Blogs & Podcasts

Social media often highlights the glamorous side of life, but Paula, the company director, has always been a fan of keeping it real. A few years ago, during the festive season, while everyone was sharing pictures of their perfectly plated Christmas dinners, she proudly posted a photo of her burnt pigs in blankets. So we…

Join us for an insightful conversation between Paula Wood, Company Director/Exam Specialist and Barry Wheller, access arrangements specialist as they delve into the latest Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) updates for the 2024/2025 academic year. In this episode, they explore the key changes impacting on exam professionals and offer expert perspectives on the future of…

Written By Barry Wheller – Barry is an experienced EAA assessor who balances his time between his part-time role at an outstanding FE college in the Northwest and managing his successful nationwide exam access arrangements company. His company specialises in providing expert exam access arrangements and SEND support services to schools and colleges across the…

After the frantically busy summer term and August results day(s) the start of the new academic year offers Exams Officers the opportunity to work at a more relaxed pace. But of course, whilst some colleagues may assume that Exam Officers don’t have much to do at this point in the academic year, the Autumn term…

The end of the summer season. Is there such a thing? There are certainly little endings, the last exam for sure. But maybe earlier than that, you can close up one exam space earlier than the others, pack up a few desks, take down some signage? All leading up to that part of the year…

The one thing you can be sure of as an Exams Officer is that there is always plenty to do and always plenty to be planning for! In this blog, we’ll be exploring those competing demands and what you can do to mitigate workload issues throughout the year. At any one time you could be…

So, we’ve reached that bit between Christmas (results days) and New Year (erm, new year) when it’s a case of tidying up what’s done and looking ahead to what’s new – planning and trying to find a place for everything. The world of qualifications being what it is, nothing stays the same for long and…

There is that old saying… “life is like driving a car, it is good to glance back and see how far you have come, but if you stare too long you will miss the future…” What a journey it has been. When I became an exams officer it was two weeks before the summer exam…

It has been five amazing years… As I pack my suitcase to travel to deliver another exam office face-to-face support session it is time to reflect on the last five years. What I have learnt about running a business. Here are my top five lessons learnt: 1. Find Your Tribe. It is not always easy…

The summer exam season is back and how we have missed you… Exam Officers & Data Solutions Ltd was created to support the exams function within schools and colleges. This can help maximise student success, as well as ensuring compliance with the Joint Council for Qualifications and Awarding Organisations regulations. Behind every business is a…

We are delighted to be able to announce a face to face event exam officer professional development day which will take place on Tuesday 28th September in London. We are looking forward to seeing people again! There will break out rooms for both new to role exam officers and experienced exam officers. We will be…

Access Arrangements and the Exam Officer So, what are access arrangements? Access Arrangements are pre-examination adjustments, based on the normal way of working and evidence of need. Access Arrangements allow candidates/learners with special education needs, disabilities, or temporary injuries to access the assessment without changing the demands of the assessment. It is a requirement of…