EXAM TECHNIQUE

Check through the exam paper: Don’t race to start answering questions before you have checked through all pages. Read the instructions and all questions carefully. Do the easiest questions first. This will help you to gain some confidence and feel less panicked about the harder questions later on.

Examiners have to mark many papers at speed – they don’t have time to sit and consider what you might have meant by your answers. You can help them to see where you deserve marks by providing answers that are clear and easy to read. It’s a simple exam tip but can make a real difference.

Every year, students lose marks unnecessarily for silly errors. For example, they misread questions, they may answer too few – or too many questions or they type the wrong number.

Some papers will provide the amount of time they suggest you spend on each section whilst others do not. Either way, make sure you have a plan before you begin and have noted the time that you will aim to begin each section. Plan to finish at least ten minutes before the end of the exam to give yourself time to check over your paper.

Check carefully through all of your answers, looking for any obvious errors. Read through slowly to check for missing words and to see that your answers make sense. If you spot mistakes, change them, even if that makes handwritten papers look a bit untidy. Plan your time well so you are able to make these essential final checks.

Read the question properly. Seems obvious, we know, but you will feel tempted to jump ahead due to the time pressure and make assumptions. Read the question twice if you have to!

If this does happen, don’t panic! If there is a question you can’t answer, move on. There are easier marks to gain in this time and you can always go back to it. It may be a case of writer’s block, and you’ll be amazed what comes back to you in half an hour!

Faqs On The Day

1. What happens if my child is ill on the day?

Please email registrar@kgs.org.uk by 8.00am on the day of the exam. We will require you to then send us a doctor’s note, to confirm that your child was unfit to complete the exam that day, within 48 hours of the exam. We will then re-arrange the assessment.

2. What does my child need to wear?

We want your child to feel as comfortable as possible, so they can wear whatever they would like. However, they may find they concentrate better if they are wearing their school uniform.

Technology

3. What happens if we have not received the email with the exam links?

If you have not received the links by midday of the day before the exam, please email registrar@kgs.org.uk.

4. What if there are technical problems on the day?

If there are any technical problems and you are unable to communicate with the invigilator, please leave the Teams call and contact the Admissions Team on either 020 8939 8324 or 020 8481 3674.

We will be able to provide a solution so please do not worry. The most important thing is that your child does not become anxious or concerned if there are technical problems.

5. What browser should my child use?

We have tested the online system with the latest versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, and on a multitude of devices. We do not advise using Internet Explorer. To ensure that there are no problems, we strongly encourage you to practise with Microsoft Teams ahead of time.

6. What happens if I cannot get on the Teams link?

Please refer to Question 4.

7. What do I do if there are problems with emailing the answer sheets?

If you encounter problems emailing the files, please try again. The maximum file size that you may email us is 10Mb. If you find that your file is larger than this, please take another photograph, ensuring that you crop out anything other than the piece of paper. You may also send more than one email, so you may like to take photographs of smaller sections and upload those. Depending on the device you are using, you can usually select a smaller file size to send.

During The Exam

8. What happens if my internet crashes during the exam? Please refer to Question 4.

9. Can I be in the room during the exam?

You should be in the same room at the beginning of the exam to make sure your child is set up correctly and in contact with their invigilator and at the end of the exam to assist with emailing the answer sheets. If your child would prefer that you stayed in the room throughout the exam you are welcome to do so as long as you do not assist with the paper in any way. Any questions your child may have should be addressed directly to the invigilator.

10.Can my child go to the toilet during the exam?

Yes, they can. However, as with all exams, we would advise that they wait until the end of the paper, otherwise they will miss time during the exam that they could be answering questions. If they do need to go in the middle of the exam they will need to write a short message in the Teams chat function to alert the invigilator that they are leaving to go to the toilet. When they return they will need to write another short message to say they have returned.

11.Is my child allowed to drink/eat during the exam?

Your child may have a clear bottle of water with them but no food is allowed.

12.What equipment will my child need?

At least 8 sheets of lined/plain paper to record the handwritten English answer on. Printed Maths answer sheet on A4 paper. Pen (blue or black) and pencil.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on registrar@kgs.org.uk or 020 8939 8324 / 020 8481 3674