The Crypt School
Introduction
Itistheaimoftheschooltoensuretheexamexperienceisassuccessfulaspossibleforallstudents. This booklet provides regulations, advice and guidance for students and their parents/ guardians. Please read the booklet carefully and discuss it with your parents/ guardians so that you know the regulations and, in the event of any problems occurring, that you know the procedures to follow.
The exam boards (also referred to as awarding bodies) set down strict criteria which must be followed for the conduct of examinations and the school is required to follow them precisely. You should therefore pay attention to the regulations that are printed at the back of the booklet (see Appendices).
If you or your parents/guardianshaveanyqueries or need help or advice at any time before, during or after the examinations, please contact:-
Exams Manager Mrs Hazel Wasley hwasley@crypt.gloucs.sch.uk
Exams Administrator Mrs Louise Coughlin lcoughlin@crypt.gloucs.sch.uk
School telephone number 01452 530291
Should the fire alarm sound during an exam these instructions must be followed in COMPLETE SILENCE.
Remain calm and await instructions from the invigilators.
You will be toldto stop writing and close yourquestion/answer papers. The time will be recorded.
When asked to do so you must leave the room in silence. Leave all equipment in the exam room. You will be taken to the designated assembly area where you will be kept separate from the rest of the school.
YOU MUST REMAIN SILENTANDNOT COMMUNICATE with anyone as you are still under exam conditions.
When you return to the exam room do not start writing until the invigilator tells you to do so. Any timelost willbe noted and added to theend of the exam toensureyou get the full timeallowed for that exam.
YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE INVIGILATORS
ExamRegulations
TheJointCouncilforQualifications(JCQ)layoutregulationsforexaminations.Youshouldreadand makesureyouunderstandalltheJCQnotices.Theywereemailedtoyouatthestartoftheacademic year, they are available on the school website and copies are included in the appendices of this booklet. Candidates who break these regulations will be reported to the exam board. The outcome of a breach in regulations may result in disqualification from a paper, subject or exam board. If you do not understand any of the rules please speak with exams office staff who will explain them to you.Allexampolicies,includinginternalappeals(howyoucanappealanonexaminedassessment mark awarded in school), can be found on the exam’s page of the school website.
YourData
JCQ publish a privacy notice “Information about you and howwe use it” You will find this document on the school website.Each awarding body has a full privacy notice:
AQA https://www.aqa.org.uk/about-us/privacy-notice
OCR https://www.ocr.org.uk/about/our-policies/website-policies/privacy-policy/
Pearson https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/about-us/qualification-brands/gdpr.html
WJEC https://www.eduqas.co.uk/home/data-protection/
Statementsofentry
All candidates receive a statement of entry indicating the subjects they are being entered for and, where applicable, the levels of entry. Some subjects only have one tier of entry; some have foundationorhighertiers.Pleasecheckthatthesearecorrect.Ifthereareanydiscrepancies,please let the exams office know so it can be checked. You must check everything on the statement of entryverycarefully. Checkthatallpersonaldetails(dateofbirth, spelling ofnamesandlegalname) are accurate as these will appear on certificates. The exam boards will charge a fee to amend any details printed on certificates, this can cost up to £55 per certificate awarded.
ExamTimetables
A copy of the school’s exam timetables for Summer 2023 is available on the school’s website https://www.cryptschool.org/academic-life/examinations . You will have received an individual timetable detailing the exams that you have been entered for with details of the date, time and duration of every exam. Check it carefully. It is advisable to take a photo of your timetable on your mobile phone. You will also receive digital copies of the following JCQ documents: ‘Information for Candidates–writtenexams2022-2023’,InformationforCandidates–SocialMedia’,‘JCQPreparing
to Sit Your Exams’ infographic, ‘Unauthorised items poster’ and ‘Warning to candidates poster’ –please make sure that you read these and take note of what is said on them.
If you think that there may be an error on your timetable, please visit the exams office immediately. Make sure that you know exactly when your exams are - especially whether they are morning or afternoon.
