The Power of Reflection: Why Every Exams Team Should Complete an End of Year Review – by Director and Company Founder Paula Wood End of Year Exams Reflection As another academic year draws to a close, many exam professionals find themselves moving straight from the final exam series into results preparation, claims, planning meetings and the inevitable “to do”…
There is something special about a conversation. Every Conversation Has the Power to Change Education. Not the kind squeezed into a meeting agenda or hidden in a long email chain, but the conversations where people share their experiences, challenge ideas, celebrate successes and openly discuss the realities of working in education. That is exactly why…
Why Real-World Experience Matters in Exams Assist Training At Exam Officers & Data Solutions Ltd, we are delighted to continue as the official training partner of Exams Assist, providing practical, engaging and professional training to schools, colleges and education providers across the UK. Technology is a powerful tool, but even the best…
Why Centres Struggle to Recruit Exam Officers – And What to Do About It. Recruiting a great Exams Officer/Manager is one of the biggest challenges that can face a school and college. Across the education sector, leaders are all asking for the same thing: experience. But what happens when experienced candidates are in short supply,…
Special Consideration in Exams: What It Really Means and Why It Matters More Than You Think Every summer, as the main exam season unfolds, there are thousands of unseen stories running alongside exam papers, mark schemes and grade boundaries. A student sitting quietly in an exam hall may be coping with bereavement. Another may be…
(For the purposes of the blog we use the words Exams Officer to cover all professionals involved in exams administration and management.) Why Exam Officer Training Is Not Optional Anymore by Sara Senior Business Development Manager For many years, the role of the exams officer has been something people “fall into.” A colleague leaves,…
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…