From Paper to People: The Hidden Challenges of Exam Season We have just completed the first week of the main summer exam timetable. This is a milestone that comes with both relief and renewed focus for exams officers, invigilators, teachers and school leaders. This time of year, always brings a unique mix of adrenaline and…
Let’s Talk Exam Inspections: What Centres Need to Know (and How to Prepare with Confidence) Exam inspections. Two words that can instantly raise the pulse of even the most experienced exams professional. In our online community, we regularly see exam staff sharing their inspection experiences – what went well, what did not and the lessons…
Recruiting and retaining invigilators has become increasingly challenging for many centres – so how do you build and retain a robust invigilation team? With exam seasons growing in complexity and with access arrangements rising year‑on‑year, having a dependable invigilation team is more important than ever. So how can you build and retain…
“Which Access Arrangement is the hardest to organise in your centre?” We have spent the last few weeks running polls across our LinkedIn and our *online community*. So, what are access arrangements? Access Arrangements are pre-examination adjustments, based on the normal way of working and evidence of need. They allow candidates/learners with special education needs, disabilities, or temporary…
From No Induction to Global Impact: Why I Pioneered Exams Officer Training There is a system called SIMS and that is where my journey into the world of exams began. There did not seem to be any Exams Officer Training. Before stepping into education, I had built my career in the civil service and the…
In this episode of Educational Insights, Paula, founder and director of Exam Officers and Data Solutions, is joined by Dr Robert Sharples. Rob is the founder of Heddle EAL, working with schools and MATs to embed effective EAL provision. He is the author of Teaching EAL: Evidence-based strategies for classrooms and schools and holds an…
Today Company Director and Founder planted some trees and they are more than just part of the company sustainability goals. They represent something deeper: the power of the right environment, support and determination helps us all to thrive. In this blog post Paula talks about where she was in her life journey when she started in business, where the company is now and her personal message to us all…..
Under Joint Council for Qualifications regulations, the Head of Centre is the person ultimately accountable for ensuring the security, integrity and compliance of examinations and assessments.
This responsibility extends to senior leaders who oversee exams administration, access arrangements and centre compliance. Without proper management training for exams, centres are exposed to unnecessary risk particularly during peak points in the exam cycle.
In this episode of Educational Insights, Paula, founder and director of Exam Officers and Data Solutions, is joined by Heather Rhodes, principal and founder of Highgrove Education.
Heather shares insights on the unique approach by Highgrove Education to providing a top-tier independent school education online and supporting students transitioning from traditional education.
Paula and Heather discuss barriers like rising exam fees, whether we need more than one awarding body, the impact of COVID-19 on schooling and innovative solutions such as remote invigilation.
Why CPD Matters for Exam Centres And How the Digital CPD Passport Brings Transparency and Confidence In exams management, administration and access arrangements, nothing stands still for long. Regulations evolve, expectations rise and responsibility across centres continues to grow. For those working in exams, SEND and access arrangements, strong, high-quality Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is…