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Examinations
The Examinations Officer is Mrs Carol-Anne Lale, contactable by email c.lale@palladianacademytrust.com or telephone 01225 838014.
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 2026
A celebration event is to be held on Wednesday 25 November allowing you to come back together and collect your certificates. Details of this event will be published on the school website and emailed to parents in the autumn term.
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 between 26 November - 3 December.
A level Certificates Summer 2026
A celebration event is to be held on Wednesday 6 January allowing you to come back together and collect your certificates. Details 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 between 7 – 14 January.
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 £5.50 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.
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 the External Exams ans Assessment 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 9 - 19 November 2026
Year 13 mocks 11- 22 January 2027
Year 12 mocks 5 - 9 July 2027
External Examinations and Assessments
The Exams and Assessment Handbook provides candidates with information about the examination and assessment process, including the requirements of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and the awarding bodies' instructions for candidates.
2026-2027 Exam and Assessment Handbook
Summer examinations will take place between 10 May and 18 June 2027.
Contingency days are included to provide resilience within the examination timetable and help ensure that the exam series can continue in the event of national or significant local disruption. Students are therefore advised to remain available up to and including Wednesday 23 June 2027, should an awarding body need to invoke its contingency arrangements.
Once examination entries have been made, students will receive their individual examination timetables. These should be checked carefully, and any errors or concerns should be reported to the Exams Office immediately.
Occasionally, examination clashes occur when two or more examinations are scheduled in the same session. There is no need to notify the Exams Office of these clashes, as they are identified routinely and appropriate arrangements will be made. Students affected by a clash will be informed of the arrangements in advance.
External examinations are conducted under formal examination conditions in accordance with JCQ regulations. Students should familiarise themselves with the information contained within the External Exams and Assessment Handbook and the JCQ publications linked in the Information for Candidates section below.
Awarding bodies take the security and integrity of external examinations very seriously. The handbook and JCQ publications provide important guidance on examination procedures and candidate responsibilities, helping students to avoid situations that could give rise to suspected malpractice. Breaches of examination regulations may result in penalties being applied by the awarding body, including the possible disqualification of a candidate from an examination or qualification.
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
Artifical Intelligence and Assessments
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.
Courses, Specification Codes and Awarding Organisations
