelvin 8th January 2014

March 2014 January exam results available on the Insight Portal 6th March 10am.

May/June 2014 Work experience week w/c Monday 16th JuneGCSE exams in some subjects (to be confirmed in 2014)

Year 11

November 2013 GCSE Maths and English exams w/c 4th November;5 November – English ENG1F/H for all groups except set 86 November – Maths Paper 1MA01 (Non Calculator) Sets 5 & 68 November – Maths Paper 1MA02 (Calculator) Sets 5 & 6

December 2013 Year 11 Trial examinations – Wednesday 11 to Friday 20 December 2013These help staff to ensure a correct tier of entry is made to enable students to meet or exceed their Challenge Grade and provide valuable experience of exams for students

January 2014 November exam results available on the Insight Portal 19th January 10am.Cambridge National Business resit exam 9th January 2014Parents’ Evening – Thursday 30 January 2014

March/April2014

GCSE Summer entries madeStudents’ Statement of Entry issued for Summer exams. Students must check their subjects and tiers of entry are correct and notify their subjectteacher and the Exams Office immediately if there are any queries.Final deadline for GCSE Summer 2014 resits midday 12 February 2014

mailto:[email protected]



http://www.chewvalleyschool.co.uk/





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April/May 2014 Students’ FINAL Individual Timetable available via Insight Portal. This final timetableindicates the date/time/venue for each subject paper. It is VITALLY important for studentsto read and note this information and to ensure they know where to go for every exam as theywill not necessarily sit all exams in the same location. Please note: date, time and venueare NOT NEGOTIABLE. If an afternoon exam paper is of 2 hours duration, Parents/Carersmust make arrangements for transport home as coaches cannot be held back.

May/June 2014 Art practical exams take place in school w/c Monday 28th April.

Term 6 2014 Main period for examinations.

August 2014 Induction Day for students returning to Sixth Form – Wednesday 25 June 2014 GCSE results issued to students – Thursday 21 August 2014 from 10am via Insight Portal

and from 9am in the School Hall.

Year 12

January 2014 Monday 6th January to Friday 10th January – Lessons suspended due to trial exams in mostsubjects.

February 2014 Students’ Statement of Entry issued for Summer 2014 exams. Students must check their subjects are correct and notify their subject teachers and theExams Office immediately if there are any queries.

March/April2014

Students’ FINAL Individual Timetable available via Insight Portal. This final timetableindicates the date/time/venue for each subject paper. It is VITALLY important for studentsto read and note this information and to ensure they know where to go for every exam as theywill not necessarily sit all exams in the same location. Please note: date, time and venue

are NOT NEGOTIABLE. If an afternoon exam paper is of 2 hours duration, students mustmake arrangements for transport home as coaches cannot be held back.

Thursday 6th March – Y12 Subject Evening

Wednesday 12th March – June resit entry deadline 12.45pm.

April/May 2014 Oral exams/Drama practical exams take place in school. Art/Photography/Textile exams start w/c Monday 5 May.

May/June 2014 Main period for written examinations.

August 2014 GCE results issued to students Thursday 14th August 2014 from 10am via Insight Portaland 10am from the School Library.

Year 13

February 2014 Students’ Statement of Entry issued for Summer 2014 exams. Students must check their subject entries are correct and notify the Exams Officeimmediately if there are any queries.

March/April2014

Tuesday 22 to Friday 25th April – Lessons suspended due to trial exams in most subjects.

Students’ FINAL Individual Timetable available via Insight Portal. This final timetableindicates the date/time/venue for each subject paper. It is VITALLY important for studentsto read and note this information and to ensure they know where to go for every exam as theywill not necessarily sit all exams in the same location. Please note: date, time and venueare NOT NEGOTIABLE. If an afternoon exam paper is of 2 hours duration, students mustmake arrangements for transport home as coaches cannot be held back.

Wednesday 12th March – June resit entry deadline 12.45pm.

April/May 2014 Monday 22nd to Friday 25th April – Lessons suspended due to trial exams in most subjects.Oral exams w/c 28th April

Art/Photography/Textile exams start w/c Monday 5 May

May/June 2014 Main period for written examinations.

August 2014 GCE results issued to students Thursday 14th August 2014 from 10am via Insight Portaland 9am from the School Library.

