1. Bannockburn High School SQA Examination Briefing
April 2018

2. The Scottish Qualifications Authority examinations for session 2018 will take place:
Monday 30 April - Monday 4 June

3. Study Leave Plans Study Leave / Extended Exam Leave:
Extended exam leave is granted for all S5/6 pupils
Extended exam leave is granted for S4 pupils sitting at least three N5 exams.
The extended exam leave will be granted throughout the exam diet starting on Monday 30 April 2018 up until Friday 1 June 2018.
For pupils in S4 who will not be on extended exam leave, they will receive information about their specific programme at a designated assembly and within this mail drop.

4. All Candidates will receive:
Personal Individual Exam Timetable
SQA ‘Your Exams 2018’ Booklet
SQA ‘My SQA’ Leaflet
SCN Identification Card

5. Example of an individual SQA Exam Timetable

6. Where will the exams take place?
This will be noted on your individual timetable
This will also be displayed outside the lecture theatre
In general most exams will be in the games hall, the lecture theatre or specific classrooms

7. Seating Arrangements
Your individual SQA timetable will show your allocated seat number for each exam
Make sure you know your seat number before the exam
You MUST sit at your allocated desk

8. Seating Arrangements…
This can be checked on the glass boards outside the lecture theatre
If you arrive late for an exam, you must report to the School Office
If you arrive more than 30 mins late – NO ENTRY TO EXAMINATION

9. Basic Expectations Full school uniform for each examination
Once you enter the exam area, no talking
No notes, jotters, books at your exam desk
No electronic devices

10. Basic Expectations… No sharing of equipment
Ensure there is no communication between pupils during an exam
No turning around
Show respect to the invigilators and follow their instructions. Invigilators are in charge of the exam rooms, not the school

11. Before the exam pupils should:
Bring all necessary equipment with you, eg calculators, pens etc
Ensure all mobile phones are switched off and given to the office staff prior to you entering the exam room
If a mobile phone was to ring during an exam, SQA guidance is that the pupil’s paper may be disqualified
Arrive promptly for each exam. If pupils arrive late they may not be allowed into the exam room

12. You must not have the following in your possession

13. Invigilators
The people who supervise your exams are called ‘invigilators’. Their job is to make sure your exams take place according to the rules and that the rules are applied fairly
It is your responsibility to listen to and follow these instructions, including ensuring that you take no prohibited items to your allocated seat in the exam room

14. Invigilators…
If you require additional papers, put your hand up and the invigilators will supply you with it
If anything unexpected happens to you during an exam, such as feeling unwell, you should notify the invigilator immediately

15. Invigilators… The Invigilators will let you into the exam room
Take all of the equipment you will require in your hand to your desk
The Invigilators will remind you of the forbidden items
The Invigilators will take a register
The Invigilators will issue you with any specific instructions
Show respect to the invigilators and follow their instructions. Invigilators are in charge of the exam rooms, not the school

16. Absence / Exceptional Circumstances
Occasionally, incidents in life can occur which can impact on a pupil’s ability to attend their exam. In these extreme circumstances, usually caused by illness or family bereavement, the school can make a submission to SQA through the Exceptional Circumstances service

17. Absence / Exceptional Circumstances
If you are affected by an exceptional circumstance during the SQA exam diet someone from home must contact the school and speak with the SQA Co-ordinator
The Exceptional Circumstances service requires verified documentation from a professional such as a doctor – this is required within 3 days

18. SQA Candidate Number
You must enter your Scottish Candidate Number (SCN) accurately, neatly and legibly on your exam answer booklets, so it is important that you know it
Your SCN is your personal lifetime SQA identification number. It is used to record the marks awarded for each of your exam papers and to record the combined final results

19. Conduct
Do not copy from someone else or share your work with anyone else
Do not use text language or any abusive/discriminatory language or images in your answers
Do not be disruptive in the exam room
Do not share equipment with anyone else

20. Improper conduct
All improper conduct and actions that cause a disturbance during an exam are considered malpractice and will be reported to SQA and investigated
Investigations may have very serious consequences and penalties may be applied which can include losing marks in your exam and having your exam entry cancelled

21. Improper conduct… Examples of improper conduct are:-
Taking prohibited items to your allocated seat (including notes, pencil cases, mobile phones and electronic devices, including but not limited to, music/digital devices, MP3 players, iPods, tablets and smartwatches)
using a calculator in a non-calculator paper
using a calculator with prohibited functions, eg a computer algebra system (CAS), with capacity to store data or text

22. Leaving the exam room
If you have answered as much as you can, the invigilator can let you leave early, depending on the length of the exam
If the exam is longer than one hour, the invigilator may allow you to leave after 20 minutes
Hand in your answer booklet and question paper (and their contents) to the invigilator before you leave or you could lose all the marks

23. Question papers and answer booklets
Check that you have the correct exam question paper and let the invigilator know if you do not. Read the instructions on the front of each question paper and follow them carefully
If you need extra paper, ask the Invigilator and remember to put your name, Scottish Candidate Number (SCN) and school/college name on each sheet before putting it inside your answer booklet

24. What if there is a fire alarm?
Stay quiet in the room until instructed
If, and when instructed, draw a line under your work and follow the invigilator out of the exam room
Exam candidates congregate on the right hand side as you enter the astro pitch
Do not talk to anyone
The exam rules apply here in the same way they do in the exam room
When you return to the exam room the time missed will be added onto the remaining time of the exam – this break in your exam would be reported to SQA

25. On the Exam Day Check and re-check your timetable!
Plan in advance for each exam
Pack equipment the evening before
Check daily information in the glass notice board outside the lecture theatre
Know the location of your own exam
Do not just follow your friends!

26. On the Exam Day…
No food or drink is allowed in the exam room, only a bottle of water
Arrive at the exam room early – 10 – 15 minutes early
Strictest silence on entry
Have all equipment in your hand entering the exam
Leave bags/coats/jackets in lockers

29. After the exam
After your exams, the marking process will begin. Markers are teachers who have been carefully selected by SQA based on their experience and subject expertise. All markers are trained and monitored so that they mark fairly and consistently for everyone
Once marking is complete, your exam marks will be combined with any marks for coursework or other part of your course, such as performances or speaking exams. All of these marks contribute to your overall grade

30. After the exam…
SQA has to make sure that it is not easier, or harder, to get the same result in different years. One of the ways SQA do this is through grade boundary meetings. Every year, after marking, candidates’ marks are analysed at these meetings. It is then determined what the minimum marks to achieve an A, B, C and D will be
After this stage, your certificate is printed and posted.

31. SQA Results Day Tuesday 7th August 2018
Save yourself the stress of waiting for exam results to pop through the letterbox and sign up to receive by a text and /or from 8am on Tuesday 7th August 2018
Registration for this is simple – through My SQA, you need your Scottish Candidate Number [SCN] and an address

32. To recap - Remember Where is my exam? – check the location
When is my exam? – check the time
What is my SCN? – your Scottish Candidate Number
What is my seat number? – this may be different for each exam

33. Remember…
Arrive in good time – 10 – 15 minutes before the start of the exam
Bring the correct equipment – blue or black pens etc
Check you have been given the correct exam paper
Put your name, candidate number and name of school on every piece of paper you hand in
Write clearly
Read all instructions and listen carefully to any announcements from the invigilators
You may only leave early with the permission of the invigilators

34. Remember…
If anyone has any questions can they please speak with myself
Good Luck!