GCSE and level 2 Equivalency Exams

GCSE Exams

We will also send a revision pack containing guidance and past papers to candidates who’ve booked a GCSE equivalency exam. Your pack will be sent via the post to the address provided within the next 7 days. Additionally, we recommend that you use other GCSE revision materials, such as those produced by AQA or the BBC GCSE Bitesize website.

We will send a revision pack containing guidance and past papers to candidates who’ve booked a revision programme. Your pack will be sent via the post to the address provided within the next 7 days. Additionally, we recommend that you use other GCSE revision materials, such as those produced by AQA or the BBC GCSE Bitesize website.

Instructions on how to join your sessions will be sent to you a few days before the start of your course, along with a revision pack through the post.

We need to make you aware of the following:

• Sessions may be recorded; this will be for revision purposes. If you have problems with this, please contact the Equivalency Test Team so that we can discuss your options.

• If you are unable to attend a session, you may still be able to view recorded content. However, tutors may not be available outside of sessions to answer any queries you may have.

• You are required to attend the exam in-person, on campus.

Dates and times for the course can be found on our website www.edgehill.ac.uk/tests

You will need to have basic IT skills and access to the following equipment:

• A desktop computer or laptop running Windows 7+ or Mac OS 10.10+ so you can use the latest versions of browsers such as Chrome and Firefox;

• A microphone (either in-built or attached via USB cable) or a USB headset;

• A webcam (either in-built or attached via USB cable).

Alternatively, you could use a tablet with an in-built camera and microphone.

You will also need a broadband connection, ideally with unlimited data, and a notebook and pen.

Once you’ve booked and paid for your equivalency test you can revise at your own pace, but we ask that you make at least one attempt at the test within one year of payment.

When you feel ready to take the test, please email [email protected] with your preferred date

Top up to the Tutor Lead GCSE Courses

Top up to Tutor Lead Level 2 Courses

Arrival Time

• Please arrive 30 minutes before the start of your exam to allow time for registration. Please wait outside the exam room until registration begins.
• If you arrive 0-15 minutes after the start of the exam , you will be able to sit your exam, but you won’t receive any extra time.
• If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the start of the exam, you will be refused entry and advised to re-book your exam. Under those circumstances the exam won’t count as one of your attempts.

Exam Specifics – What to bring with you and timings

You’ll need to bring photo ID to register for the exam. Acceptable ID includes: passport, driving licence, recognised age ID card, residential permit, student or NUS card.

Take time before each exam to read the instructions on the front of the exam paper. See below for details of exam timings.

If you have recently changed your name you must bring evidence such as a change of name document or marriage certificate. Please contact us before your exam if you feel your name is not registered correctly.

Revision courses may have slightly different timings depending on which curriculum you have followed.

Question Papers and Answer Booklets

It is important to read the instructions on the front of your exam paper and make sure you follow them. Note the duration of your exam.

If you need extra paper, you should raise your hand and ask the invigilator.

You must complete your details on the front of the question paper or answer booklet. If you use extra paper, remember to write your name and the exam date on each sheet and put these inside your answer booklet.

Work through your question paper until you see the statement END OF EXAM.

It’s important that you write legibly. Moreover, you must use a pen with black or blue ink. Examiners will do their best to read your work, but they might not be able to award marks if your writing is difficult to read.

You may not gain marks for some subjects if your spelling and punctuation is poor.

Remember to cross out any rough work or unwanted answers if you make more than one attempt at a question.

Exam Room Conditions

It is important that you follow the equivalency test rules, to make sure that everyone has a fair and equal chance of doing their best work:

• When you enter the exam room you are under exam conditions, you must be silent, you mustn’t communicate with anyone else in the room or disturb other candidates.
• Store all personal belongings and any revision materials under your chair or table and out of your / your fellow candidates’ line of vision.
• Switch off mobile phones and web enabled devices and put them inside the clear plastic bag
  provided. Place the bag on top of your desk for the duration of the exam. You can’t use your phone as a calculator or timing device.
• Any pencil cases should be clear plastic if they’re on top of your desk.
• You can bring water into the exam room in clear bottles.
• You cannot eat food, unless you’ve notified us of a medical condition.
• If you require any assistance during the exam please raise your hand and wait for the invigilator to
  approach you.
• If you need to visit the bathroom during the exam, you cannot take any exam materials including
  stationery with you. Extra time is not allowed for such breaks (unless specified in an additional needs report).
• Dictionaries/ thesauruses are not permitted in any exam.
• Pretending to be someone else or getting someone else to attempt to sit an exam for you.
• Disruptive behaviour in the exam room.
• Using rude, abusive, offensive or discriminatory language or images in your answer booklet.
• Copying from another candidate.
• Using any material or aids that would give you an unfair advantage in the exam.