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Parents/Carers frequently request information regarding the dates of their son/daughter’s final examination. Thisinformation is available on the Individual Timetable issued before the Easter holiday. It is not possible toadvise of individual dates prior to this as the Centre has to confirm all Statements of Entry are correct first.

For Public Examinations, students must be present in the exam venue 10 minutes before the timetabledstarting time. This is to ensure all notices are delivered and that students are in the correct location with thecorrect paper in front of them - no mean feat for the invigilation teams when we frequently have up to 14 venuesin operation at the same time. Students have to supply their own pens, pencils and mathematical equipment.Please note that we advise BLACK ballpoint pens, in accordance with JCQ regulations. Gel pens are notpermitted. Full school uniform must always be worn for Years 10 and 11 and suitable, appropriate clothing for

Years 12 and 13.

You will be able to find information regarding JCQ regulations on the notices to candidates. Please be awarethat these are JCQ regulations and all exam candidates have to follow them. Every year the school will receiveat least one inspection visit. These visits are spot checks which enable the JCQ to confirm that examregulations are being conformed to within each registered centre. We would ask that if your son/daughter hasany queries or concerns to speak with their tutor, subject teacher or to an Examination Officer. We wish them allthe very best with their exams!

Yours sincerely,

Mr M Gaynor Mrs J Wring

Examination Officer Examination Officer

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Introduction

The aim of this booklet is to guide you through the public examination period by explainingthe procedures and by answering some of the questions you may have.

The information contained in this booklet is vitally important, please read it carefully, and if you are unsure about anything, please pop in and see one of us, or send an email.

Where can I find out more?

Mrs Wring & Mr Gaynor are the school’s Exam Officers. They work from an office next toL16. There is nearly always one of us available in this office every day, but you may prefer toemail us: [email protected] or [email protected]

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU….

What are Public Examinations?

These are exams for which the school has to pay a fee to an external examination board.

These boards are independent of the school. They set and (usually) mark examinationpapers, assessments etc. The boards award qualifications such as GCSE, BTEC and GCE AS & A2 levels, providing a certificate once the results have been achieved.

The school currently uses 4 examination boards and you can find out which board is used for all the subjects you take by asking your teacher or the exams office. All the boards havewebsites packed with information to help you to prepare for your exams.

The exam boards are:

www.aqa.org.uk www.ocr.org.uk www.edexcel.org.uk www.wjec.co.uk






http://www.aqa.org.uk/


http://www.ocr.org.uk/


http://www.edexcel.org.uk/


http://www.wjec.co.uk/








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When do public exams take place?

There are 3 slots during which exams happen, although controlled assessments, practicalassessments and language orals can occur throughout the year.

November: This period is for English and Maths GCSE only (early entry or resits)January: Cambridge National Science exams for Y10, Business resits for Y11Summer: The main exam period for all subjects

Exams occur during normal term time, and it is essential that you do not arrange holidaysduring scheduled school dates.

In the summer, all exams are finished by the end of June and year 11 & year 13students need to ensure they are available right to the end of the month.

Personal Information

Chew Valley School has a unique Centre Number: 50741 Each student will have their own Exam Number, issued by the Exams Office. This number

will appear on all official statements (entry summary, exam timetable, certificates etc). Legalnames appear on Certificates and not preferred names.The entries for all your exams are usually made by your teacher. A thorough checkingprocedure is in place to ensure that the entries are correct, but you have a part to play in this.When you receive statements of entries check them to make sure all the information iscorrect. If you are in ANY DOUBT, please see your teacher or the Exams Office. Once thetimetables have been organised, they will appear in theINSIGHT PORTAL. All students can see their timetables via the Portal in school or at home.

What to wear?

For years 10 & 11, you will need to wear normal school uniform at all times. You will not beadmitted to the examination room if you do not follow this request.

Students in the 6th form should dress in an appropriate manner.

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When and where to go

Make sure you check your timetable via the INSIGHT PORTAL just before your exams. Latechanges to times and venues may have occurred. It is your responsibility to arrive promptlyand to ensure transport arrangements are in place for both journeys. This is especiallyimportant for afternoon exams which frequently finish after the school buses havegone.The main exam locations are the Hall, the Stage, L16, M4 & the 6th form block.