ContingencySessions
Three contingency sessions have been set for the Summer 2023 examinations by the awarding bodies. These are Thursday 8th June (afternoon), Thursday 15th June (afternoon) and Wednesday 28th June (all day). Students should remain available up to and including the final day of 28th June incaseanexamboardneedstoinvokeitscontingencyplan.Thedesignationofa‘contingencyday’ within the exam timetable is in the event of national or local disruption to exams. If you are not availableduringthisperiodforanacceptablereasonyouwillbeawardedzeromarksforanypapers that you miss.
Clashes
Some candidates may have a clash of exams, where two or more subjects are timetabled at the same time. The school will make special provisions for these candidates. Clashes have been resolved, and you will have received a letter with your timetable explaining the order you will take exams in and how and when you will be supervised. You will not be able to use the school canteen during a supervised break so should bring allof your own refreshments. You will have to hand your bags and revision materials into the exams office before your first exam. You will be supervised by an invigilator at all times.
Ifyouthinkthereisaclashonyourtimetablethathasnotbeenresolved,pleasetelltheexamsoffice immediately.
If a clash of exams totals three hours or less, we cannot give students any longer than a 20 minute supervised break which must be in the exam room. Students are not permitted to revise. If a clash ofexamstotalsmorethanthreehourswearepermittedtomoveanexamtoalaterorearliersession. Studentscanreviseintheirsupervisedbreak.WearenotpermittedtomoveanyAorASlevelmaths exams to an a.m. session.
OvernightSupervision
Overnight supervision arrangements must only be applied in rare and exceptional circumstances and as a last resort. When candidates are entered for multiple examinations (three or more) which are timetabled for the same day and the total duration is:
a) more than six hours for GCE examinations (AS, A2, A-level), including extra time and/or supervised rest breaks; or
b) more than five and a half hours for GCSE examinations, including extra time and/or supervised rest breaks;
Candidates may be allowed to take an examination the following morning, including Saturdays. Candidates are not allowed to take examinations on an earlier day than that scheduled on the timetable. The head of centre will decide if these arrangements areappropriate.
Examtimings
Be outside your exam room at least 15 minutes before the start of the exam.
Morning exams start promptly at 9.00am
Afternoon exams start promptly at 1.00pm, 1.15pm or 1.30pm
You are responsible for checking your timetable and arriving at school in good time. Ensure you allowenoughtimetogettoschoolsothatifyouaredelayedforanyreason-e.g.missedbus,heavy traffic etc - you will still arrive in time.
Latearrivalatanexam
If you are going to be late for your exam you must phone the school and explain why and how long you think you will be. Make sure you leave contact details so that the exams staff can call you to discussthebestplan. Ifyou are verylatefor an exam the exam boardwillneed tobeinformedand they may refuse to mark your paper.
Whenyoudoarrive,signinatreceptionandtheywillinformtheexamsoffice. Youshouldgostraight to your exam room and wait outside until exams staff arrive. They will read the regulations to you outside of the room, take your phone and valuables from you and then escort you to your seat.
Please make sure that your contact numbers are up to date on school records before exams start as we will phone all contacts if you do not arrive for your exam.
Illnessonthedayofanexam
Ifyou areso unwellonthe dayof theexam that youcannotattend,telephonethe schooland askto speak with the exams office. In certain circumstances the school may be able to apply for special consideration for absence from an exam. It is essential that medical or other appropriate evidence is obtained by the candidate or parent and sent to the exams office without delay.
MISSED EXAMS CANNOT BE TAKEN AT ALATER DATE OR TIME.
If you are unwell during the exam inform the invigilator at the time. Where appropriate, the school will apply for special consideration - so you may be asked to complete a medical form or provide a copy of the prescription for medication you are taking.
Examroomsandseating
The location of exam rooms is displayed on the exam board in theCrush Hall. You should check this when you arrive inschool. You will be sat by subject in candidate number order in a snake pattern. Students with laptops or extra time willgenerally be sat at the front of the hall or front or back of rooms 24 and 25. Students arenot permitted to sit in a separate room unless there is a specific history of need. If the request is due to a medical condition evidence will be required from a qualified professionalwho is not a GP.
Howyouareidentified
All candidates are required to wear full school uniform for exams. Hair must be tied back. The candidate cardplacedonyour deskmustnotbemoved,damagedordefaced.Thismustalwaysbe displayed.Candidatephotobookletsarekeptinexamrooms.Ifyouwearaheadcoveringthatcovers yourearsyouwillbeaskedtoshowyourearstoanappropriategendermemberof staffinaprivate room.
