The essential information you need to work with REC. REC Policy Document. Contingency Plan

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1 REC Policy Document Contingency Plan

2 Qualifications Contingency Plan This Contingency Plan has been written to ensure a consistent and effective response in the event of major disruption to REC examinations affecting significant numbers of students. The plan will be implemented in the event of major disruption to the system, such as widespread illness, travel disruption, bad weather or power failures. Implementing the plan will safeguard the interests of students while maintaining the integrity of the examination system and safeguarding qualification standards. The priority when implementing contingencies will be to maintain three principles: Delivering assessments to published timetables Delivering results to published timetables Complying with regulatory requirements in relation to assessment, marking and standards. The examples included in this plan have been considered in conjunction with REC awarding processes and include best practice. In the event of major disruption, communication will become key to limiting the number and severity of the affects the disruption has caused. The REC will make every effort to contact affected students in a concise and timely manner. The anticipated disruptions covered in this policy are: 1. Disruption in the distribution of examination papers 2. Students unable to take examinations because of a crisis - centres remain open 3. Centres are unable to open as normal during the examination period 4. Disruption to the transportation of completed examination scripts 5. Assessment evidence is not available to be marked 6. Markers unable to mark examination scripts according to marking schedules 7. Difficulty in meeting planned schedule or unable, to issue results 8. REC unable to issue accurate results 9. Centres are unable to distribute results as normal 1. Disruption in the distribution of examination papers Disruption to the distribution of examination papers to centres in advance of examinations. REC to source alternative couriers for delivery of hardcopies. REC to provide centres with electronic access to examination papers via a secure external network. REC to fax examination papers to centres if electronic transfer is not possible. The Examinations Officer would need to ensure that copies are received, made and stored under secure conditions.

3 2. Students unable to take examinations because of a crisis - centres remain open Students are unable to attend examination centres to take examinations as normal. Centre to liaise with students to identify whether the examination can be sat at an alternative venue in agreement with the relevant awarding organisations Centres to offer students an opportunity to sit any examinations missed at the next available series Centres to apply to REC for special consideration for students where they have met the minimum requirements. Students are only eligible for special consideration if they have been fully prepared and have covered the whole course but are affected by adverse circumstances beyond their control. If a student chooses not to sit an examination for other reasons they should be aware that special consideration rules will not apply. 3. Centres are unable to open as normal during the examination period Centre open but required to close before the end of the exam Centres unable to open as normal for scheduled examinations. A centre which is unable to open as normal for examinations must inform each awarding organisation with which examinations are due to be taken as soon as is possible. As part of their general planning for emergencies, centres should cover the impact on examinations. The responsibility for deciding whether it is safe for a centre to open lies with the Head of centre. The Head is responsible for taking advice, or following instructions from relevant local or national agencies in deciding whether they are able to open. Centres to open for examinations and examination students only, if possible Centres to use alternative venues in agreement with relevant REC (e.g. share facilities with other centres or use other public building, if possible) Centres may offer students an opportunity to sit any examinations missed at the next available series Centres to apply to REC for special consideration for students where they have met the minimum requirements (see item 3, page 6) Alternative invigilators are to be sought where possible. 4. Disruption to the transportation of completed examination scripts Delay in normal collection arrangements for completed examination scripts. In the first instance centres to seek advice from awarding organisations and normal collection agency regarding collection. Centres are not to make their own arrangements for transportation without approval from awarding organisations. Centres to ensure secure storage of completed examination scripts until collection

4 5. Assessment evidence is not available to be marked Large scale damage to or destruction of completed examination scripts/assessment evidence before it can be marked Recommended actions REC to generate student marks for affected assessments based on other appropriate evidence of student achievement as defined by the REC in consultation with the regulators. Students to retake affected assessment at subsequent assessment window. 6. Markers unable to mark examination scripts according to marking schedules Markers are unable to mark examination scripts resulting in a risk to the delivery of results by scheduled dates. REC to re-allocate scripts to available markers REC to recruit, train or re-standardise qualified new markers Prioritisation of marking to be based on results dates. 7. Difficulty in meeting planned schedule of or unable to issue results Inability of REC (including the case of a single awarding organisation) to either meet planned schedule for issue of results, or to issue results as planned due to a systems failure. Recommended actions If awarding organisation(s) face delay in meeting the planned schedule for issuing results: Establish priorities for processing results, Implement existing contingency plans for disruption to the schedule for issuing results. If awarding organisation(s) face difficulty in issuing results as planned due to a systems failure: In consultation with regulators, assess the level of disruption and consider alternative options for issuing results dependent upon the nature of the particular systems failure, REC and regulators to liaise with relevant organisations (i.e. UCAS, CAO) regarding process of student progression to further and higher education. 8. REC unable to issue accurate results System error/failure or attack on systems means significant numbers of results cannot be validated as accurate or are issued and found to be inaccurate. students, centres and stakeholders to be informed of any incorrect results re-validation of results REC to re-issue results, via alternative format if necessary

5 9. Centres are unable to distribute results as normal centres are unable to access or manage the distribution of results to students, or to facilitate post results services. Centres to contact REC about alternative options: centre to make arrangements to access its results at an alternative site centres to make arrangements to coordinate access to post results services from an alternative site centres to share facilities with other centres if this is possible. 10. Breach of Confidentiality of exam papers before an exam Students or their trainers have been in contact with the examination papers/materials in part or whole Exam papers have been compromised by postal or courier staff resulting in unauthorised exposure of the exam papers/materials. Immediate recall of all examination papers/materials Re-issue a different set of examination papers/materials that have not been compromised. Contact: Phone: info@rec.uk.com Post: Customer Contact Centre, REC