For morning exams, you need to be at your venue by 8.45 amFor afternoon exams, you need to be at your venue by 13.35 pm

You will be registered in the exam venue, so do not go to a tutor base!

Who is responsible for knowing when and where the exams are?

You are! Your personalised timetables will be on the INSIGHT PORTAL and you will be toldwhen it is available. You need to check your timetable thoroughly. Speak to your teachers or to the exams team if you need anything explained.

What are the Exam Rules and what happens if they are broken?

The rules for the conduct of public exams are clear and non-negotiable. They are spelled outin detail by JCQ, the body that acts on behalf of all exam boards.These rules are attached to the back of this booklet and have also been emailed to you.Copies are also available on the school website.

PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENT AND STICK TO ITS RULES

We would like to point out just FOUR of these rules:

YOU MUST BE SILENT FROM THE MOMENT YOU ENTER YOUR EXAM VENUE UNTILTHE MOMENT YOU ARE WELL OUTSIDE

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER STUDENTS. This includes talking,hand movements, eye contact etc. Put your hand up if you require any help.

BRING ALL NECESSARY EQUIPMENT WITH YOU IN A SEE-THROUGH BAG/PENCILCASE. Calculators (if permitted) should be without lids or any written instructions

Mobile phones, alarms, mp3 players etc., tippex and correction/gel pens are FORBIDDEN.Pens need to be BLACK INK only – buy half a dozen and bring three along!

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The full list of do’s and don’ts is in the JCQ document

The exam boards have the power to DISQUALIFY YOU FROM ALL EXAMS if you breakany of their rules. The rules will be governed by INVIGILATORS – members of staff appointed by the Headteacher to conduct exams safely and fairly.

When will I get my timetable? For January exams, your timetable will be available via the INSIGHT PORTAL duringNovember.For the main summer exam season, it will be available before the Easter holidays so thatyour preparations can be well planned.

Where will Language Orals and Art exams take place?

Language orals will be arranged through your teacher and are generally in April. Similarly, Artpracticals will be arranged by your teachers and usually held in April or May.

What happens if I am late?

DO NOT BE LATE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE – if anything, aim to be early!If you are only a few minutes late, go straight to the exam venue and do not report to

reception. If you are more than 10 minutes late, report to reception and ask them to contactthe Exams Office. In special circumstances, it may be possible for you to take the exam, butthis is not automatic, and you are strongly advised to avoid lateness.“Oversleeping” is unlikely to be accepted unless the exam board can be satisfied that theintegrity of the exam has not been compromised.

What if I am ill or injured?

Accidents and illness do happen, but if at all possible, you need to turn up to your venue andon time. We can apply for special consideration if you take your exam under thesecircumstances, but will need written verification (usually a doctor’s note), which you will need

to give to the Exams Office immediately.If you cannot get in for the exam at all, you need to ring the school immediately this becomesapparent on 01275 334225 (direct line to the Exams Office) and email the Exams Officers totell them the circumstances (email addresses are on page 2). Do not expect the absenceline to pass on messages about absence from exams due to illness/injury as these will notreach us in time for the start of morning exams.

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Do I need to pay for my exams?

No - unless you have applied for a resit or missed an exam without good reason.

Results

Results of external exams will be available via the INSIGHT PORTAL from 10am on the

published results dates. Exam Season Results Date For 2013 – 2014, these dates are: November Thurs 9 January

January Thurs 6 MarchJune AS/A2 Thurs 14 AugustJune GCSE Thurs 21 August

Arrangements will be made for results to be issued from the Exams Office from 10am on theresults mornings for students with no access to the INSIGHT PORTAL.

Certificates

Certificates confirming your results are vitally important documents and should becarefully stored as they will almost definitely be needed at a later date. You can collect themeither at your GCSE or A Level Presentation Evening (we will write to invite you to this later inthe year) or in person from reception the day after the Presentation Evenings. If you areunable to collect certificates yourself, you may arrange for a friend or family member tocollect these on your behalf but we must have a written note of consent from you and theperson collecting must bring photo id. We are unable to post Certificates and anyuncollected certificates will be destroyed after one year, in line with regulations. If you loseyour certificate you would need to apply directly to the Exam Board concerned for astatement of results – contact details for the Exam Boards are on the School website. Legalnames appear on Certificates and not preferred names.

