Exams and Assessments

As a public secondary school, we are required to implement a very precise set of requirements in all public exams.

These rules are governed by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and every centre conducting exams is required to follow them. Failure to adhere to these regulations could result in the centre losing its licence, so it is vital that all students know, understand and follows the rules, which they will be informed of before and during each assessment period.

Your exam timetable will be given to you well in advance of the exam season.  Your timetable shows you the date and times of all your exams, as well as which tier you are sitting (if applicable) and which seat you are in.  It is your responsibility to arrive on time to each exam, and to know which seat you are in.

Our students all receive information about their exams information via assemblies, form time and Google Classroom.  Key information is provided on this page.  Any questions should be addressed to the Year 11 Team.

Exam rules

As a student taking examinations at Lister Community School, you MUST read the official JCQ documents regarding exam rules and procedures which are available on our website. You are also given a printed copy of the JCQ Warning to Candidates, Disallowed Items, and Social Media posters alongside your exam timetable in Spring of the exam year.  If you have any questions about your exams please speak to an Exams Officer.

The most important rules are summarised below, but this is not a substitute for reading the JCQ guidance.  Please click on the Exam Rules heading to review the summary.

  • Coats and bags are not permitted in the exam room.  If you bring these to school, they must be stored in your locker.
  • Morning exams begin at 09:00 – you must arrive at the exam room by 08:50 at the latest.
  • Afternoon exams begin at 13:30 – you must arrive at the exam room by 13:20 at the latest.
  • You must enter the Sports Hall via the outside entrance near the staff car park.
  • You must enter A05 via the entrance near the PE Office.
  • If you are running late for an exam, you must telephone the main school reception on 0208 534 6791 to inform the school of your estimated arrival time.
  • If you arrive late for an exam, you must report to Front of House and wait to be collected by On Call or the Exams Officer – do not attempt to make your own way to the exam room if you are late, as you will miss important briefings.
  • Full and correct school uniform, including a blazer and blue hijab (for students who choose to wear the hijab) must be worn to every exam.
  • You must bring to the examination the correct equipment: black pen, pencil, calculator, rubber etc. Pencil cases must be fully transparent.  Calculators with a memory facility must be cleared before entering the exam room.  Do not bring the calculator lid.
  • You may bring bottled water but the label must be removed prior to entering the exam room and the bottle must be transparent. Food and chewing gum are not allowed in the exam room.
  • It is essential that students do not have on or with them a mobile phone, iPod, MP3 player, smart watch, headphones, earphones or any such device in any examination.  To be in possession of such items or of notes connected with the subject being examined is prohibited and disqualification is the penalty for breaking this rule.
  • If you genuinely accidentally bring any disallowed item, you must hand it in to the invigilators in the exam room.  A log will be kept, and students bringing disallowed items repeatedly will be followed up.
  • When entering the exam hall or room you must do so in complete silence and remain that way until you leave as per JCQ rules “Candidates are under formal examination conditions from the moment they enter the room in which they will be taking their examination(s)”

Key exam documents – school and JCQ information

Emergency arrangements

In the event that you are ill or have an injury at the time of your examinations, it may be possible to apply for emergency access arrangements.

Please contact the Examinations Officer directly if you wish to seek clarification of the examination boards’ requirements or to discuss individual circumstances.

Special consideration

Special Consideration may be given following an examination in respect of an illness, accident or bereavement ‘to ensure that candidates who suffer temporary illness, injury or indisposition at the time of the examination are given some compensation for their difficulties’. Applications must be made to the Examinations Officer immediately following the examination paper(s) affected, so prompt action in the production of supporting documentation (usually a doctor’s letter) is necessary. The student and/or her parents must initiate the process and provide medical evidence within two working days of the examination/s affected.

Grade ladders and assessments 

All of our students will be given a grade 9-1 by their teacher during the assessment cycles (twice for Y7-Y10 and three times for Y11).  Our assessement dates for the current academic year can be found here.

We have used Ofqual’s guidance on grade descriptors and the national curriculum to devise our Grade Ladders. Our Grade Ladders are designed to provide an indication of the likely level of performance at grades 9-1. Our Long Term Plans and assessments are directly linked to our Grade Ladders. The Grade Ladders help teachers to differentiate and plan their lessons.

All departments will be using the Grade Ladders as guidance when designing in-class assessments/tests. This enables teachers to correctly pitch the test so that students are challenged according to their ability. Your child can use the Grade Ladders to find out what they need to do in order to achieve a higher assessment grade.

Further information

For additional information regarding our exams and assessments, please contact your child’s tutor in the first instance.