Cheating

[Orchid2025]

My Ds sat his politics 1 paper last week and came home and said he was sure the boy next to him was cheating as he had his phone in his pocket and he could clearly see it. Said boy went to the toilet twice within the exam, obviously with his phone. Fast forward this week, politics paper 2 and "phone boy" has taken written notes out of his pocket and checked them over then goes to the toilet again with notes.
My Ds has reported "phone boy" there were 2 members of staff waiting for him when the exam finished.
What will happen now ?

Academic misconduct. If the allegation is proven, the phone boy will get a 0.

I think it will be proven as he will still of had the notes in his pocket.

If evidenced, this is severe academic misconduct. Details of the procedures and penalties will vary by university and any prior history.

I think it's important that this was reported, but the outcome is none of your business really. It won't affect the outcome of your DC's exams.

No probably not but asking because I actually feel a bit sorry for the "cheater" An 18 year old making a stupid decision that's going to affect the rest of their life. I no way condone cheating but still feel a little bit sad.

He should be old enough to know not to cheat in a university exam

I’m not sure from your post if you are referring to A level exams rather than university exams?
If it is A level then the boy could have that paper cancelled but still get a grade based on Papers 1 & 3, or he could have the entire politics exam cancelled and will therefore receive no grade in that subject or he could have all exams, regardless of subject, for that exam board cancelled.

How has this been allowed to happen?

Unpopular opinion but your son should have minded his own business

I taught at A level and once witnessed a student in a GCSE Chemistry exam pull his sleeve up and put his head on desk next to arm. I was invigilating this exam. You are not allowed to comment to student during exam. I went back to desk and wrote what I had seen. Later in exam. I saw he had what looked like a cheat sheet up his sleeve. I documented this. At end of exam I kept him in room and did not let him leave whilst other invidulator went to get the Exam secretary. Turns out he had this cheat sheet up his sleeve in the GCSE Chemistry exam and he was reported to exam board. He had to sit front row and centre seat for his remaining exams. His Chemistry exam got a 0. He was also not allowed to receive any exams grades from the same exam board. He ended up with no Chemistry, no English and no History exams. He ended up having to resit his GCSE year. Cheating academy is never worth it.

I don't understand about the staff waiting outside the exam? How did your dc report him during the exam?

Why?

Agree that he shouldn’t have minded his own business. Exams are supposed to be a fair assessment of what a student knows based on their revision and hard work (and access arrangements if applicable). Why should another student in the same exam have an unfair advantage.

It is 100% his business if the only A / First given out is to someone who cheated and he gets a lower mark as a direct result.

It's just not anyone's business how the cheater is disciplined.

I also wondered how the invigilators missed this, but I gather it happens frequently

I totally agree, no one likes a grass.

Thankfully, higher education students generally don’t. Not in my experience anyway.

I totally agree, no one likes a grass.

I suppose that depends entirely on the circles you move in. Cheats are despised in mine.

Snitches get stitches!

Grow up!

So you have no problem with people cheating?

Would you want to be treated by a doctor who cheated their way through medical school?

I will never understand the attitude of the sort of lowlife scum who think we should turn a blind eye to bad behaviour. I can only assume they are badly behaved themselves.

I think he should have minded his own business too. Let’s hope he didn’t mess up his own exam questions by being more concerned about other people huh?

Haha!! Or they keep their nose out because it doesn’t affect them.

It does affect them, it could lower their grade. What is the point of exams and qualifications if they don't reflect ability.

All this 'snitches get stitches' is indoctrinated to protect criminals and undermine rule of law, none of you would be trumpeting that bullshit if someone was negatively affecting you or your family.

But cheating does affect everyone. I am puzzled as to how the invigilators missed these examples and glad the OP’s DS reported.

Why don’t we @1SillySossij be operated on by a surgeon who cheated his way through medical school and assign @babystarsandmoon a barrister who cheated her way through law school when she’s falsely accused of a crime? Then perhaps the problem with turning a blind eye will become apparent