Post Results Services

It is possible that some of your results could be disappointing. In some cases, this is likely tobe a reflection of the work you have done in your preparation.

However, if any of your results are significantly below your expectations, there are a number of options you may wish to pursue. These options need to be thought about carefully anddiscussed with subject teachers, parents and the Exams Office before you embark on them.

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Enquiries about Results (EARS)

The following services are available:

Service Title Summary Typical Fees

Service 1 Clerical re-check Marks recorded, totalled GCSE - £8

& reported accurately AS/A2 - £15

Service 2 Review of Marking Full review of marking by Senior GCSE - £45Examiner AS/A2 - £57

Service 2P PRIORITY Review For June exams, Level 3 only (ieA Level or equivalent) AS/A2 - £55 and aimed at University candidates wherea University place is dependent upon result

In all cases, you will be asked to sign an acknowledgement that your results may remainunchanged or could go up or down.

Access to Scripts (ATS)

The following services are available:

Service Title Summary Typical Fees

Copy Photocopy of script Only available at AS/A2 £13

(Note: If you are considering a Service 2P review, you must NOT request a copy of thescript as this will not arrive back in time to order a review of marking)

Deadlines

Service Nov 2013 Season Jan 2014 Season June 2014 Season(Eng & Maths GCSE) (Camb Nationals)

Service 1 Thu 30 Jan 3 April 13 Sept 2014Service 2 Thu 30 Jan 3 April 13 Sept 2014Service 2P N/A N/A 21 Aug for Yr13 2014

Copy N/A N/A 13 Sept 2014

For Year 13, Subject staff will be available on results morning to give advice on grade boundaries andpossible options. Exam Office staff will be available as follows;

Thurs 14 Aug 9.00 – 3.00pmFriday 15 Aug – 10.00 – 12.00pm Year 13 should ensure any priority requests are made by today.Thurs 21 Aug – 9.00 – 1.00pm Final deadline for Priority 2 review of marking (Y13)

These deadlines represent THE VERY LATEST date for completing EARS. Remember youneed to check what to do with subject staff, see the Exams Office to check for availability of the service you require and the correct fee, arrange for payment to the Finance Office and to

take your written acknowledgement of payment back to the Exams Office. YOU SHOULDORGANISE ANY ENQUIRY EARLY TO AVOID MISSING THESE DEADLINES WHICH ARE FIXEDBY THE EXAM BOARDS.

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BEST WISHES IN ALL YOUR EXAMS!!

Re-sits

Only GCSE English & Maths can now be re-sat in the November series. Details will bepublished every September.

All other resits will occur in the Summer series only – details will be published during the Academic year.

…..and finally

Exams can be a worrying time, but if you prepare properly and make sure you organiseyourself (pens, calculator, clear pencil case, checking your timetable etc.) then you canreduce stresses during the exam season to a minimum. Please speak to your subject staff or to the Exams Office staff if you are unclear about any of the procedures involved in your exams.

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© 2013

AQA City & Guilds CCEA Edexcel OCR WJEC

Information for candidatesFor written examinations – effective from 1 September 2013

This document has been written to help you. Read it carefully and follow the instructions.

If there is anything you do not understand, especially which calculator you may use, ask your teacher.

A Regulations – Make sure you understand the rules

1 Be on time for all your exams. If you are late, your work might not be accepted.

2 Do not become involved in any unfair or dishonest practice during the exam.

3 If you try to cheat, or break the rules in any way, you could be disqualified from all your subjects.

4 You must not take into the exam room:

• notes;• a calculator case/instruction leaflet;• a mobile phone, iPod, MP3/4 player, a wrist watch which has a data storage device or any other product

with text/digital facilities.

Any pencil cases taken into the exam room must be see-through.

Remember: possession of unauthorised material is breaking the rules, even if you do not intend to use it, and you will be

subject to penalty and possible disqualification. 5 Do not use correcting pens, fluid or tape, erasable pens, highlighters or gel pens in your answers.

6 Do not talk to or try to communicate with, or disturb other candidates once the exam has started.

7 If you leave the exam room unaccompanied by an invigilator before the exam has finished, you will not be allowed to return.