Examequipment
You should bring allthe required equipment to each exam.
Severalblackbirosorpens|pencils|rubbers|sharpener|mathssetasrequired|calculator(without case or lid) where permitted
Your pencil case must be clear and have no writing on. Maths sets should be in clear boxes or removed from theiroriginal box and the contents placed in your clear pencil case.
Where the use of a calculator is allowed you are responsible for making sure that your calculator meets the exam boards regulations as below. Should you use a calculator that has an exam mode functionyouwillneedtodemonstrateitinexamsmodeandthetimelapsedtotheinvigilatorsbefore the exam starts. If you cannot demonstrate this you will not be able to use the calculator.
You may bring highlighters to use in the question paper but you must not use highlighters in your answers.
If you have forgotten any equipment or it breaks whilst you are in the exam room raise your hand andaninvigilatorwillprovidewhatyouneed.Youmustneverborrowexamequipmentfromanother candidate once you are in the exam room.
Prohibited Items
These items must not be brought into the exam room (see Appendix 1) mobile phones | watches | iPods I headphones I earphones I electrical devices | web enabled sources of information | glasses cases | calculator lids | textbooks | notes of any kind
You should have no writing on you. Writing on your hands, arms etc is classed as notes.
In 2022mobilephones/ other communication devices accounted for 43% of allstudent penalties across all exams. Those students, as a minimum sanction, received zero marks for that paper.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR HARD WORK BECAUSE OF A PHONE
Mobile phones, earphones, watches and other valuables should be handed in to the invigilators prior to theexam inexchange for anumbered token. They willbesecuredand returnedtoyouat theend of the exam after wehavedealtwithyouranswer papers.Alternatively,youmayleavetheseitemsinyourbag outside the exam room, but this is done entirely at your own risk.
Food and Drink
Only water in a see-through bottle or container with labels removed and no logos or writing on may be brought intotheexam room.Asportscapispreferredandthebottleshouldbeplacedonthefloor.Food is not allowed unless there is a specific need and arrangements have been made with the exams office staff.
If you require medication to be available during the exam see the exams office staff beforehand.
Invigilators
Invigilators are in the exam room to supervise the conduct of the examination. They will distribute and collect the exam papers, give out instructions relating to the exam, hand out extra writing paper or equipment if required and deal with any problems that occur during the examination, for example: if a candidate is feeling unwell.
If you need to attract the attention of an invigilator raise your hand clearly.
The exam room (see Appendix 1,2,3 and 4)
You will remain outside the exam room until you are invited in by the invigilators. You must enter the exam room in silence, as from the moment you enter you are under exam conditions. You must go straight to your seat and must not communicate with any other candidates in any way.
If you have access arrangements such as a laptop or extra time and these are not provided please tell an invigilator immediately.
Remember that you must always follow the instructions of the invigilators in the exam room.
You must not borrow equipment from another candidate. This willbe treated as communicating.
You may go to the toilet during an exam but the time lost will not be added to the exam finish time. Once inside the room JCQ exam regulations apply and you MUST be silent. You must not talk or communicate nonverbally with other students until the exam has ended and you have left the exam room.
After papers have been collected in you should remain seated in silence until you are dismissed by the invigilators.
When outside the exam room remember to show consideration for other candidates who may still be working.
Theexampaper(seeAppendix1,2,3and4)
Do not write anything on the paper until you are told to do so by the invigilator.
Do not open the exam paper until you are told to do so by the invigilator.
Check you have the correct question paper – check the subject, paper name and tier of paper.
Listen carefully to the instructions and notices read out by the invigilators – there may be amendments to the exam paper that you need to know about.
Pleasewriteyouranswersinblackink.Rememberyoumustnotusecorrectingfluid/pens,gelpens or erasable pens.
Read all questions carefully and number youranswers clearly.
If you finish early use the remaining time to recheck your answers, spelling, punctuation, grammar etc.
Cross out any rough work you do not want to be marked with a single line.
Remember to complete your name, candidate number and centre number on all additional answer sheets used and insert them into the front of the answer book.
Question papers, answer booklets and additional papermust not beremoved from the exam room.
