to want to complain about this exam invigilationr?

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

One of my children was in an A level exam today.

They started 15 minutes late.

Without announcing it, the invigilator turned the clock back at the front of the hall to the time it should have started. So turned it back from 2.15 to 2.00pm.

She did this without announcing it, I'll just say that again.

However, there was another clock in the hall telling the correct time.

My child was completely distracted by the question of what was the correct time and when would the exam actually end throughout the exam.

In the event, it ended 15 minutes before she was expecting and she missed out on answering her final question properly.

AIBU to be livid?

[coconuttelegraph]

However, exams should not be starting at 2:15. The latest an exam can start in the UK in the afternoon is 1.30pm (the earliest being 12.30pm)

Maybe for A levels but that is absolutely not true for GCSEs please be specific when stating something as a "fact"

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

Oh FFS - it’s not rocket science!

Exam started at 2:15pm. Therefore due to finish at 4:15pm.

At some point during the exam (pretend at 3pm) the invigilator changed one clock back by 15 minutes for some unknown reason.

So now have one clock saying 2:45pm and one saying 3pm. The one the Op’s dd could see said 2:45pm. So from her view the exam now finishes at 4pm not 4:15pm. (Although no announcement of this.)

The fact that a large number of adults can’t work out what happens when you move a clock forwards or back kind of proves the Op’s point - if we can’t do it when not under any stress at all it is hardly surprising that the Op’s Dd struggled whilst in the middle of an A level.

I’ve invigilated. It isn’t rocket science. You have 5 things to do.

1. Give out the papers.
   
2. Collect in the papers.
   
3. Hand out extra paper.
   
4. Don’t let anyone cheat.
   
5. Don’t fuck with the clocks!

[MILLYmo0se]

Itswinetime

Phew, glad im not the only one! I do get how the confusion could have flustered the girl though.....id have assumed the clock in front that everyone could see had to be the correct one, they couldnt be using a clock elsewhere in the room that the front rows couldnt see clearly would be my logic

[Acis]

OP, did the invigilator write the finishing time somewhere visible?

[MrsElijahMikaelson1]

[outsho]

I teach in a college. The clocks are not supposed to be altered to show true time, instead they simply adjust the time written on the board accordingly. So in this case it should have simply given a 4:15 finish time rather than turning the clock back.

Having said that, you can complain away but don’t expect results. Your DC is A level so 17/18, they should know by now to just crack on with the exam and finish when told to. They stalled and it’s their fault I’m afraid.

[KittyMcKitty]

placemats

Actually the published start time of pm sessions is 1.30pm I attach the regulations about earliest and latest times.

[MILLYmo0se]

No mumoftwokids its not rocket science thankfully.
The OPs DD was using the UNCHANGED clock to manage her timings, so using your example it still said 3 pm and when IT said the exam was finished there was actually still 15 mins left as the invigilator was going by the CHANGED clock......no???

[placemats]

Maybe for A levels but that is absolutely not true for GCSEs please be specific when stating something as a "fact"

I'm invigilating exams at the moment. Both GCSE and A Levels.

There is a reason for this. All pupils can leave the exam room after an hour, unless the exam is less than an hour and there are some that are 45 sometimes 50 mins long still.

A lot of schools insist the student stay for the full length of the exam though, however a student is within their rights to leave the examination room after the hour of the start time.

[KittyMcKitty]

placemats

[KittyMcKitty]

Ah image not attached anyway it says (I quote) “the published starting time for all afternoon examinations is 1.30pm”

[alevelkid223]

I'm sorry, but I am taking my A Levels. I have had an invigilator turn back the clock and as I do it on the computer, the times are never right or in sync. So I look at the wrong time on my computer and add 2 hours / 2 hours and 30 minutes to that.

Many of my friends and I have had similar situations, but we've just coped. It is a violation of the rules as stated by others, but I am that the different clocks distracted her to the point she didn't answer the last question right. I know that my Geography exam is 2 hours and 15 minutes, I know that it is out of 105 marks meaning for every 12 marker I have approximately 15 minutes and for every 20 marker I have 25 minutes and for every 6 marker I have 7 minutes and 8 marker I have 10 minutes, because I know my timings like the back of my hand and because I know the structure of my exams. I would tell the school due to it being a violation of the rule, but to suggest it affected her performance IBU

[placemats]

Thanks Kitty most helpful.

[placemats]

Many of my friends and I have had similar situations, but we've just coped.

You should not be just coping with this.

[quizqueen]

If you knew the clock was turned back then your daughter must have told you that fact, surely. Therefore she should have gone by the new time on the clock. If she didn't see the invigilator altering the clock and you heard this from someone else, then your daughter would have been expecting the exam to finish at 4.15 by the clock she could see which hadn't been changed as, in her mind, the exam started 15 mins late. She still had 2 hours regardless.The last 10-15 minutes of an exam should be used for checking over what you have written so it sounds like she didn't pace herself well anyway.

[coconuttelegraph]

6.2 The JCQ awarding bodies allow centres in the UK to start examinations by up to 30 minutes earlier than, or later than, the published starting time for the session, without the need to complete any paperwork. Prior permission from an awarding body is not required


Exams can absolutely start after 1.30pm where are you getting information that they can't?

[Stiffasaboard]

The way you describe it she should have ended up with a perceived 15 mins extra time not 15 mins less

[alevelkid223]

@placemats

But to us, it isn't rocket science. If a clock gets changed like it did in my exam from 1:30pm to 1:35pm, I know that my two hour exam instead finishes at 2:35. If a clock has been wrong, we've put our hand up or went back the new time. It's not a huge setback. My sister did her GCSE French listening whilst there was a fight outside for a good ten to fifteen minutes - that is detrimental, an incorrect clock is simply not.

Sorry but I cannot comprehend how turning back a clock impacts upon one's ability to focus on an exam / complete it in the time required.

[KittyMcKitty]

Being pedantic (and I know I am) candidates must stay under supervision until 10.00 in the morning session and 2.30 in an afternoon examination - 1 hour after the awarding bodies published starting time for the exam.

This maintains exam integrity and relates also to allowing late candidates into the exam.

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

@quizqueen - she didn't know the clock at the front of the hall had been turned back UNTIL AFTER THE EXAM HAD FINISHED. if she had known, she wouldn't have had an issue. Do you see? or does it need to be explained in words of one syllable with illustrations?

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

alevelkid223 - because there are 2 clocks in the hall showing 2 different times.

[blackcatclocks]

She should have just asked. Not knowing if she can ask is a ridiculous reason. Especially considering the 12 GCSEs she has done, many of which will of had multiple exams. She can't have never seen another pupil ask a question 🤷‍♀️

[BogglesGoggles]

YABU. A young adult (really not children st that age) should be able to put up their hand to ask if it matters that much.

[coconuttelegraph]

So why didn't she put her hand up and ask which clock was correct?

[alevelkid223]

Like I stated in my OP, I have used a computer in my exams which had the wrong time alongside a clock which has been turned back by the invigilator which I noticed about 20 minutes into my exam. @bibbitybobbityyhat