Candidate Exam Handbook 2025
Introduction
The Portsmouth Grammar School is committed to ensuring that candidates are fully briefed on the exam and assessment processes in place in the centre and are made aware of the required JCQ/awarding body instructions and information for candidates.
Key Documents
Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the information in these documents, which have been written by JCQ (the body which oversees all external examinations) to outline the rules you must abide by when sitting external examinations.
Coursework
NEA
Written Exams
NEA and use of AI
Unauthorised Items
Warning to Candidates
Social Media
Privacy Notice
This link here takes you to the School’s Internal Appeals policy which you must follow if you believe that any nonexamination assessment you have completed has not been marked in line with the relevant mark scheme and guidance.
Malpractice
Examination malpractice is any act committed by a candidate single-handedly or in collaboration with others (for example fellow students, parents, teachers, supervisors, invigilators, or any group of people before, during or after an examination) in order to obtain undeserved marks or grades.
You should be aware that the following constitute malpractice:
Copying or allowing work to be copied.
Allowing others to help produce your work or helping others with theirs. This includes producing work using AI and not referencing its use appropriately i.e. passing off work generated by AI as if it were your own.
Being in possession of or sharing confidential assessment-related information in advance of the examination. Failing to report assessment-related information being shared online or passing on rumours of exam content.
To maintain the integrity of qualifications, strict regulations are in place. Any alleged, suspected or actual incidents of malpractice will be investigated and reported to the relevant awarding body.
Personal data
The JCQ Information for candidates document – Privacy Notice (Information about you and how we use it) –explains how awarding bodies collect information about examination candidates.
Copyright
The copyright of any work created by a candidate that is submitted to an awarding body for assessment (referred to as Assessment Materials) belongs to the candidate. By submitting this work, a candidate is granting the awarding body a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use their assessment materials (referred to as Assessment Licence). If a candidate wishes to terminate the awarding body’s rights for anything other than assessing his/her work, the awarding body must be notified by the centre, and it is at the discretion of the awarding body whether or not to terminate such rights.
Contingency Day - Summer 2025
The awarding bodies have designated the afternoon of Wednesday 11 June 2025 and the whole day of Wednesday 25 June 2025 as ‘contingency days’ for examinations. All candidates must remain available until this last date. The designation of a ‘contingency day’ within the common examination timetable is in the event of national or local disruption to examinations. It is part of the awarding bodies’ standard contingency planning for examinations.
What to do if you identify you have two or more exam papers timetabled at the same time (a timetable clash)
You will be informed by the Head of Examinations if you have a clash.
Prior to the start of your first clash exam please ensure personal belongings are left in your locker. At the end of your morning exam, you will be collected and escorted to your supervised room until the start of your afternoon exam. You may revise, using paper materials only, during the supervision period. You must not talk to anyone outside of the supervised room. Failure to comply can result in disqualification.
You will not be allowed to leave the supervised room at any time, except when escorted for lunch/toilet breaks.
In the event of a whole year group clash, individual instructions will be given. You will need to bring a packed lunch to eat whilst under supervision.
Where you will take your exams
Exam Rooms will be identified on your timetable.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you arrive at the correct exam room – please see the Head of Examinations if you are unsure of the location of an exam room.
What time your exams will start and finish
Morning exams will commence at 09:00.
Afternoon exams will commence at 14:00.
Please ensure you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the above start times.
Once in the exam room, you are not permitted to leave until the end of normal time.
Supervision during your exams
Exams will be supervised by a team of internal and external invigilators. Once in the exam room please direct any queries/concerns to an invigilator.
Exam Room Conditions
You must not enter the exam room until invited to do so by an invigilator. Upon entering the exam room, you are under formalexam conditions until the point at which you are permitted to leave. This means you must not talk to, attempt to communicate with or disturb other candidates once you have entered the examination room.
You must listen to and follow the instructions of the invigilator at all times in the exam room.
You must not talk to, attempt to communicate with or disturb other candidates once you have entered the exam room.
Once seated, check you have the correct exam paper. You must not fill in any details on the front cover until instructed to do so by the invigilator complete the details on the front cover. Do not open the paper until instructed to do so.
Breaches of examination conditions including a breach of the instructions or advice of an invigilator, failing to abide by the conditions of supervision, disruptive behaviour and the introduction of unauthorised material into the examination room are considered by the awarding bodies as malpractice. Those who have breached the regulations may be subject to penalties in accordance with the JCQ publication Suspected Malpractice: Policies and Procedures 2024-2025, viewable here: https://www.jcq.org.uk/malpractice
Toilet Breaks
Please ensure you use the toilet facilities prior to the start of your exam. If a toilet break is required during an exam, the time (taken out of the exam room) will not be added on at the end.
Where you will sit in the exam room
You will enter the exam room in candidate number order and will be seated in accordance with the seating plan. Invigilators will assist you in finding your seat.
How your identity is confirmed in the exam room
Exam ID cards must be brought to each exam and placed on your exam desk to enable you to be identified by the invigilators and in the event of a visit to the centre of an Exams Inspector.
Exam ID cards will be issued during the Spring Term of Year 11 or Year 13.
What you should wear for your exams
Candidates must be in full school uniform.
Anybody who cannot be identified due to the wearing of religious clothing, will be taken to a private room, and politely asked to remove the item for identification purposes.
