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Information for Heads of Centre

Information relating to external examinations: GCSE, GCE AS/A2
The Head of Centre is usually the Head teacher or Principle of the examining centre/school/college.

Their responsibilities:

·         To ensure the correct implementation of the JCQ regulations concerning access arrangements to public exams.

·         To oversee the correct implementation of standards,

·         To ensure knowledge is kept up-to-date

·         To liaise with the Awarding Body through the Exams Officer.

·         They would usually delegate responsibility to the SENCO

·         To ensure access arrangements are considered, so that parents do not have to initiate consideration

·         To ensure the right course has been selected for the student. It is inappropriate to enter a candidate for an exam which is beyond his or her competence.

It is the sole responsibility of the Centre to liaise directly with the Awarding Body (for the public exam) over access arrangements. The Awarding Body or JCQ cannot communicate directly with candidates or their parents.
All candidates to be considered for access arrangements are required to have a full diagnostic assessment by an appropriately qualified Specialist Teacher, such as myself or an Educational Psychologist.
Responsibility is shared with the governing body. Any non-adherence to standards may be deemed as malpractice
It is also the responsibility of the Head of Centre to:

·         Determine the Specialist Teacher appointed for the diagnostic assessments and ensure they are appropriately qualified

·         Ensure diagnostic reports are of the appropriate quality*

·         Notify the Awarding body of the Specialist Teacher undertaking the assessment prior to the exam course, on form 8A

·         Allow Type C arrangements

·         Ensure timetables of Mock exams allow for candidates to have practice in access arrangements

·         Ensure all the evidence is in place including a history of provision and need for both Type A and Type C arrangements

·         Ensure access arrangements are NOT PERMITTED where they have not been agreed by the Awarding Body and where there is insufficient evidence available to substantiate the need

·         Appeal against the decision of the Awarding Body

*JCQ defines quality as:

·         rigour of testing must be maintained

·         quality of reports must provide all the evidence to justify the request/s being made

·         arrangements are only made for candidates with a genuine and diagnosed learning difficulty/need which reflects their normal way of working

 

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