8 Do not borrow anything from another candidate during the exam.

B Information – Make sure you attend your exams and bring what you need

1 Know the dates and times of all your exams.

2 Arrive at least ten minutes before the start of each exam.

3 If you arrive late for an exam, report to the invigilator running the exam.

4 If you arrive more than one hour after the published starting time for the exam, you may not be allowed to take it.

5 Only take into the exam room the pens, pencils, erasers and any other equipment which you need for the exam.

6 You must write in black ink.Coloured pencils or inks may be used only for diagrams, maps, charts, etc. unless the instructions printed on the front of thequestion paper state otherwise.

C Calculators, Dictionaries and Computer Spell-checkers

1 You may use a calculator unless you are told otherwise.

2 If you use a calculator• make sure it works properly; check that the batteries are working properly;• clear anything stored in it;• remove any parts such as cases, lids or covers which have printed instructions or formulas;• do not bring into the exam room any operating instructions or prepared programs.

3 Do not use a dictionary or computer spell checker unless you are told otherwise.

D Instructions during the exam

1 Always listen to the invigilator. Follow their instructions at all times.

2 Tell the invigilator at once:• if you think you have not been given the right question paper or all of the materials listed on the front of the paper;• if the question paper is incomplete or badly printed.

3 Read carefully and follow the instructions printed on the question paper and/or on the answer booklet.

4 Fill in all the details required on the front of the question paper and/or the answer booklet before you start the exam.Make sure you fill these details in on any additional answer sheets that you use.

5 Remember to write your answers within the designated sections of the answer booklet.

6 Do your rough work on the proper exam stationery. Cross it through and hand it in with your answers.Make sure you add your candidate details to any additional answer sheets that you use.

E Advice and assistance

1 If on the day of the exam you feel that your work may be affected by ill health or any other reason, tell the invigilator.

2 Put up your hand during the exam if:• you have a problem and are in doubt about what you should do;• you do not feel well;• you need more paper.

3 You must not ask for, and will not be given, any explanation of the questions.

F At the end of the exam

1 If you have used more than one answer booklet and/or any loose sheets of paper, place them in the correct order.Remember to fasten them together with a treasury tag before you leave.Make sure you add your candidate details to any additional answer sheets that you use.

2 Do not leave the exam room until told to do so by the invigilator.

3 Do not take from the exam room any stationery. This includes the question paper, answer booklets used or unused, roughwork or any other materials provided for the exam.

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This notice has been produced on behalf of:

AQA, CCEA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC

Information for candidates - controlled assessments

This document tells you about some things that you must and must not do when you arecompleting your work .

Before you submit any work for marking, you will be asked to sign an authenticationstatement confirming that you have read and followed these regulations.

If there is anything that you do not understand, you must ask your teacher or lecturer.

Controlled Assessment will provide you with an opportunity to do some independent research into atopic. The research you do may involve looking for information in published sources such as textbooks,encyclopedias, journals, TV, radio, and on the internet.

Using information from published sources (including the internet) as the basis for your assignment is agood way to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a subject, but you must take care howyou use this material - you cannot copy it and claim it as your own work.

The regulations state that:

“the work which you submit for assessment must be your own”,

“you must not copy from someone else or allow another candidate to copy from you”.

If you use the same wording as a published source, you must place quotation marks around thepassage and state where it came from. This is called “referencing”. You must make sure that you givedetailed references for everything in your work which is not in your own words. A reference from aprinted book or journal should show the name of the author, the year of publication and the pagenumber, for example: (Morrison, 2000, pg.29).

For material taken from the internet, your reference should show the date when the material wasdownloaded and must show the precise web page, not the search engine used to locate it. This can becopied from the address line. For example:(http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/16/sosteacher/history/49766.shtml), downloaded 12 February 2014.

You may be required to include a bibliography at the end of your work. Your teacher or lecturer will tellyou whether a bibliography is necessary. Where required, your bibliography must list the full details of publications you have used in your research, even where these are not directly referred to, forexample: Morrison, A. (2000) ‘Mary, Queen of Scots’, London: Weston Press.

If you copy the words or ideas of others and don’t show your sources in referencesand a bibliography, this will be considered as cheating.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/16/sosteacher/history/49766.shtml




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Preparing your work – good practice

If you receive help and guidance from someone other than your teacher, you must tell your teacherwho will then record the nature of the assistance given to you.

