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Why every centre should appoint an Exams Assistant

31 Dec 2024

The 2024 Exams Officer Survey revealed a series of areas which need to be addressed to support exams officers in performing their role and protecting the integrity and security of the examination system within centres.

The survey revealed a range of statistics which confirmed that exams officers need greater support if they are to perform their role effectively and efficiently. These include: 

  • 75.7% of exams officers spent more time administering examinations during the 2023/2024 academic year compared to the previous academic year
  • 73.1% of exams officers spent more time working on implementing access arrangements during the 2023/2024 academic year compared to the previous academic year
  • 55.8% of exams officers saw an increase in the use of word processors in examinations compared to previous years
  • 53.4% of exams officers do not receive any support/assistance in performing/undertaking their role
  • 51.3% of exams officers perform an additional role within their centre
  • 39% of centres do not have adequate succession planning, and/or support for a new exams officer, in place if their current exams officer were to decide to leave their role
  • 37.3% of exams officers believe that key staff within their centre (e.g. the head of centre/senior leadership team/line manager) believe that they are only required/busy when examinations are taking place within their centre
  • 30.8% of centres do not have adequate contingency plans in place in their centre if their exams officer were to be absent during a critical period (e.g. entry deadline, during an exam series, results day, etc.)
  • 18.6% of exams officers engage with six or more awarding organisations
  • 12.9% of exams officers found the volume of external examinations/assessments delivered in their centre during the 2023/2024 academic year to be unmanageable or difficult to manage
  • On average, an exams officer will manage 9.6 examination rooms during an exam session

These statistics reveal that in a significant number of centres not only is there a very strong case for appointing an individual to support the exams officer during busy periods within the exam cycle, but also to protect the integrity and security of the examination system. Where an exams officer is performing an additional role (in 51.3% of centres) there is an even stronger case for appointing an additional member of staff to support the exams officer in ensuring that all necessary tasks are completed to deadline.

Supporting the exams officer role

There are specific times during the academic year (and exam cycle) when an exams officer is particularly busy and requires additional support. This includes when:

  • Acquiring subject/candidate information from teaching staff and managing/updating this information
  • Making exam entries, particularly when several qualification types (with differing entry structures) are taken within a centre, or there are a large number of candidates taking examinations
  • Preparing for an exam series (for example, timetabling, rooming and seating plans)
  • During an exam series (for example, preparing examination rooms, exam room materials, sorting scripts ahead of dispatch)
  • Preparing for, and during, a results day
  • Managing post-results enquiries/requests

An exams officer will also need support when liaising with invigilators, including when communicating information such as invigilation rotas, dates of new invigilator training and update events, and handling HR related issues such as contracts, payroll information etc.

Other activities and situations which may require additional support include involvement in mock examinations and/or managing resilience arrangements.

Protecting the integrity and security of the examination system

The NAEO encourages centres to consider providing additional support for their exams officer in order to protect the integrity and security of the examination system within their centre.

An exams assistant could be utilised as the contingency measure in the event of the absence of an exams officer, and also to support succession planning when an exams officer leaves their post.

The importance of succession planning is also significant in supporting new exams officers, particularly during their initial days and weeks in post. The may also reduce the ‘churn’ of exams officers as the lack of support upon appointment is highlighted as one of the main reasons why a significant number of exams officers leave the post after 12 months or less.