Exams

You must arrive properly equipped for every exam. We recommend that you prepare an exam kit, in a transparent, colourless pencil case or clear plastic bag, which you should bring to every exam. For most students, this should contain:

• black pens (must only be black)
• HB pencil(s)
• rubber
• pencil sharpener
• 30cm ruler
• protractor and compass (for maths and other permitted exams)
• highlighter pen (for questions only, it must not be used in your answers)
• An exam board approved calculator *

You must not bring in gel pens, tippex or other correcting materials.

Whilst the Exams Office endeavours to have a small number of the most commonly-used items available in the exam room, these are for emergencies only so we cannot guarantee that any exam equipment you are missing can be supplied.

* Calculators must either

• not have a databank, dictionary, text facility or contain mathematical formulae OR
• have an Exam Mode that must be used during exams

Please ask the Maths Department / Exams Office if you are unsure. When using a calculator, it is your responsibility to make sure that it is working properly and there is nothing stored in the calculator’s memory before each exam.

• You are to arrive outside your exam room at least 15 minutes prior to an exam. All external exams start at 09:00 and 13:30, unless indicated differently on your personal timetable. Please line up in row order, and be ready to enter the exam room.
• When taking exams, please do not bring unnecessary items to school with you. Bags and coats should be left at the back of the exam room, as instructed by the invigilators.
• Electronic devices
  You must not have mobile phones, watches, smart glasses, earbuds or any other electronic devices in your possession during an exam, either switched on or off.
  This is very important - if a phone, watch or other electronic device is found on your person during an exam, it could result in your disqualification. They should be kept with your bag and coat at the back of the exam room.
  If you do bring a mobile phone or electronic device into the exam room, please ensure it is switched off (not on silent, ‘do not disturb’ or with any alarms set for the duration of the exam). Remember that if your phone rings or makes a noise at any point during an exam, this must be reported to the exam board and may result in your paper being disqualified.
• Remember to check your pockets and pencil case before each exam - you must not have notes, scraps of paper or other unauthorised items in your possession during an exam. If in doubt whether an item is permitted or not, please ask the Exams Office.
• You must bring a black pen, pencil, rubber and any other stationery which is required for your exam. Only transparent, colourless pencil cases are allowed on your desk. Make sure that you only have any items in your pencil case that are authorised (see the exam equipment list).
• Do not use gel pens in your answers. This is because many exam papers are now scanned and sent electronically for marking - gel pens may not scan well so using them may impact on your grade.
• In an exam where you have the use of a calculator, you are not permitted to have the lid with you (either on or under your desk) and any data stored in the calculator’s memory must be deleted prior to entering the exam room. If your calculator has an Exam Mode, you should use this during all exams. This is your responsibility.
• There is to be no talking or communication between students once you enter the exam room. Any occurrences of talking, communication or attempts to communicate with other students must be reported to the exam board, and may result in disciplinary action being taken. If you have any questions, you should remain seated and raise your hand - an invigilator will come to you to help.
• Please dress sensibly for the exam - the temperature in the exam room can fluctuate enormously during May / June and you may be sitting still for prolonged periods. Students sitting KS4 exams must wear school uniform.
• No food is allowed in the exam room. If you have a special requirement, please see Lucy Hannon, Exams Officer, before the exam.
• You are allowed to bring a clear, unlabelled bottle of water in the exam room. This must be a completely transparent (colourless) bottle with a spill-proof cap. There should be no label, writing or logos anywhere on the bottle.
• Sixth Form students – remember to bring your ID badge with you to your exams, which should be placed image side upwards on your desk for checking during registration.
• Listen to and follow instructions given to you by Invigilators and exams staff. Do not write on your question booklet or open it until you are instructed to do so.
• Make sure you have a contingency plan - know who to contact at school, in case there’s an emergency and you will be late for your exam or you can’t sit your exam or assessment. Please inform school at the earliest opportunity, so we can provide you with appropriate guidance and support.

The dates for this summer’s external exams have been confirmed as follows:

GCSE/L2 exams Thursday 8th May until Friday 20th June 2025

A Level/L3 exams Monday 12th May until Tuesday 24th June 2025

Contingency dates - Wednesday 11th June 2025 and Wednesday 25th June 2025

Some subjects also have exams that take place just before these dates, for example MFL speaking exams, some BTEC exams and Art / Photography exams.

Please make sure that you are available throughout the exam period, including contingency dates. See the Exam Contingency Day page for more information.

A more detailed timetable (known as a Statement of Entry) will be provided in the Spring Term, once all summer entries have been confirmed with the relevant exam boards. Please note that legal names should be used in exams and exam certificates will be printed with the names that are on these Statements of Entry.

It is your responsibility to check all the details on your Statement of Entry carefully, including the spelling of your name, date of birth and subjects / levels of each exam you expect to take. Any errors or omissions must be reported to the Exams Office immediately, as it may be difficult to change things at a later date.

A-Level results day is Thursday 14th August 2025.

GCSE results day is Thursday 21st August 2025.

More information will be provided closer to these dates - check back for more information.