If you worked as part of a group on an assignment, for example, undertaking field research, you musteach write up your own account of the assignment. Even if the data you have is the same, thedescription of how that data was obtained and the conclusions you draw from it should be in your ownwords.

You must meet the deadlines that your teacher gives you. Remember - your teachers are there toguide you. Although they cannot give you direct assistance, they can help you to sort out any problemsbefore it is too late.

Take care of your work and keep it safe. Don’t leave it lying around where your classmates can find it. You must always keep your work secure and confidential whilst you are preparing it; do not share it

with your classmates. If it is stored on the computer network, keep your password secure. Collect allcopies from the printer and destroy those you don’t need.

Don’t be tempted to use essays from on-line essay banks — this is cheating. Electronic tools used byawarding bodies can detect this sort of copying.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves taking someone else’s words, thoughts or ideas and trying to pass them off as yourown. It is a form of cheating which is taken very seriously.

Don’t think you won’t be caught; there are many ways to detect plagiarism.

Markers can spot changes in the style of writing and use of language.

Markers are highly experienced subject specialists who are very familiar with work on the topicconcerned — they may have read the source you are using (or even marked the essay you havecopied from!).

Internet search engines and specialised computer software can be used to match phrases or piecesof text with original sources and to detect changes in the grammar and style of writing orpunctuation.

Penalties for breaking the regulations

If your work is submitted and it is discovered that you have broken the regulations, one of thefollowing penalties will be applied:

the piece of work will be awarded zero marks;

you will be disqualified from that unit for the examination series in question;

you will be disqualified from the whole subject for that examination series;

you will be disqualified from all subjects and barred from entering again for a period of time.

Your awarding body will decide which penalty is appropriate.

REMEMBER – IT’S YOUR QUALIFICATION SO IT NEEDS TO BE YOUR OWN WORK

©2013

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This notice has been produced on behalf of:

AQA, City & Guilds, CCEA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC

Information for candidates

GCE, ELC and Project qualifications - coursework assessments

This leaflet tells you about some things that you must, and must not do when you arecompleting coursework .

Before you submit any coursework for marking, you will be asked to sign an authenticationstatement confirming that you have read and followed these regulations.

If there is anything that you do not understand, you must ask your teacher or lecturer.

Coursework provides you with an opportunity to do some independent research into a topic.The research you do will involve looking for information in published sources such as textbooks,encyclopedias, journals, TV, radio, and on the internet.

Using information from published sources (including the internet) as the basis for your coursework is agood way to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a subject, but you must take care howyou use this material - you cannot copy it and claim it as your own work.

The regulations state that:

“the work which you submit for assessment must be your own”,

“you must not copy from someone else or allow another candidate to copy from you”.

If you use the same wording as a published source, you must place quotation marks around thepassage and state where it came from. This is called “referencing”. You must make sure that you givedetailed references for everything in your work which is not in your own words. A reference from aprinted book or journal should show the name of the author, the year of publication and the pagenumber, for example: (Morrison, 2000, pg.29).

For material taken from the internet, your reference should show the date when the material wasdownloaded and must show the precise web page, not the search engine used to locate it. This can becopied from the address line. For example:(http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/16/sosteacher/history/49766.shtml), downloaded 12 February 2014.

You must also include a bibliography at the end of your work, which lists the full details of publicationsyou have used in your research, even where these are not directly referred to, for example:Morrison, A. (2000) “Mary, Queen of Scots”, London: Weston Press.

If you copy the words or ideas of others and don’t show your sources in referencesand a bibliography, this will be considered as cheating.





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Preparing your coursework – good practice

If you receive help and guidance from someone other than your teacher, you must tell your teacherwho will then record the nature of the assistance given to you.

If you worked as part of a group on an assignment, for example, undertaking field research, you musteach write up your own account of the assignment. Even if the data you have is the same, thedescription of how that data was obtained and the conclusions you draw from it should be in your ownwords.

You must meet the deadlines that your teacher gives you. Remember - your teachers are there toguide you. Although they cannot give you direct assistance, they can help you to sort out any problemsbefore it is too late.