Do not write or draw anything inappropriate, offensive or obscene in your answer book – you may lose marks if you do (see Appendix 7)
Behaviour
TheexamsofficemustreporteveryincidentthatbreachesJCQrulestotheexamboards.Penalties from the exam boards can range from a warning to being barred from taking any exams for a set periodoftime.Pleaseseeappendix7forsomeofthesanctionsexamboardswillaward.Youshould understandthatifyouarefoundwithamobilephoneinanexamyouwillreceivezeromarksforthat paper.
Should a report need to be made to the exam board you will be given the opportunity to make a statement. Your parents/guardians willbe informed.
Students must behave in a respectful manner towards allinvigilatorsand follow their instructions.
SpecialConsideration
In certain circumstances the school can apply for special consideration for students who are disadvantaged at the time of an exam or assessment. You may be illorhave a family member who is very ill, suffered a bereavement or have significant difficulties at home.
Althoughtheschoolmayapplyfor specialconsiderationon yourbehalftheexam boardswilldecide if it is awarded. Awards range from 0%, where boards recognise there is a disadvantage but not enoughtomeritapercentageincreaseto5%inthemostseverecases.Wherespecialconsideration is awarded the school is not told the percentage awarded.
Special consideration is not awarded for long term conditions and we cannot apply if you have not been fully prepared or completed the course.
If you think you may qualify please speak with your tutor or head of year or the exams officer. Your parent or guardian can also contact school. Please do this as soon as possible so we can comply with JCQ deadlines. You may be required to provide evidence to support the application. You may be asked to provide copies of prescriptions, hospital appointments or referrals etc.
ExamResultsInformation
A Level Results Day Thursday 17th August 2023
Year 13 results available for collection from school from 8am.
GCSE Results Day Thursday 24th August 2023
Year 11 results available for collection from school from 8am.
Year 10 and 9 resultsavailable for collection from school from 11am.
Any results not collected on results day will be posted to your home address as held on Cloud School.
If you are unable to attend and wish someone else to collect your results please visit the exams office for a Results Permission Form. This must be completed and returned to the exams office by Friday 9th June. The person collecting your results must bring a form of their photo ID with them. Without this ID they will not be given your results. Thisalsoappliestofamilymembers.
Results will not be emailed unless you are unable to get here and have requested us to do this by Friday 9 th June. They will only be emailed to your school email address and will not be sent out at 8am.
Statementofresults
Your statement will provide your provisional grades and will be needed to enrol in sixth form or college. Where exam boards make marks available on their candidate results slips these will also be provided to candidates. Not all exam boards provide this service. If you find there are no marks displayed, please speak with your subject teacher or exams office staff who will be able to provide them. They will also be able to provide a breakdown of your marks by paper. Subject grade boundaries will be displayed inthe hall.
PostResultsServices
Hopefully you will be pleased with your results but some of you may find it necessary to request a review of your result. You should discuss your results with the relevant member of staff. There are several options
Service 1Clerical re-check whichchecks therecording, totallingand that allpartsofthe script have been marked (completion 10 days).
Service 2 Review of marking which is a review of the original marking to ensure that the agreed mark scheme has been applied correctly. Also includes service 1 (completion 20 days).
ForAlevel andsomeGCSEsapriorityservice2canberequested.It isthesameasaservice2but completed within15 days. This should be used where your university or college placeisdependent on the result. You MUST inform the university/college that you are waiting for a review of a result. They may be able to hold your place pending the result but only if YOU tell them.
Exam boards charge for these services and you will need to pay at the time you make a request. We hope to have arrangements in place by results days for payments to be made online.
Youshouldnotethatresultscangodown,uporstaythesame.
Onceyouhaverequestedareviewitcannotbecancelled.
Details of all fees and services will be available on the school website once exam boards have published their results guides for the summer. They will also be available in school on results day along with the application form for all post result services including access to scripts.
All applications must be received by the school published deadline. Applications will only be submitted wherethe exams office has received the fee and signed consent from the candidate.
If the review results in an upward change of overall grade you will receive a refund.
Exam office staff will be available to process requests for post results services on results days.
17th August – 8.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.
18th August – 9.00 a.m. – 11.00 a.m.
