Schools desperately short of exam invigilators

[noblegiraffe]

"The National Association of Exam Officers (NAEO) is set to publish advice tomorrow to help schools struggling to recruit enough trained officers. More staff are needed to oversee the first GCSE and A-level exams to be sat in two years, with a snap poll suggesting that 83 per cent of centres are still experiencing a deficiency.
But Jugjit Chima, chief executive officer of the NAEO, has warned that some schools and colleges are "stuck", having already implemented contingency plans, such as staggered starts to exams, but still not having enough staff to oversee next month's exams."

The suggestion is that admin staff and dinner ladies could be asked to invigilate.

Geoff Barton of the ASCL commented that part of the issue is that invigilators don't want to stand in exam halls packed with children who may well have covid (no requirement to isolate) and the government should reinstate free testing for schools, at least for the exam period to provide reassurance.

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/gcses-2022-schools-desperate-over-exam-invigilator-shortage

There are also serious concerns that desperation will lead to unsuitable candidates being hired, and an increase in exam malpractice.

www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/gcses-2022-crisis-fears-over-invigilator-shortage

Every school I've ever worked in the invigilators have been recently retired staff aged between 60 and 75 topping up their pensions. It's casual seasonal work so not attractive for many others.
It isn't worth it for minimum wage and the risk of catching covid so this year lots have said no.
We have also been told we need to have an invigilator for a 'covid positive' room and that teachers will be doing this. Small room, in close contact with a number of actively symptomatic pupils. At that rate we will run out of teachers to invigilate by week 3 as well as we'll all go down wih covid.

Our exam invigilators are 100% retired people.

We use them for year 10 and 11 mocks (2 sets for year 10, 3 2 full sets plus core subjects for year 11), core subject mocks for year 7 and 8 and full set of mocks for year 9. Then the real exams. So there are quite a few weeks of employment to be had but it's still not great pay (a few hours am and a few pm) and a lot of responsibility. Its also very boring.

Ours are quite anxious about Covid and some have left but we luckily still have enough. They've been working throughout C0vid as we had full exams and mocks last year, too.

@AnIckabog is that going to be on a voluntary basis??

I am a teacher and took early retirement when I was 56, 4 years ago. Very little contact with previous Headteacher but I got a call 3 weeks ago asking if I wanted any EI work offering £10.50 PH. Odd really as if I wanted to work, which I don't, I could easily get teaching hours for £180 per day. They really must be desperate to ask someone who retired 4 years ago. I suppose they knew I know the exam board rules and would only need a quick update.

I resigned in January together with another invigilator and both our posts have been filled

Which is good cos otherwise they might have asked me to stay and I’m rubbish at saying no

I used to have to do it in my last school, we did have training, and once I spotted a student cheating. I felt sick but had to mark their paper at the point you spotted the student cheat, then as exam finished release other students row by row. Then ask cheating student to roll up sleeve, as he had written loads of stuff on his arm. We had to take photo of his arm and do a witness statement that got sent to exam board. He was excluded for all that particular exam board exams so no grades, and he had to sit right in the front in all his other exams with different exam board. We had to call his parents in too and explain events to them. His teacher for that exam was furious with him too. Enough to put me off invigilation, but I had no choice but to report him as unfair on other students. To make it worse he cried and we were worried about effect on MH.