Take care of your work and keep it safe. Don’t leave it lying around where your classmates can find it. You must always keep your coursework secure and confidential whilst you are preparing it; do notshare it with your classmates. If it is stored on the computer network, keep your password secure.

Collect all copies from the printer and destroy those you don’t need.

Don’t be tempted to use essays from on-line essay banks — this is cheating. Electronic tools used byawarding bodies can detect this sort of copying.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves taking someone else’s words, thoughts or ideas and trying to pass them off as yourown. It is a form of cheating which is taken very seriously.

Don’t think you won’t be caught; there are many ways to detect plagiarism.

Markers can spot changes in the style of writing and use of language. Markers are highly experienced subject specialists who are very familiar with work on the topic

concerned — they may have read the source you are using (or even marked the essay you havecopied from!).

Internet search engines and specialised computer software can be used to match phrases or piecesof text with original sources and to detect changes in the grammar and style of writing orpunctuation.

Penalties for breaking the regulations

If your work is submitted and it is discovered that you have broken the regulations, one of the

following penalties will be applied:

the piece of work will be awarded zero marks;

you will be disqualified from that unit for that examination series;

you will be disqualified from the whole subject for that examination series;

you will be disqualified from all subjects and barred from entering again for a period of time.

Your awarding body will decide which penalty is appropriate.

REMEMBER – IT’S YOUR QUALIFICATION SO IT NEEDS TO BE YOUR OWN WORK

©2013

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Information for candidatesGuidelines when referring to examinations/assessments through the

Internet

This document has been written to help you. Please read it carefully.

We all like to share our experiences when taking examinations. However, it is important to consider

what you say. Your comments may lead to an investigation for malpractice and result in the

application of a penalty.

Awarding bodies monitor social media and websites. They do not wish to see candidates jeopardise

their marks or grades as there are significant consequences for anyone caught breaching the rules for

examinations, controlled assessment or coursework.

The rules are set by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) on behalf of all the awarding bodies and

can be found at: http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/malpractice

Examples of statements or activities that will lead to a malpractice investigation include:

• copying or allowing work to be copied – i.e. posting written work on social networking sitesprior to an examination/assessment;

• collusion: working collaboratively with other candidates beyond what is permitted;• allowing others to help produce your work or helping others with theirs;• being in possession of confidential material in advance of the examination;• exchanging, obtaining, receiving or passing on information by any means of communication

(even if just attempting to);• passing on rumours of exam content from another candidate.

This list is not exhaustive. Other instances of candidate malpractice may be considered

by an awarding body.

If you are found guilty of breaching any of these rules you could find yourself facing:

• a warning;• the loss of marks for a section, component or unit;• disqualification from a unit, all units or qualifications; or• a ban from sitting exams for a set period of time.

You must familiarise yourself with the rules:

http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/information-for-candidates-documents

Take care to avoid possible malpractice and the application of a penalty.

©JCQ 2013

http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/malpractice







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©2011


Warning to Candidates

1. You must be on time for all your examinations.

2. You must not become involved in any unfair or dishonest practicein any part of the examination.

3. You must not:

• sit an examination in the name of another candidate;

• have in your possession any unauthorised material orequipment which might give you an unfair advantage.

4. Possession of a mobile phone or other unauthorised material isbreaking the rules, even if you do not intend to use it, and youwill be subject to penalty and possible disqualification.

5. You must not talk to, attempt to communicate with or disturbother candidates once you have entered the examination room.

6. You must follow the instructions of the invigilator.

7. If you are in any doubt speak to the invigilator.

The W arn ing to Cand ida tes must be displayed in a prominent place outside each examination room.This may be a hard copy A3 paper version or an image of the poster projected onto a wall or screenfor all candidates to see.

Effective from 1 September 2011

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NO MOBILE PHONES, iPODs,

MP3/4 PLAYERS.

NO PRODUCTS WITH ANELECTRONIC

COMMUNICATION/STORAGE

DEVICE OR DIGITAL FACILITY.Possession of unauthorised items is an infringement of the

regulations and could result in

DISQUALIFICATION from the current examination and the overall qualification.

Candidates are advised that mobile phones in particular must not be in their possession whether switched on or not.

This poster must be displayed in a prominent place outside each examination room.

©2012

guide to exams 2013-14

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