24th August – 8.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m
25th August – 9.00 a.m. – 11.00 a.m.
RetentionofWork
Centres are required to retain candidates’ marked coursework, under secure conditions, whether it was partof themoderation sample ornot, until all possibility of a review of moderation haspassed. If no request for collection of work has been submitted to the relevant department, the disposal of all coursework will start in October. If you do not request your work, it will be securely destroyed.
Certificates
Certificates are issued to the school after all the reviews of marking have been completed. GCSE certificates are given to students still at the school in November/ December. Former sixth form students are invited to return to school towards the end of December to collect their A level certificates. The date will be publicised on Twitter and the school Facebook page.
Toarrangecollectingyourcertificatesatanyothertimeemaillcoughlin@crypt.gloucs.sch.uk giving two working days’ notice. Please include your full name, date of birth and a contact telephone number. Certificates will then be available to collect from reception during school hours (8.35am –3.30pm). Please bring current photo ID. A friend or relative can collect certificates on your behalf but the school will need signed permission from you authorising the collection. An email sent from your personal university/ college or work email address is also acceptable. The person collecting your certificatesmustshowsomeoftheircurrentphoto ID.Certificates areexpensiveandtaketime to replace. Once you have collected them store them securely.
The schoolislegallyonly requiredtokeep certificatesforone yearafterwhichtheycanbesecurely destroyed. Wekeep certificates for 7 years. Ifyou havelostor not collected your certificatesintime you should contact the exam boards for replacements – please see https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate for more information. The exam boards may ask you for the school’s centre number which is 57117.
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: a)- notes; b) - an iPod, a mobile phone, a MP3/4 player or similar device, or a watch. 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 If you have a watch, the invigilator will ask you to hand it to them.
6 Do not use correcting pens, fluid or tape, erasable pens, highlighters or gel pens in your answers.
7 Do not talk to or try to communicate with or disturb other candidates once the exam has started.
8 You must not write inappropriate, obscene or offensive material.
9 If you leave the exam room unaccompanied by an invigilator before the exam has finished, you will not be allowed to return.
10 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. Arrive at least ten minutes before the start of each exam.
2 If you arrive late for an exam, report to the invigilator running the exam.
3 If you arrive more than one hour after the published starting time for the exam, you may not be allowed to take it.
4 Only take into the exam room the pens, pencils, erasers and any other equipment which you need for the exam.
5 You must write clearly and in black ink. Coloured pencils or inks may only be used for diagrams, maps, charts, etc. unless the instructions printed on the front of the question 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: a) make sure it works properly; check that the batteries are working properly; b) clear anything stored in it; c) remove any parts such as cases, lids or covers which have printed instructions or formulae; d) 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. Always follow their instructions.
2 Tell the invigilator at once if: a) you think you have not been given the right question paper or all of the materials listed on the front of the paper; b) 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 Do not start writing anything until the invigilator tells you to fill in all the details required on the front of the question paper and/ or the answer booklet before you start the exam. Do not open the question paper until you are instructed that the exam has begun.
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, including those used for rough work.
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: a) you have a problem and are in doubt about what you should do; b) you do not feel well; c) 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 supplementary answer sheets, place them in the correct order.
Place any loose additional answer sheets inside your answer booklet. 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 any stationery from the exam room. This includes the question paper, answer booklets used or unused, rough work or any other materials provided for the exam
This document tells you about some things that you must and must not do when you are completing your work.
When you submit your work for marking, the awarding body will normally require you to sign an authentication statement confirming that you have read and followed the regulations.
If there is anything that you do not understand, you must ask your teacher.
Preparing your work — good practice
If you receive help and guidance from someone other than your teacher, you must tell your teacher who 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 must each write up your own account of the assignment. Even if the data you have is the same, you must describe in your own words how that data was obtained and you must independently draw your own conclusions from the data.
You must meet the deadlines that your teacher gives you. Remember – your teachers are there to guide you. Although they cannot give you direct assistance, they can help you to sort out any problems before it is too late.
Take care of your work and keep it safe. Do not leave it lying around where your classmates can find it or share it with anyone, including posting it on social media. 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 all copies from the printer and destroy those you do not need.