Invigilators

he role of the invigilators is to supervise your exam. They make sure your exams take place according to the rules and that the rules are applied fairly. Therefore, you must follow any instructions given by an invigilator.

If anything unexpected happens to you during an exam, such as feeling unwell, you should notify the invigilator immediately.

Please allow at least 4 weeks for the examiner to mark your paper. We will call you on your contact number as soon as we have your result.

Once you have successfully passed an equivalency exam you’ll receive a certificate from Edge Hill University. We will post your certificate to your registered address within 10 working days. You must notify us within 15 working days if you haven’t received the certificate, otherwise, after this time there will be a charge.

It’s important that you keep your certificate safe as proof of your achievement. If you lose your certificate or require a replacement, the charge is £5.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to inform Edge Hill Exams of a change of address. Please contact us if you have changed address since registering for your exam so that we can send your certificate to the correct location.

If you don’t pass the exam on your first attempt, you’ll have two further opportunities to resit your exam.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you book on to exams in a timely manner. During busy periods our exam rooms can reach capacity and we can’t guarantee you a place. Remember to allow at least 4 weeks to receive your results.

The 31st August is the deadline for Edge Hill University applicants to meet the conditions of their offer before a September start. To meet this deadline, we recommend that you sit your exams before the 31st July. We’ll continue to offer exams over the summer period, but we can’t guarantee that results will return in time for the conditions deadline

If you have additional needs, we will  make reasonable adjustments to the exam format to meet your requirements.

All our venues are accessible, but, if you have a disability please speak to us in advance so that we can discuss your requirements.

If you have a specific learning need and have a formal assessment or report recommending specific adjustments to your exam conditions, we will endeavour to meet them.

For all additional requirements, we ask that you let us know and provide any evidence needed at least five working days before the exam date. We can’t guarantee being able to meet requests made on the day of your exam.

If English is not your first language, the GCSE Equivalency exam and Level 2 Literacy equivalency exams can show competence in English. However, you should note that this is not an ESOL support programme and you’ll have to demonstrate a good standard of written English and understanding in order to pass our exams.

We are unable to approve extra time in exams for candidates on the basis that English is their second language. All candidates must be assessed according to the same marking criteria and following the same regulations, so that grades and certificates have the same validity.

A borderline exam mark will automatically result in your paper being re-marked and the marks awarded will be re-counted. Additional requests for re-marking and re-counting will not be approved for this reason.

Candidates have three opportunities to sit each subject exam. We can provide feedback following each of your exams to support you in your re-sits.

If after three unsuccessful attempts at passing the exam a candidate feels that they have been unfairly measured against the examination assessment criteria, an appeal can be made.

1. Appeals must be made as early as possible and within 30 days of receiving your final exam result.
2. Appeals must be made in writing to [email protected] for the attention of the Access Programmes Manager.
3. The Access Programmes Manager’s decision as to whether to proceed with an appeal will follow a review of any feedback you have received from the examiner to date.
4. If an appeal is approved, the Access Programmes Manager will appoint a member of the University academic team, who has no involvement in the assessment process for Equivalency exams, to independently review your exam answers against the examination assessment criteria. Feedback will then be provided to the Access Programmes Manager.
5. The purpose of the appeal will be to decide whether the process used for the assessment conformed to the published assessment criteria as detailed in the exam specification provided to all candidates.
6. The appellant will be informed in writing of the outcome of the appeal, which could result in no change, revised marks, or elevation to a pass mark.
7. Should the appeal bring any significant irregularity in procedures to light, the Access Programmes Manager will act accordingly to rectify the assessment criteria for all future candidates.

You must make payment at the time of booking on to a exam or revision course. There is no financial support, loan or grant available to cover the cost of these exams.

Once you have made payment, we ask that you make at least one attempt at your exam within one year of payment.

We will only issue refunds in the following circumstances:

• If no attempt at the exam has been made and it is less than 1 year since initial payment.
• If a revision course or exam is withdrawn, where there is no suitable alternative available.
• Edge Hill reserves the right to cancel revision courses if an insufficient number of students have registered. In this case applicants will be offered either a refund or an alternative date.