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Question papers despatch

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Question papers are despatched to centres in advance of each examination series. For the June series, papers are despatched weekly from April onwards. Please see our key dates chart for more information.

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Question papers will be sent using a courier and will require a signature on receipt. Centres must log scripts on receipt and store them in their secure storage facility in accordance with JCQ regulations.

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Question paper packets are colour coded according to level, as published in the Question Paper Packet Sheet guide.

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Modified question papers

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Information on Modified Papers is provided on the Special Requirements page.

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Downloading non-interactive question papers for Access Arrangements

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Providing that an order for non-interactive question papers has been made through Access Arrangements online and an entry has been submitted by 18th March, primary account holders can access non-interactive question papers on the day of the examination via the .

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Help accessing electronic question paper downloads is available from the relevant department:

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GCSE: 029 2026 5082

AS/A Level: 029 2026 5336

Vocational, Applied and Entry Level: 029 2026 5444

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You will find information regarding downloading question papers on the home page of the

Examinations must be conducted in accordance with JCQ requirements, details of which may be found in the (ICE) document.

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Attendance registers

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These provided in date order, and are sent in separate envelopes for each of the qualifications that you have entries for (e.g. GCSE will be packed separately to A level). They are sent separately to question paper despatches.

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In addition to issuing attendance registers in hard copy, admin users are able to access and print attendance registers from by choosing the ‘Centre Administration’ menu. Select ‘attendance registers’ and then choose your qualification and click ‘display papers for session’. Registers on Portal will reflect the most up-to-date entries for your centre.

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Centres should ensure that attendance registers are accurately completed, clearly indicating candidates who are present (with a tick) or writing absent or withdrawn as appropriate. Do not leave the space alongside the candidate's name blank.

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Where a candidate is sitting an exam but is not on the attendance register provided, the candidate’s name should be added to the bottom of the register. Where a candidate has changed tiers, they should be marked absent and added to the correct register. Any late entry candidates should be added using the spaces provided at the end of the register.

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At the end of the examination, the scripts should be arranged in the order in which the candidates are listed on the attendance register.Ìý Centres should retain the bottom copy of the attendance registers for their records. As part of this check, please ensure that candidates have used the name shown on the attendance register.

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More information about attendance registers is available in section 22 of the

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Answer Books

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Details of which subjects require answer books can be found in the 'Exam Requirements' booklet which is published in advance of each examination series and despatched to centres with their examination stationery (examiner labels and attendance registers). ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ 16-page pink scannable booklets must be used for all examinations that require an answer book. If any candidate requires additional writing space, a pink 4-page scannable booklet should be used.

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Information regarding the completion of answer books is available here for Exams Officers. A guide for candidates is available here.

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Exam stationeryÌýdispatch

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³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ answer books, script envelopes and large plastic sacks (for the despatch of non-exam assessment) will be despatched before each series.

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Stationery for the Summer series is despatched in December/January with quantities calculated using preliminary entries. Final entries are used for a subsequent despatch in March. If your centre still requires additional stationery, please email despatchqueries@wjec.co.uk with the details (please include centre number, item required, quantity and reason for request). Please note that ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ answer books must not be used for mock examinations.ÌýÌý

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Invigilator Recruitment 2022/2023

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The Exams Office has developed an Invigilator Recruitment and Vacancy Map to support centres with recruiting invigilators. This service enables centres to advertise invigilator vacancies at no cost and is available to members of The Exams Office and non-members. ÌýFurther information about the service is available

Most eventualities are covered in the (ICE) booklet including contingency planning, late arrivals and incidents of malpractice, and centres should follow the guidance provided in this document.

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Late Arrivals

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Candidates who arrive late may sit an examination at the discretion of the centre. Any candidate who arrives more than an hour after the published start time is Very Late, and centres must report this via the JCQ Centre Admin Portal (CAP), available from the . The candidate must be warned that ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ may not accept their script.

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More information about very late arrivals is provided in the .

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Timetable clashes

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A timetable clash occurs when two or more exams for which a candidate is entered are timetabled within the same session. Centres should manage timetable clashes according to the guidance set out in the .

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A centre which is managing a timetable variation must ensure that appropriate supervision is maintained at all times in order to preserve the integrity of the examination.Ìý

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Malpractice

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Any incidents of candidate malpractice must be reported to us and form JCQ/M1 must be completed and submitted. More information is available on our malpractice page.

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Report a potential question paper error or security breach

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If you believe you have found a potential question paper error or security breach, then contact ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ immediately:

GCE A/AS level question papers: 029 2026 5336
GCSE question papers: 029 2026 5420
Other qualifications: 029 2026 5444

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For security breaches, please contact the Compliance Team directly: 029 2026 5351 or malpractice@wjec.co.uk.

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Please make sure that you have the following information to hand when you call:

• Details of the suspected error/breach and the number and name of the paper affected
• Time within the examination session when the error was discovered
• Initial indication of the way in which the error/breach has affected candidates

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Further information regarding the unlikely event of an error in a question paper is available here.

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Contingency Planning

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In accordance with JCQ regulations, centres should have their own contingency plans in place in the event of a major disruption and ensure that the relevant staff are familiar with the content. More information is provided in the .

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The regulators, JCQ and educational government departments have prepared a Joint Contingency Plan to ensure there is a consistent response to any major disruption to the examination system affecting a large number of candidates. Examples could include severe weather, widespread illness, travel disruption or system failures.

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Key documents relating to contingency planning for examinations are available here:

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³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Contingency Questions and Answers

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Centres should have their own contingency plans in place in the event of a major disruption and ensure that the relevant staff are familiar with the content.

Checking information

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Before putting the scripts in the sack for dispatch, centres should check candidate and subject information on the front cover of answer booklets against the details on the attendance register in order to identify any discrepancies.Ìý

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Any incorrect information such as wrong centre or candidate number, incomplete candidate name or incorrect unit/component code, can be amended but must be counter-signed on the script. Centres must not alter the contents of the candidate's scripts.

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Packing scripts

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Completed scripts and the accompanying attendance register must be sent to the notified examiner using the plastic script envelopes and address labels provided.Ìý

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To ensure that scripts are processed correctly, centres should ensure that all the following details are included and not obscured during the packing process:

• Centre number
• Subject and unit/component code
• Number of scripts in the envelope.

Any A3 scripts should be placed on top of the other candidates' scripts so that these will be the first scripts seen when the package is opened.

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Despatching scripts

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Scripts must be despatched on the same day as the exam wherever possible and certainly within one working day of the examination. Any scripts kept in the centre overnight must be stored in the centre’s secure storage facility.

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Centres in England should refer to the instructions issued by the Department of Education for despatching scripts:

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• (centres in England only)
• Yellow Label service checklist (centres in England only)

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Scribe cover sheets

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Scribe cover sheets can be downloaded from the .

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For examinations completed with the use of a scribe, a completed JCQ Form 2 must be placed inside the candidate’s completed script.

The JCQ Transferred Candidate arrangement allows a candidate to be transferred to another ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ registered examination centre to sit their examinations in certain circumstances. The entry remains with the original ‘entering’ centre, however question papers are despatched to the ‘host’ centre.

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Further information regarding this arrangement is available on theÌý.

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Applications for transferred candidates must be processed through the JCQ Centre Admin Portal available from the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ secure website.

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Requests must be submitted online as early as possible and no later than the dates below of the respective examination series:Ìý

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There is a charge for this service, please see ourÌýfees documentÌýfor further details.