Do not be tempted to use pre-prepared online solutions – this is cheating. Electronic tools used by awarding bodies can detect this sort of copying.
You must not write inappropriate, offensive or obscene material.
Research and using references
In some subjects you will have an opportunity to do some independent research into a topic.
The research you do may involve looking for information in published sources such as textbooks, encyclopaedias, journals, TV, radio and on the internet.
Using information from published sources (including the internet) as the basis for your assignment is a good way to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a subject. You must take care how you use this material though – 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’.
When producing a piece of work, if you use the same wording as a published source, you must place quotation marks around the passage and state where it came from. This is called ‘referencing’. You must make sure that you give detailed references for everything in your work which is not in your own words. A reference from a printed book or journal should show the name of the author, the year of publication and the page number, for example: Morrison, 2000, p29.
For material taken from the internet, your reference should show the date when the material was downloaded and must show the precise web page, not the search engine used to locate it. This can be copied from the address line. For example: http://news.bbc.co.uk/
onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/28/newsid_2621000/2621915.stm, downloaded 5 February 2023.
You may be required to include a bibliography at the end of your piece of written work. Your teacher will tell you 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, for example: Curran, J. Mass Media and Society (Hodder Arnold, 2005).
If you copy the words or ideas of others and do not show your sources in references and a bibliography, this will be considered as cheating.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism involves taking someone else’s words, thoughts or ideas and trying to pass them off as your own. 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 work you have copied from!
– Internet search engines and specialised computer software can be used to match phrases or pieces of text with original sources and to detect changes in the grammar and style of writing or punctuation.
Penalties for breaking the regulations
If 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 component 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.
The awarding body will decide which penalty is appropriate.
REMEMBER – IT’S YOUR QUALIFICATION SO IT NEEDS TO BE YOUR OWN WORK
©JCQ 2022 – Effective from 1 September 2022
This document tells you about some things that you must and must not do when you are completing coursework.
When you submit any coursework for marking, you will be asked to sign an authentication statement confirming that you have read and followed these regulations.
If there is anything that you do not understand, you must ask your teacher. In some subjects you will have an opportunity to do some independent research into a topic. The research you do may involve looking for information in published sources such as textbooks, encyclopaedias, journals, TV, radio and on the internet.
Using information from published sources (including the internet) as the basis for your coursework is a good way to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a subject. You must take care how you use this material though – 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 the passage and state where it came from. This is called ‘referencing’. You must make sure that you give detailed references for
everything in your work which is not in your own words. A reference from a printed book or journal should show the name of the author, the year of publication and the page number, for example: (Morrison, 2000, p29).
For material taken from the internet, your reference should show the date when the material was downloaded and must show the precise web page, not the search engine used to locate it. This can be copied from the address line. For example: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/28/newsid_2621000/2621915.stm, downloaded 5 February 2023.
You may be required to produce a bibliography at the end of your work. This must list the full details of publications you have used in your research, even where these are not directly referred to, for example: Curran, J. Mass Media and Society (Hodder Arnold, 2005).
If you copy the words or ideas of others and do not show your sources in references and a bibliography, this will be considered as cheating
Preparing your coursework — good practice
If you receive help and guidance from someone other than your teacher, you must tell your teacher who will then record the nature of the assistance given to you.
Your parent/carer may provide you with access to resource materials and discuss your coursework with you. However, they must not give you direct advice on what should or should not be included.
If you worked as part of a group on an assignment, you must each write up your own account of the assignment. Even if the data you have is the same, the description of how that data was obtained and the conclusions you draw from it should be in your own words.
You must meet the deadlines that your teacher gives you. Remember - your teachers are there to guide you. Although they cannot give you direct assistance, they can help you to sort out any problems before 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 or share it with anyone, including posting it on social media. You must always keep your coursework 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 all copies from the printer and destroy those you do not need.
Don’t be tempted to use pre-prepared online solutions – this is cheating. Electronic tools used by awarding bodies can detect this sort of copying.
You must not write inappropriate, offensive or obscene material.
Penalties for breaking the regulations
If 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.
The awarding body will decide which penalty is appropriate.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism involves taking someone else’s words, thoughts or ideas and trying to pass them off as your own. It is a form of cheating which is taken very seriously.
