Invigilation - clocks, watches and timekeeping

[StarsAreWishes]

DS just sat his first prelims and I am confused about some things. Understandably they are different to when I did then 30 years ago.

Rules say “no smartwatches” but DS was made to take off a regular digital watch. There is no clock in the exam hall and no other way to tell the time. We spent a lot of revision time practicing techniques like ensuring time is split equally amongst the marks (not spending too long on low mark questions) so am confused as to how this should be achieved. Several study guides for different subjects referenced this technique.

Also, some of the exams are very precise time-lengths, e.g. 1hr 34 min because they are worked out at e.g. 4 minutes per mark. But the invigilators apparently spend quite a bit of time going through all the rules at the start time of the exam and that seems to be included in the exam time.

The prelims are held in a large hall with all doors and windows open (so essentially outside) but the kids aren’t allowed to wear even jumpers, let alone coats “in case they cheat by having something up the sleeve”. DS was so cold when he got home I put him in a warm bath to warm up.

They were told they weren’t allowed to touch their masks once the exam had started, because they “could have answers written inside”.

Is all of this normal? It seems really over the top.

The no watches of any kind is new this season.

My school has an enormous digital clock, like the type in basketball games, so the pupils cam read it. Your son's school may also have gone down the digital clock route- ask them, it certainly won't be the weirdest question they've had this year

And please don't be embarrassed that he can't read an analogue clock- my husband has a first in maths, and he just can't manage analogue clocks without taking about ten minutes to work it out (and he still checks with me). Tbh, he struggles with a 24hr clock too...(thinks 19 is 9pm)

The exam room should have a clearly visible analogue clock. The exam shouldn't start until the invigilator has specified the rules, and asks the pupils to turn over the paper (or to begin).

No jumpers or coats is bizarre, they could have the answers on the inside of a sock, or their glasses (which just need a quick wipe clean...) that's what invigilators are for, to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

Ooh are some schools going digital clock wise now? There should be a clock of some sort, but I though analogue was standard.

The JCQ has banned ALL watches from the exams it covers now so I’d assume most exam boards are the same. We simply can’t tell what is or isn’t a smart watch now.

Clocks can be analogue or digital. It’s up to the school.

@SoItWas

The exam room should have a clearly visible analogue clock. The exam shouldn't start until the invigilator has specified the rules, and asks the pupils to turn over the paper (or to begin).

No jumpers or coats is bizarre, they could have the answers on the inside of a sock, or their glasses (which just need a quick wipe clean...) that's what invigilators are for, to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

Clocks can be digital. We prefer them as some children struggle with analogue.

I’m also assuming by prelims you mean mocks or pre public examinations. We apply the sane rules to mocks as we do true exams.

This year the JCQ has asked us to report malpractice in mocks also in case they end up using TAGs again. So Mock rules are even more important this year.

@Haskell

And please don't be embarrassed that he can't read an analogue clock- my husband has a first in maths, and he just can't manage analogue clocks without taking about ten minutes to work it out (and he still checks with me). Tbh, he struggles with a 24hr clock too...(thinks 19 is 9pm)

Thank you . That means a lot.

@LightBulbous thanks for the extra info

I think my problem with it is that it wasn’t communicated in advance. The SQA guidance on their web sight STILL just includes smart watches under prohibited items, not other watches.

If it’s a change for this year then it should have been communicated in advance so that people could prepare. Him being chastised for it at the beginning of his first ever formal exam was not the best way.

(And yes, I believe you call Prelims “Mocks” in England)

Would they be allowed a stopwatch — even an analogue one as a reasonable adjustment.

Im dyslexic and struggle with analogue clocks (and I’m like the PPs DH qualification wise.. I’m demonstrably not thick)

I always used an old fashioned stopwatch and memorised what it should look like at each point.

I have been an invigilator since 2018 and the 'no watches' thing is not new. The rules are no watches, long hair tied back so that ears are clearly visible (so students can't secretly wear earbuds), water bottles must be clear with no labels, pens/pencils etc must be in a transparent bag, no mobile phones, no revision notes, if calculators have a cover the cover must be placed on the floor under the desk.

The rules are strict and set by the exam boards and there are sensible reasons for all of the above, they might seem draconian but in this day and age technology is unfortunately so sophisticated that it's actually necessary.

BUT based on your OP @StarsAreWishes I would definitely be challenging your school on the following:

1. The 'no jumpers' thing is ridiculous and to my knowledge not part of any exam board guidance - we have always allowed students to wear jumpers and blazers. Invigilators are trained to look out for any kinds of cheating i.e. revision notes in pockets, stuff written on thighs or palms of hands etc.

1. No clock in the exam hall - or a clock that is not clearly visible - this absolutely needs challenging. There should be multiple analogue clocks - i.e. four at the front, one at each side of the hall - so that a clock is clearly visible to each student. (If a student really can't tell the time then this would require a discussion with the school SENCO and exams officer as to whether specific access arrangements are required).

1. Exam instructions being included in the exam time - again, absolutely wrong (if this genuinely is what happened) and definitely needs challenging! There is a set script that the lead invigilator must read out which outlines all the exam guidelines, they will then read through the instructions on the question paper out load, they will then remind students again that if they have any non-allowed items on their person they will be disqualified and they will then ask students one final time if they have anything they need to hand in. (At this point at least one student will sheepishly raise hand and hand in the mobile phone they forgot to leave in their bag. During the first couple of mock exams we usually collect in enough mobile phones to start a small shop ). The senior invigilator will then ask if there are any questions. They should then, and only then, say 'The time is *, you may begin'. Invigilators should then mark start and end time, plus extra time end time, clearly on large white boards.

Start times are inevitably almost always a few minutes past the 'actual' start time for an exam i.e. for a 9am exam they will most likely be starting at 9:06 for example. It takes time to get everyone settled and for the guidelines to be read out but the reading of guidelines should absolutely NOT be included in the allocated time for the exam.

Lots of schools (even pre covid) run mocks very strictly to get students ready for the real thing so that when they do get to the real thing, they know what to expect. It's actually very sensible as an approach, even in non-covid times.

But definitely challenge your DS"s school on the above three issues because those do sound wrong.

Ah BillMasheen he has dyslexia too. When he taught our eldest to play chess he bought an analogue chess clock...so that he'd be handicapped while working out the time left!

• Out loud not out load!

I agree 'no jumpers' is outrageous - it's below zero, all the windows and doors are open half the time, most of our pupils have about four or five layers on. It was snowing here at Easter in 2021, so even by may when the real exams start (in England!) it could still be really quite cold.

@FlyingPandas whilst this may be how you do things at your school many of those are not actually in JCQ rules (I posted a link to them above).

Multiple clocks are not a requirement (indeed multiple clocks can be problematic as unless radio controlled they will not have the same time on them). The hair thing is not in the rules - we have many students who wear hijabs and you can’t see their ears.

@FlyingPandas normal watches have been allowed by the JCQ until September 2021. My daughter has kept a small, sports watch just for exams and was told to remove it at the last set of mocks. She's Y13 and has always been allowed her watch up until then.

Unfortunately, although she can read an analogue clock, it takes her longer to read than a digital and that distracts her chain of thought. She has dyspraxia and we've been wondering if she also had undiagnosed ADHD. School only had an analogue clock on the wall at her first couple of exams in November but provided a clock for two out of the three other papers.

I'm wondering if I can supply a digital clock that is placed well away from her desk if the school can't provide one on the day. They ought to be taking into account those students who struggle with analogue.