Exam Arrangements
Exams Portal Information
The exam portal (hosted by SchoolWorkSpace) allows students and parents to view and check their exam entries and timetables. Instructions on how to set up an account and use the portal can be found here:
General Exams Information
Centre Specific Information
Backwell School produces an Examination Information Booklet for students and parent/carers. Every student taking exams will be given their own copy prior to the exams.
This booklet contains vital information about the exam process, including what to do if you are ill or late, as well as information about results and certificates.
Examinations Information Booklet: November Exams Series 2024
Examinations Information Booklet: Summer Exams Series 2024
General exam information and FAQs can be downloaded by clicking on the links below:
Examination Board Regulations (2024-25)
Subject and Board Information
Please click on the link below for the list of the exam boards that we are currently using.
This list is correct for exams in 2024/25, but please be aware that we occasionally change exam boards from one year to the next. If your child is not taking exams in this current academic year, they may study to a different specification.
Examinations - List of subjects and exam boards for exams in 2024-25
Access Arrangements
Access arrangements may be awarded to allow candidates with specific needs to access assessments. The Education Support department deals with all aspects relating to access arrangements and will notify students and parents/carers of any arrangements that have been made as appropriate.
The links below provide further information.
Access Arrangements: JCQ Guidance for Parents
Access Arrangements: Use of Word Processor
Summer 2025 Exam Season
Please click on the link to view the skeleton timetable for the Summer 2025 public examinations
Appeals Against Internal Assessment
Reviews of marking - centre assessed marks (GCSE controlled assessments, GCE coursework, GCE and GCSE non-examination assessments)
Backwell School is committed to ensuring that whenever its staff mark candidates’ work this is done fairly, consistently and in accordance with the awarding body’s specifications and subject-specific associated documents.
- Candidates’ work will be marked by staff who have appropriate knowledge, understanding and skill, and who have been trained in this activity. Backwell School is committed to ensuring that work produced by candidates is authenticated in line with the requirements of the awarding body. Internal standardisation and moderation will ensure consistency of marking. This is particularly important where several subject teachers are involved in marking candidates’ work.
- Departments will ensure that candidates are informed of their centre assessed marks and that they are aware of the relevant deadlines so that they may request a review of the centre’s marking before the marks are submitted to the awarding body.
- The school will inform candidates that they may request copies of materials to assist them in considering whether to request a review of the centre’s marking of the assessment. This is the pre-review request and should be made in writing to the Exams Office.
- The Exams Office, having received a pre-review request for copies of materials, will inform the necessary CL/SL who will promptly make them available to the candidate. These materials will usually include a copy of their marked and annotated work along with relevant assessment schemes and relevant pages from the course specification.
- The school will provide candidates with sufficient time in order to allow them to review copies of materials and reach a decision. A deadline by which the candidate can request a review of marking will be clearly stated.
- Requests for reviews of marking must be made in writing to the Exams Office. A candidate cannot request a review simply because they do not like their mark. A specific issue must be identified, e.g. ‘Section of work not credited towards an AO, and they believe it should be’ or ‘insufficient time given in class for NEA’. Candidates should be aware that marks can go down as well as up following a request for a review.
- The School will allow sufficient time for the review to be carried out, to make any necessary changes to marks and to inform the candidate of the outcome, all before the awarding body’s deadline.
- The School will ensure that the review of marking is carried out by an assessor who has appropriate competence, has had no previous involvement in the assessment of that candidate and has no personal interest in the review. This could be a subject specialist from another school but will usually be the SL or another senior member of the department.
- The school will instruct the reviewer to ensure that the candidate’s mark is consistent with the standard set by the centre.
- The candidate will be informed in writing of the outcome of the review of the centre’s marking. The outcome of the review of the centre’s marking will be made known to the Head of Centre. A written record will be kept and made available to the awarding body upon request. Should the review of the centre’s marking bring any irregularity in procedures to light, all candidate marks will be reviewed and the awarding body will be informed immediately.
This internal review process is a regulatory requirement, and is in place to ensure consistency of marking within the centre. After candidates’ work has been internally assessed, it is moderated by the awarding body to ensure consistency in marking between centres. The moderation process may lead to mark changes. This process is outside the control of Backwell School and is not covered by this procedure.
Please click on the link below to view the 2024/25 awarding body’s deadlines for centre assessed marks and school deadlines for informing candidates of provisional marks.
Results Days 2025
AS & A Level Results Day – 14 August 2025
GCSE Results Day – 21 August 2025
JCQ Information - Exam Rules and Regulations
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) also issues guidance for students taking exams. It is important that all students taking exams are familiar with the content of these documents. They are valid for all 2024/25 exam seasons.
Information for candidates - Privacy Notice
Preparing To Sit Your Exams 2024/25
JCQ Social Media Infographic V6
IFC On-Screen Examinations 2024
IFC Coursework Assessments 2024
CQ Artificial Intelligence and Assessments - A quick guide for students