REMEMBER – IT’S YOUR QUALIFICATION SO IT NEEDS TO BE YOUR OWN WORK
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 work you have copied from!
– Internet search engines and specialised computer software can be used to match phrases or pieces of text with original sources and to detect changes in the grammar and style of writing or punctuation.
APPENDIX 7
INDICATIVE SANCTIONS AGAINST CANDIDATES
Thistableisforguidanceonlyandsanctionscanbeflexiblyappliedaccordingtothedetailsofeachindividualcase
Ininstanceswheretheboxisblank,thesanctionmaybeused.
Thestructureofawardingbodies’qualificationscandifferandthereforealltheavailablesanctionsmaynotberelevantforeveryqualification.
Typeofoffence Warning (Sanction1)
Introductionofunauthorisedmaterialintotheexaminationroom,forexample:
Lossofmarks (Aggregationstillpermitted) (Sanctions2-4)
Ownblankpaper usedforroughwork usedforfinalanswers
Calculators,dictionaries (whenprohibited)
Bringingintotheexaminationroom notesinthewrongformatorprohibited annotations
Unauthorisednotes,studyguidesand personalorganisers
Mobilephoneorsimilarelectronic devices(includingiPod,MP3/4player, memorysticks,Smartphone, Smartwatch)
notused usedorattemptedtouse
notes/annotationsgobeyondwhatis permittedbutdonotgivean advantage;contentirrelevanttosubject
contentirrelevanttosubject
notinthecandidate’spossessionbut makeanoiseintheexaminationroom
Watches(notSmartwatches) incandidate’spossession
Breachesofexaminationconditions
Abreachoftheinstructionsoradviceof aninvigilator,supervisor,orthe awardingbodyinrelationtothe examinationrulesandregulations
Failingtoabidebytheconditionsof supervisiondesignedtomaintainthe securityandintegrityofthe examinations
minornon-compliance:e.g.sittingina non-designatedseat;continuingtowrite forashortperiodafterbeingtoldtostop
leavingexaminationearly(nolossof integrity);removingscriptfromthe examinationroom,butevidenceofthe integritywasmaintained
notes/annotationsarerelevantandgivean unfairadvantage
contentrelevanttosubject
inthecandidate’spossessionbutnoevidence ofbeingusedbythecandidate
Lossofaggregationorcertificationopportunity (Sanctions5-9)
majornon-compliance:e.g.refusingtomove toadesignatedseat;significantamountof writingafterbeingtoldtostop
removingscriptfromexaminationroombut withnoproofthatthescriptissafe;taking homematerials
notes/annotationsintroducedinadeliberate attempttogainanadvantage
relevanttosubjectandevidenceofuse
inthecandidate’spossessionandevidenceof beingusedbythecandidate
repeatednon-compliance
deliberatelybreakingatimetableclash supervisionarrangement;removingscriptfrom theexaminationroomandwithproofthatthe scripthasbeentamperedwith;leaving examinationroomearlysointegrityisimpaired
Disruptivebehaviourintheexamination roomorassessmentsession(including useofoffensivelanguage)
minordisruptionlastingashorttime; callingout,causingnoise,turningaround
repeatedorprolongeddisruption; unacceptablyruderemarks;beingremoved fromtheexaminationroom;takinganother’s possessions
Exchange,obtaining,receiving,orpassingoninformationwhichcouldbeexaminationrelated(ortheattemptto):
Verbalcommunication isolatedincidentsoftalkingbeforethe startoftheexaminationorafterpapers havebeencollected
Communication passing/receivingwrittencommunications whichclearlyhavenobearingonthe assessment
Offencesrelatingtothecontentofcandidates’work
Theinclusionofinappropriate,offensive orobscenematerialinscripts,controlled assessments,coursework,nonexaminationassessmentsorportfolios
Collusion:workingcollaborativelywith othercandidatesbeyondwhatis permitted
Plagiarism:unacknowledgedcopying fromorreproductionofpublished sources(includingtheinternet); incompletereferencing
isolatedoffensivewordsordrawings
talkingduringtheexaminationaboutmatters notrelatedtotheexam;accepting examinationrelatedinformation
warningsignored;provocativeoraggravated behaviour;repeatedorloudoffensive comments;physicalassaultonstafforproperty
