Exam Information

Frequently Asked Questions for Exams Summer 2022

My child is taking a GCSE exam and has a high temperature on the day of the exam, what should I do? 

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance advises to stay at home and avoid contact with others, until the high temperature has dropped and your child is well enough to attend their exams. You should contact Biddick Academy’s student office to inform us that your child is unable to attend their exam.

Your child will then be asked to self-certify their illness using a Form 14 and Biddick Academy will use submit an application for special consideration to the relevant awarding bodies using the category ‘absent candidate’. Special consideration allows for a maximum of 5% allowance to the overall mark achieved.

My child is taking a GCSE exam and is feeling unwell and experiencing a high temperature, but still wants to attend their exam. Can they still sit it? 

UKHSA guidance is to stay at home and avoid contact with others until you no longer have a high temperature.

JCQ guidance confirms that following UKHSA guidance is an acceptable reason to miss an exam, and you will be eligible to receive special consideration. Special consideration allows for a maximum of 5% allowance to the overall mark achieved.

My child has taken a Covid 19 test and has a positive test result, what should I do? 

The UKHSA guidance is that anyone with a positive test result should stay at home and avoid contact with others for 3 days (if 18 and under) or 5 days (if 19 or older) after the day you took the test.

Biddick Academy will ask your child to self-certify the reason for absence using a Form 14. You are not required to provide proof of a test but could keep a record of the test, such as a photograph, as evidence if it is available.

Biddick Academy will then submit an online application for special consideration to the relevant awarding bodies using the category ‘absent candidate’. Special consideration allows for a maximum of 5% allowance to the overall mark achieved.

Will I have to provide proof of a positive Covid test if my child does not attend an exam due to Covid? 

There is no requirement for your child to complete a Covid 19 test to provide evidence of your child’s absence from an exam.

Instead, JCQ have amended the Form 14 which will be completed for any student who has missed an exam due to acceptable reason in line with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance.

Parents/carers will need to complete the relevant sections of the form and the centre can then verify your circumstances, where provided in Form 14, to process an application for special consideration using the category ‘absent candidate’.

My child missed one of their GCSE exams for a subject due to Covid related illness / a positive test. Will they still receive a grade? 

As exams have been spaced by at least ten days, your child will be able to receive a GCSE grade based on the other components completed for that subject.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact Miss Moore on moore.g@biddickacademy.com

Advance Information

Due to the considerable disruption Year 11 students have faced in the last two years, advance information of the focus of exams in most GCSE subjects was published by exam boards on Monday 7 February.

The purpose of advance information is to support students with their revision and to enable them to focus on areas of the curriculum that they now know will be assessed in the summer examinations.

It is still important that students receive teaching that is broad and balanced in line with the national curriculum but also that this information allows students to focus on specific elements of the curriculum to prepare them for their summer exams.

The advance information has confirmed some of the aspects of the specification that will be assessed in the exams, relating to content, texts, topics, themes and/or skills as appropriate for each specification.

Please find below the links to each subject’s specific advanced information page for the appropriate exam board:

The following subjects have not released advanced information for their examination due to the amendments that had already been announced. Please see below the links to those amendments for your reference:

Please see below links to further information and guidance related to advance information on the JCQ website:

Advance information – General guidance

Advance Information – Student FAQs

If you have any questions please contact Miss Moore on moore.g@biddickacademy.com or Mr Morrison on morrison.g@biddickacademy.com

Exam update – Formulae sheets

In the summer 2022 maths and science exams, students will be given a formulae sheet alongside each of their question papers.

This is one of the changes to 2022 assessments announced by Ofqual and DfE following their public consultation with the aim of supporting students by removing the necessity to learn formulae from memory. Please click the following link to access the formulae sheets which will be provided to every student for the appropriate exam and tier of entry.

Combined science revision sheet

Maths Fomula Sheet – Foundation Tier

Maths Fomula Sheet – Higher Tier

Physics equation sheet

Please click the following links to access the following information we have provided regarding Exams

Letter to Year 11 Parents regarding exams – 5th October 2021

Summer Exam Timetable 2022

Year 11 Countdown to exams 2022

Year 11 Pre-Exam Booster Timetable

The following links to individual awarding body (exam board) websites provide examinations information and support to students and parents:

www.aqa.org.uk

www.qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-for-you/students.html

www.ocr.org.uk/ocr-for/learners-and-parents

www.jcq.org.uk

Further Exam Information

IFC Coursework Assessments 2021

IFC-Non Examination Assessments 2021

IFC On Screen Examinations 2021

IFC Written Examinations 2021

Information for candidates Privacy-Notice 21-22

Social-Media-Information-for-Candidates

Biddick Academy Candidate exam handbook

For questions relating to examinations, please telephone the school on 0191 511 1600 and ask to speak to the Exams Officer or the relevant Head of Year.