Post Results Services - Summer 2025

The Exams Office is open during term time, and is happy to provide information and support with Post Results queries, including Reviews of Marking and pdf access to scripts.  Please note that the deadline to receive all Post-Results requests is 10 am on 24th September 2025 - any requests received after this time will not be accepted by the Exams Office.

If you have any questions regarding Post Results services, please check the Post Results information included in your results pack or contact exams@christletonhigh.co.uk.

Please do not share any electronic files you receive as part of a Post Results query.
This includes uploading them on any website, social media platform or video sharing site - you will be committing malpractice and this may affect your results. See JCQ Information for Candidates - 'Social Media' and 'Using Social Media' for more information.

This year’s national Exam Contingency Days are Wednesday 11th June and Wednesday 25th June 2025. The contingency days have been put in place in case of national or local disruption resulting in the need to cancel or move exams. We have been advised that ALL STUDENTS who are taking exams in Summer 2025 should be available up to and including Wednesday 25th June 2025. This is the very last date that a rearranged exam can be moved to.

External exams run from Wednesday 8th May and students must be available for all dates up to 25th June 2025, regardless of their timetable. Students will receive individual timetables later in the year and there will also be an overall summer exam timetable in ‘Exam and Resit Timetables’, once entries have been confirmed with the exam boards. Additionally, exam dates are also available on the exam board websites. Please be aware that there are some MFL speaking exams, BTEC exams and Art / Photography exams that take place immediately before the main May / June window.

If you are thinking of booking a summer holiday, it’s important to ensure you book after 25th June. If an exam is rescheduled and your child is not available to sit on the rearranged date then they will be awarded zero marks for the rearranged paper(s).

If you have any questions about the Contingency Day please contact the Exams Office on exams@christletonhigh.co.uk

Exam Certificates

Summer 2024 Exam Certificates are now available for collection from the Main School Reception. Opening times during term time are between 08:00 and 15:30 daily Monday to Friday.

As the certificates are legal documents, all certificate holders must bring a form of ID when collecting their certificates, for example a passport or photocard driving licence.

If someone other the certificate holder is collecting the certificates on their behalf, a signed and dated note from the certificate holder, authorising the collection by the named third party, must be given to the member of staff issuing the certificates.

The person collecting the certificates will be asked for photographic ID to confirm they are the designated person mentioned in the certificate holder’s note.

Certificates will not be issued without the correct ID or written permissions.

Please note that outside term time, Reception opening hours are reduced. Please phone 01244 335843 in advance if you would like to confirm opening times on a specific date.

Certificate holders should note that it is their responsibility to check that they have received all of their certificates and that all the grades showing are correct. This is particularly important for those who have requested post-results services. If a certificate holder has any queries regarding their certificates, they should contact the Exams Office via the school website.

Historic certificates

View our Unclaimed Certificates Policy

Certificates are legal documents and should be kept carefully – you will need them if you apply for a course at college or university or for a job. The Exams Office does not hold historic / unclaimed certificates. Please contact us for more information / advice if you are looking to confirm historic exam results or collect historic certificates at exams@christletonhigh.co.uk .

Your Exam Certificates cannot be replaced. If you need to obtain proof of a historic qualification, you can apply to the relevant exam board for a ‘Statement of Results’; note that there is a cost of approximately £50 for each lost certificate. For more information, visit the relevant exam board website:

AQA

Pearson

OCR

Eduqas

Gov.uk

Access arrangements are changes that need to be made to exam arrangements where a student requires specific support to access the assessment and show what they know and can do, but without changing the demands of the assessment. Access arrangement are designed to meet the needs of an individual student without affecting the integrity of the assessment. Reasonable adjustments are reasonable steps taken to overcome a substantial disadvantage a student who is disabled (within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010) would face when taking their exams. Additionally, some students have medical needs that must be considered when it comes to their exam arrangements. All access arrangements / reasonable adjustments implemented are designed to meet the needs of a student so they have equal opportunities when it comes to taking their assessments and exams.

Any change to how a student will take their exams is classed as an access arrangement and there are strict regulations that must be followed. All schools and colleges are regularly inspected and if they are found to be breaking these rules, this will be malpractice. The SENDCo, Mrs Ashman, is responsible for overseeing the assessment of needs and decisions regarding access arrangements. She works very closely with school staff to identify students' needs and put in place arrangements that support our students as they prepare for and take their exams. These arrangements must always be agreed in advance, and there must be substantial evidence to show that any access arrangements reflect a student's normal way of working at Christleton High School.

If you would like more information about access arrangements or reasonable adjustments, please speak to your child's form tutor or contact Mrs Ashman directly. With the support of our teaching staff, the SEND team will be able to investigate your child's need and ascertain whether an access arrangement is the best way of providing support for your child during their exams. It is important to note that not all students with additional needs will require access arrangements - these are only suitable if their difficulty affects their access to exams.

The rules around access arrangements can be complicated, so JCQ have produced this useful one-page summary.

Additionally, the short webinar will provide further information on access arrangements.

01244 335843
Send an email to the Exams Office or to Lucy Hannon, Examinations Officer

• AQA student and parent support
• Pearson support for students, parents and carers
• OCR information for students
• WJEC student support
• JCQ - Joint Council for Qualifications
• Ofqual student checklist