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Examinations
The Examinations Officer is Mrs Carol-Anne Lale, contactable by email c.lale@palladianacademytrust.com or telephone 01225 838014.
Examinations 2025/26
Internal mock exams
To help you prepare for your external exams, internal mock examinations will be conducted under formal conditions, following the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) regulations. This is your opportunity to experience what real exam conditions feel like, so you’ll know exactly what to expect when it matters most.
Why is this important?
Understanding and following the rules isn’t just about compliance—it’s about protecting your hard work. The awarding bodies take exam security very seriously, and any breach of the rules, even accidental, can lead to serious consequences such as penalties or disqualification.
To support you, each student will receive a candidate handbook along with their exam timetable. This handbook, along with the JCQ publications listed under Information for Candidates below, provides clear guidance on:
- What to expect during exams
- What is and isn’t allowed
- How to avoid common mistakes that could be seen as malpractice
Take the time to read these documents carefully. They’re there to help you succeed and ensure your exams run smoothly. Knowing the rules means you can focus on doing your best without any unnecessary stress.
Year 11 mocks week commencing 10 November 2025
Year 11 Mocks - Candidate Handbook
Year 11 November Mock Timetable
Year 13 mocks week commencing 12 January 2026
Year 12 mocks week commencing 6 July 2026
Year 12/13 Mocks - Candidate Handbook
External exams
January BTEC Sport 7 Janaury 2026
2026 January Candidate Handbook
External summer exams take place from 7 May - 17 June (GCSE), 23 June (GCE) 2026. The contingency day in the event of national or significant local disruption to examinations is 24 June. Candidates are advised to remain available until Wednesday 24 June should an awarding body need to invoke its contingency plan.
2026 External Exams - Candidate Handbook
Information for candidates
The following information is issued by the Joint Council for Qualifications and should be read and understood by students taking external examinations.
Information for candidates - Written Examinations
Information for candidates - Onscreen Tests
Information for candidates - Non Examination Assessment
Information for candidates - Coursework
AI in Assessments - A quick guide for students
Internal Appeals Procedure
Our internal appeals procedure covering internally assessed marks and post results services has recently been updated. Internal Appeals Procedure Policy
On Exam Day
Candidates must arrive on time.
Should you experience problems on your journey to any of your exams e.g. you are unwell or delayed, please contact the Exams Officer on 01225 838014. If we are unavailable to take your call, please leave a message including your name and telephone number in case we need to call you back.
If you arrive late, but before the published start time, go to your exam venue. You may be asked to report to the Exam Officer if your absence has already been reported.
If you arrive after the published start time you must report to the Exam Officer in the first instance and will be taken to your exam venue.
In exceptional circumstances If you do arrive later than 1 hour past the starting time:
- you will be allowed to sit the exam only at the discretion of the Exams Officer.
- a full written report will be sent to the awarding body.
- you will be advised that the awarding body may not accept your work.
Illness or absence
Illness and other absences must be reported to the Exams Officer prior to the exam beginning. A parent/carer must ring the exam officer on 01225 838014 if for any reason you are unable to attend your exam and advise her accordingly. This action should be taken before your exam takes place.
In the event of illness during your exam you must advise the invigilator at the time of your exam.
Special consideration
Special consideration is a post-examination adjustment to a candidate’s mark or grade. This is to reflect temporary illness, temporary injury or some other event outside of a candidate’s control at the time of the assessment. For further details, please see a guide to the special consideration process.
JCQ A Guide to the Special Considerations ProcessYou must tell an invigilator at the time of your exam if you feel unwell or experience any other circumstances that affect your performance. You will be asked to complete a special considerations request form if you meet the eligibility criteria.
If you have been absent from an examination due to illness you will be asked to complete a JCQ/ME Form 14 and return it to the exam officer with supporting evidence.
External Examinations and Assessments
Details of the courses, specification codes and awarding bodies are shown below.
Certificates
You are strongly advised to make every effort to collect your certificates. Your certificates are valuable documents. Valuable in the sense that replacements can cost up to £50 per certificate but also as they are proof you studied at Ralph Allen School and completed the course. This is irrespective of the grades you achieved.
If you go on to further education at any time in the future you will need to produce them. Many employers will also ask to see them. It is in your interest to collect your certificates even if you don’t think you will ever need them.
We are only obliged to keep your certificates for one year after which they will be securely destroyed. Replacements will only be available directly from the relevant awarding bodies at a cost as previously mentioned.
GCSE Certificates Summer 2025
A celebration event will be held on Thursday 20 November allowing students to come back together and collect certificates. Further details of the event will be published on the school website and emailed to parents nearer the time.
If you are unable to attend the celebration evening, there are other ways to collect your certificates. Students remaining at Ralph Allen School will be issued with their certificates via their tutors. If students do not remain at Ralph Allen to attend sixth form, certificates will be made available for collection from the main school reception for a limited period between 1 - 5 December 2025.
A level Certificates Summer 2025
A celebration event held on Wednesday 7 January 2026 allowing you to come back together and collect your certificates. The date of this event will be published on the school website and emailed to alumni. If you are unable to attend this event certificates will be made available for collection from the main school reception for a limited period.
Previous Years Certificates
There is limited availability to collect previous years certificates and this can be done by prior arrangement only. Certificates will not be available during examinations or results periods. You should either;
1. Email Mrs Petmezas, Examinations Assistant m.petmezas@palladianacademytrust.com asking to arrange collection. If you are unable to collect certificates yourself you may email Mrs Petmezas with details of who you would like to collect them on your behalf. The nominated person will need to bring photo ID with them upon collection. Unfortunately if we cannot see any ID we will not be able to release your certificates.
2. Complete and return the certificate posting form together with a payment of £4.50 to cover the cost of recorded delivery and packaging. Payment details shown on the form.
I’ve lost my examination certificates, where can I get hold of copies?
You will need to contact the awarding body directly to receive a replacement certificate or certified statement of results https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate. If you cannot remember which awarding body you took your examinations with you will need to contact each in turn to see if they have a record of you achieving a qualification with them. Please note that there is generally a charge for issuing confirmation of qualifications and you will need to be able to prove that you are the certificate holder.
Examination Policy
The examination policy can be found under Trust policies, Annual reports and Statutory information.
