Policy on Examination Entries and Payments of Fees
The school will pay fees for and grant every reasonable opportunity for pupils to sit
external examinations under the guidance of the Headteacher and staff.
The cut-off date for the submission of the school’s entry list to the examination board is mid-February. All pupils with a reasonable prospect of success will be expected to complete the course and sit the examination. The ultimate decision on entry rests with the Headteacher and their decision will be final. These arrangements are subject to the following conditions:
A Head of Department will have the discretion not to enter pupils for an external examination if they have failed to fulfil all of the following conditions
- Attendance of the relevant examination course for at least 85% of the number of sessions possible at this school or another. Absences which are the result of genuine illness or injury and which are supported by written evidence shall not count against this figure
- Attendance of the mock examinations. If the pupil is absent for justified medical reasons, a mock examination may be administered when the pupil is fit to resume schooling
- Coursework Controlled Assessment or Practical Examinations must have been completed to the satisfaction of the Head of Department.
If the school refuses to pay fees and enter a pupil, parents or guardians will be allowed to enter a pupil privately, paying the appropriate fees via the school to the examination board. The pupil will be allowed to use the school as an examination centre. The school will only finance a pupil to enter an individual module on two occasions.
The standard procedure for non-entry of students for AS or A2 qualifications is that it should only be done following prior discussion and agreement with the Director of Sixth Form Studies. Any late entry fees resulting from not following this procedure will be charged to the curriculum area concerned.
AS certification will take place in August.
In the event of any misconduct during an external examination, the school will make a report to the examination board. The First Committee of the Governing Body will receive a copy of the report. Misconduct may lead to the cancellation of a pupil’s examination paper and/or a pupil may be required to sit remaining examination papers at an alternative centre.
Pupils are expected to attend the examination suitably prepared and equipped, it may not be possible for the school to lend pupils items of equipment which they have neglected to bring themselves.
Pupils are expected to attend in full uniform.
Pupils who do not comply may be sent home to change.
The school will provide pupils with all the information regarding external examinations. Thereafter it will be the pupils’ responsibility to follow the information in detail.
If a pupil is absent from an external examination without a medical note, the fee for the examination must be repaid to the school. The school reserves the right to take any necessary steps to recover wasted examinations fees.
The school’s decision as to which tier the pupil will be entered for or which paper the pupil will sit will be final.
Students will be required to pay the appropriate fees for re-marking examination scripts unless the process has the support of the relevant Head of Department or Teacher in Charge of Subject. Re-marks are not available for some examination components for individual students e.g. coursework. In exceptional circumstances the school might request the re-moderation of an entire sample that has been submitted to an examination board. Students and parents should note that the marks awarded for remarked scripts can either increase or decrease.
The school will administer a charge of £10 to retrieve examination certificates which have not been claimed within one calendar year of the candidates’ date of leaving. This charge will cover the administration, postage and packing involved in retrieving certificates.
Note: Heads of Department must inform parents in writing if a pupil is to be withdrawn from an examination.