talkingaboutexaminationrelatedmattersduring theexam;whisperinganswerstoquestions
acceptingassessmentrelatedinformation passingassessmentrelatedinformationtoother candidates;helpingoneanother;swapping scripts
Frequentoffensivewordsordrawings; isolatedobscenityoroffensivecomments directedatanindividualorgroup
Frequentobscenities;discriminatorylanguage remarksordrawingsdirectedatanindividualor group
collaborativeworkisapparentinafew areas,butpossiblyduetoteacheradvice; candidateunawareoftheregulations
minoramountofplagiarism/poor referencinginplaces
collaborativeworkbeginstoaffectthe examiner’sabilitytoawardafairmarktoan individualcandidate
plagiarismfrompublishedworklistedinthe bibliographyorreferenced; or minoramount ofplagiarismfromasourcenotlistedinthe bibliographyorreferenced
candidates’workreflectsextensivesimilarities andidenticalpassages;duetoadeliberate attempttosharework
plagiarismfrompublishedworknotlistedinthe bibliographyorreferenced; or plagiarisedtext consistsofthesubstanceoftheworksubmitted andthesourceislistedinthebibliographyor referenced
Makingafalsedeclarationof authenticity
sectionsofworkdonebyothers,butmost stilltheworkofthecandidate
lendingworknotknowingitwouldbe copied permittingexaminationscript/worktobe copied;showingothercandidates’answers
mostoralloftheworkisnotthatofthe candidate Copyingfromanothercandidateor allowingworktobecopied(including themisuseoftechnology)
copyingfromanothercandidate’sscript, controlledassessment,coursework,nonexaminationassessment;borrowingworkto copy
Underminingtheintegrityoftheexaminations/assessments
Thedeliberatedestructionofwork minordamagetoworkwhichdoesnot impairvisibility
Thealterationorfalsificationofany resultsdocument,includingcertificates
defacingscripts;destructionofcandidate’s ownwork
significantdestructionofanothercandidate’s work
falsification/forgery
Misuseof,orattemptedmisuseof, assessmentmaterialandresources
attemptingtosourceassessmentrelated informationonline
acceptingassessmentrelatedinformation withoutreportingittotheawardingbody
misuseofassessmentmaterialorexamrelated informationincluding:attemptingtogainor gainingpriorknowledgeofassessment information;improperdisclosure(including electronicmeans);receiptofassessment informationfromtheexaminationroom; facilitatingmalpracticeonthepartofothers; passingordistributingassessmentrelated informationtoothers
Removingorstealinganycandidate’s work
Personation
Behavinginawayastounderminethe integrityoftheexamination/ assessment
Useofsocialmediafortheexchange andcirculationofrealorfake assessmentmaterial
attemptingtosourcesecureassessment relatedinformationonline/viasocial media
accepting/receivingrealorfakeassessment relatedinformationviasocialmediawithout reportingittotheawardingbody
Unauthorisedremovalofanycandidate’swork (e.g.project/coursework)
deliberateuseofwrongnameornumber; personatinganotherindividual;arrangingtobe personated
forexample,attemptingtoobtaincertificates fraudulently;attemptedbribery;attemptingto obtainorsupplyexammaterialsfraudulently
misuseofassessmentmaterial(realorfake) including:attemptingtogainorgainingprior knowledgeofassessmentinformationviasocial media;improperdisclosureofrealorfake assessmentinformation;passingordistributing realorfakeassessmentrelatedinformationto others
Obstructingorhinderingamalpractice investigation
Standardsanctions:
1.warning;
2.lossofallmarksgainedforasection;
3.lossofallmarksgainedforacomponent;
4.lossofallmarksgainedforaunit;
Failingtoreportsuspectedmalpracticeby othercandidates
Providingincompleteinformationtothose gatheringinformationforamalpractice investigation
Providingmisleadingand/orsignificantly incompleteinformationtothosegathering informationforamalpracticeinvestigation
5.disqualificationfromtheunit;
6.disqualificationfromallunitsinoneormorequalificationstakenintheseries;
7.disqualificationfromthewholequalification;
8.disqualificationfromallqualificationstakeninthatseries;
9.barredfromenteringforexaminationsforasetperiodoftime