What equipment you need to bring to your exams
It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct equipment for each exam. You must be aware of JCQ awarding body instructions regarding the use of calculators in your exams.
What you should/should not bring into the exam room
The following items must not be brought into an exam room:
Watches of any kind
Food/sweets of any kind – unless permission has been granted on medical grounds.Water is the only drink permitted in the examination room; no other liquids are allowed.
Mobile phones or any other electronic devices – unless permission has been granted on medical grounds. Personal belongings e.g. bags/coats/air pods
If you are found to have any of these items in your possession, you may be reported to the exam board.
The following items are permitted:
Transparent water bottles– free from packaging (no coloured bottles).
Calculator – please see regulations below.
Transparent pencil case
Exam ID card
Calculatorsmustbe:
of a size suitable for use on the desk either battery or solar powered free of lids, cases and covers which have printed instructions or formulae.
Calculatorsmustnot:
be designed or adapted to offer any of these facilities: language translators symbolic algebra manipulation symbolic differentiation or integration communication with other machines or the internet be borrowed from another candidate during an examination for any reason have retrievable information stored in them. This includes: databanks dictionaries mathematical formulae text
Thecandidateisresponsibleforthefollowing: the calculator’s power supply the calculator’s working condition clearing anything stored in the calculator
Invigilation
Before you are permitted to start your exam(s), the invigilator will: make sure you are seated according to the set seating arrangements tell you that you must now follow the regulations of the exam ask you to check that you have been given the correct question paper for the day, date, time, subject, unit/component. tell you to read the instructions on the front of the question paper. ask you to check that you have all the materials you need for the exam. tell you about any erratum notices instruct you about emergency procedures
The invigilator will also remind you that you must: hand in any unauthorised items (this includes mobile phones, headphones, earpods and watches) if you have not already done so (This is your final chance. Failure to do so may lead to disqualification) write clearly and in black ink write your first name, surname, centre number, candidate number and unit or component code or paper details on your answer booklet(s) and on any additional answer sheet(s) used fill in any other details as necessary write your answers in the designated sections of the answer booklet do all work, including rough work, in your answer booklet and neatly cross it through with a single line (for multiple-choice papers, you must do any rough work in the question booklet) neatly cross through any rough work but do not make it totally illegible, as it will be forwarded to the examiner
The invigilator will also remind you that you must not use correcting pens, fluid or tape, erasable pens, blotting paper and you must not use highlighters or gel pens in your answers. (You can use highlighters to highlight questions and text in extracts or resource booklets). doodle on or deface your answer paper in any way. This could also be considered malpractice. write on any part of your body before or during the exam as this is considered to be malpractice and must be reported to the exam board
The invigilator will:
tell you when you may complete the details on the front of your answer booklet tell you when you may begin to write your answers tell you the time allowed (the duration) of your paper(s) remind you that you must not communicate in any way with, ask for help from or give help to another candidate while you are in the exam room
The invigilator is not allowed:
to give you any information or answer any questions from you about the content of your exam paper unless it relates to the instructions on the front of the question paper
What to do if you arrive late for an exam
If you are going to arrive late due to unforeseen circumstances, please contact Reception as soon as possible on 023 9236 0036.You should also email at least one of your Head of Year, Mrs Valentine (d.valentine@pgs.org.uk) or Mrs Haslam (s.haslam@pgs.org.uk).
Upon arrival, please report to Reception where the Exams Officer will be notified.
What
to do if you are unwell on the day of an exam
Please inform Reception(023 9236 0036) immediately if you are unable to attend an exam. You should also email at least one of your Head of Year, Mrs Valentine (d.valentine@pgs.org.uk) or Mrs Haslam (s.haslam@pgs.org.uk).
If you are unwell on the day of an exam but still attend, please notify the The Head of Examinations (Mrs Valentine) prior to the start of the exam.
In order to apply for Special Consideration for an exam sat whilst ill, evidence from a medical professional must be provided.
If you suddenly feel unwell whilst in an exam room, please notify an invigilator.
Results
A Level Results day is Thursday 14 August 2025.
GCSE Results day is Thursday 21 August 2025.
Results can be collected from school from 08:00 for A Level and 10:00 for GCSE.
If you are unable to attend results day, and we very strongly recommend that you come into school in person to celebrate with your peers and access support if necessary, results will be published on the pupil portal shortly after the times listed above.
Results cannot be provided to any other person other than the candidate. Results cannot be given over the telephone.
Post-results services
In the event that you do not achieve the grades you hope for, the post-results service is available. Application forms and further information will be in your results envelope on results day.
Certificates
Certificates for the summer exam series will be issued in November. All certificates are posted to your home address, Royal Mail second class signed for. It is your responsibility to ensure the School Office is notified of any address changes. Please notify the Head of Examinations immediately if there are any discrepancies.
Further information
If you have any questions or would like any further information on the Summer 2025 exam series, please contact a member of staff as below:
Tutor
Head of Year
Head of Examinations: Mrs Valentine (d.valentine@pgs.org.uk)
Deputy Head (Academic & Staff Welfare): Mrs Haslam (s.haslam@pgs.org.uk)
Mrs Haslam can always be contacted in an emergency on 07850 601808.