As we approach the summer exams series, now is the time for all centres to consider their contingency planning to mitigate the disruption to exams within their centre.
Understandably, to protect the integrity and security of the examination system, contingency planning is a key focus area for JCQ – as reflected in the updating of their General Regulations for Approved Centres document for the 2024/2025 academic year which require centres to:
‘…have an up to date written contingency plan [which] must cover all aspects of examination/assessment administration and delivery. Senior leaders must have robust contingency arrangements in place that will minimise the risk to examination/assessment administration and delivery and any adverse impact on candidates.’
The three areas in particular where centres must ensure adequate contingency planning are in the event of:
- the head of centre, relevant senior leader(s) with oversight of examination and assessment administration, SENCo/ALNCo, examinations officer or any other key staff essential to the examination process being absent at a critical stage of the examination cycle
- the potential impact of other events such as flooding which could lead to all or parts of the centre becoming unavailable (As part of their contingency plan centres must identify an alternative site if examinations cannot be conducted at the registered address. Larger centres may require more than one potential alternative site or different sites for different Year Groups
- potential issues with the centre’s IT systems.
Support and guidance
The NAEO recommends that senior leaders with responsibility for examinations within their centre refer to the advice and guidance provided by stakeholders which includes the following:
Exams officer role
Although it is not the responsibility of exams officers to lead on contingency planning within their centre, they do have a duty to share their expertise to provide advice and guidance to their senior leader/line manager, particularly when considering the contingency measures to mitigate the impact of their absence. Therefore, the NAEO encourages exams officers to take the following steps:
- Meet with their senior leader/line manager to discuss the measures which need to be put in place ahead of the exams series to mitigate their absence
- Write a list of key tasks to be completed each week so a senior leader can immediately designate tasks to ensure that these are complete, and where necessary, to the relevant deadline
- List the actions to be taken before each exam session and before and after each exam day (see The Exams Office Exam Day Checklist template for more information)
- Create and update a centre exams manual which should include:
- General information – e.g. key dates; awarding body contact details; MIS provider guides/information, etc
- Key documents – templates/forms, guides, checklists, etc as used within your centre each academic term
- Compliance – records of inspection reports
- Policies – a repository for exams-related policies/procedures
- Invigilation – a record of training given to invigilators and copies of certificates
- Provide their senior leader/line manager with access to a login to The Exams Office Hub so they can acquire key support materials/centre related information
- Request that a nominated member of staff to be trained to provide support during busy periods and to step into the role at short notice if/when required
Cyber security
Centres should not underestimate the growing threat from cyber-attacks and appreciate that to protect the integrity and security of the examination system, Ofqual and JCQ will continue to focus on this area in the coming years.
Senior leaders must appreciate that even with the most stringent cyber security measures in place, a centre’s cyber security is only as robust as its weakest link – namely an individual who is unaware of the importance of maintaining their personal cyber security/protection and who unintentionally engages in bad practice which allows ‘bad actors’ to infiltrate a centre’s system.
Consequently, the NAEO encourages all senior leaders to deploy an education/awareness programme which ensures that staff are engaging in best practice relating to cyber security – this programme should also address the following JCQ requirements as detailed in section 3.21 of the General Regulations for Approved Centres document:
- Providing training for authorised staff on the importance of creating strong unique passwords and keeping all account details secret
- Providing training for staff on awareness of all types of social engineering/phishing attempts
- Enabling additional security settings wherever possible
- Updating any passwords that may have been exposed
- Setting up secure account recovery options
- Reviewing and managing connected applications
- Monitoring accounts and regularly reviewing account access, including removing access when no longer required
- Ensuring authorised members of staff securely access awarding bodies’ online systems in line with awarding body regulations regarding cyber security and the JCQ document Guidance for centres on cyber security: https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/general-regulations
- Ensuring authorised staff will have access, where necessary, to a device which complies with awarding bodies’ multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirements
- Reporting any actual or suspected compromise of an awarding body’s online systems immediately to the relevant awarding body.
To support centres in delivering a quality – and affordable – cyber security education programme to all staff, but in particular exams officer staff, the NAEO is partnering with The Exams Office and The Learning and Skills Office to provide centres with an education and awareness raising programme which covers:
- Certificated training and assessment for all staff which addresses JCQ regulations and requirements
- Good practice resources to share with staff
- Support materials to utilise in staff training during INSET days/sessions
- Links to the latest best practice guidance to develop the knowledge and understanding of the senior leader responsible for cyber security
The cost of this package will be discounted for centres which have a membership to The Exams Office. Further information will be sent to centres during March.