British School Muscat Exams Guide Summer 2012

1. British School MuscatExams Guide Summer 2012 This brief guide is designed to inform you about the A level and GCSE exams running in 2012 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 summer exams, and use it for reference,

2. Timetables In addition to the general final timetables which have been published, all students have received a personal Statement of Entry and timetable for their written examinations. • 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 • Checklist • 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?

3. Timetable Clashes • Sometimes candidates find they have two or more exams scheduled for the same start time when they check their draft 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. • If you have not been contacted by the Exams Officer in the week before any clash exams, please go inform Mrs Read . Do not wait until the day of the exam to do this. • ‘PENS’ 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, or ‘Pens” 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,

4. Exam Days • Arrive in plenty of time. • Morning exams start at 12.00 noon • Afternoon exams start at 16.30 Be ready outside your exam room at least 15 minutes before these start times. • Know your candidate number before you enter the exam room. These will be 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 absenteesvery 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, the Exam Board could still decline to mark your paper .

5. Exam Room Rules All candidates must observe the rules in the ‘Information for Candidates’ and ‘Warning to Candidates’ posters displayed in every exam room DODONT Use black biros or pencils only DON’T Bring in your mobile, iPod etc Clear your calculator memory DON’T use gel pens Put drinks in clear plastic bottles – no labels DON’T use Tippex Use clear plastic pencil cases only DON’T talk in the exam room Hint – use a clear plastic food bag for your stationery • Don’t forget your calculator. NO MOBILE PHONES Hint; Prepare everything the night before the exam OR BAGS IN ANY EXAM ROOM • If you finish early, use the time to check your • answers - you will not be allowed to leave before the official end of the exam. • Sit quietly at your desk so as not to disturb other candidates. • Raise your hand if you need assistance from an invigilator

6. 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. Always ask to speak to the Exams Officer, Mrs Read, if the invigilator cannot deal with any problem you may have during an exam. Invigilators • If you experience any difficulty during an exam, raise your hand and an invigilator will come to your assistance. • But they cant help you with the answers!

7. Results • Results Days for 2012 are GCEs GCSEs Thursday Aug 16th Thursday Aug 23rd • Results will be available to collect in school between 10.00 and 13.00 on each results day. • If you are out of the country on results day, your AQA and WJEC results can be e-mailed to you. Edexcel results can be viewed online and you should have now received a secure PIN number to access their site during the summer term. • Candidates will also be phoned and e mailed where they have preauthorised the service by returning a data collection form .

8. 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 and on our website from each Results day until the deadline dates. All students will be required to pay in in full in advance for any request s for these services. • Deadlines for applications are often extremely tight following the issue of results so students need to act quickly • All post results services require the student’s written consent so please ensure you sign the application forms.

9. 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.