Please refer to the document sent to your email last week for specific details relating to your specific assessment and please note this article is advisory in order to help you prepare for your assessment well in advance of exam day.
Find a quiet place to work
It is essential that you sit your exam in a distraction free, quiet space. To give yourself the best chance of concentrating during your exam, make other members of your household aware of your exam schedule ahead of time and ask them to be mindful of noise levels throughout your assessment. It goes without saying that the normal rules for exams apply, so the only two people in the room should be yourself and the remote invigilator (via a device). There must also be no books, posters, pictures, TVs, monitors, screens or formulas on the wall or in front of you. In the same respect, your desk must be facing a clear wall, not a window.
What your desk should look like
Your workspace should have plenty of room for you to comfortably write your paper. If you have a morning exam, it is advisable that you set up your workstation the night before.
You must be clearly visible to the remote invigilator throughout the entire exam, so make sure you set up your desk in a well-lit area. You will need to place your webcam (computer screen/laptop) to the side of you showing your head to your waistline. Everything on your desk must be visible including your exam paper, stationary and your mobile phone (on your desk upside down in line of the webcam –on vibrate mode only). This is in case you get disconnected during the assessment and the invigilator needs to contact you. You will need to scan your exam paper at the end of the assessment, so make sure the printer/scanner is in the same room as you.
Make sure you have the right equipment well in advance of assessment day
For full details of the equipment you will need, please refer to the guidance document issued last week. To recap, you will need: A laptop/computer/iPad, a printer, a table and chair, complete set of stationary including a black ball point pen not a black ink pen, a scanner, a webcam, microphone, speakers, mobile phone placed face down on the table (only for invigilators to contact you should there be a connectivity problem) and a clock to keep track of the time for the assessment. You will also need a form Photo of I.D. with you i.e passport or driving license or alternatively a form of I.D. that has the candidate’s photograph and signature. Guidance for candidates using word processors can be found in the official guidance document sent to you last week.
Log on with plenty of time
In this digital age it is best to give yourself plenty of preparation time to login to your device and access your unique Microsoft Teams login area. If you login later than the assessment start time, you will unfortunately be disqualified and unable to sit the exam. Much like an in person exam, if you turn up late you will not be allowed to enter the room. Similarly, do not leave the assessment and remote invigilation until you have attached your assessment paper to the online Assessment Paper Submission Form and have received confirmation of receipt, you will then be told when you can leave the assessment – do not leave beforehand as you will be disqualified.
Be prepared
We are all unique in the way we like to prepare for exams but there are some things we can all do in the lead up to exam day to ensure it runs smoothly.
- Ensure you have had enough sleep (and make sure to set an alarm should your exam be in the morning!)
- Give yourself plenty of time to get to the exam and logon.
- You will not be able to leave the room once the assessment has started so make sure you’ve had plenty to eat and that you’ve visited the WC beforehand.
- Bring a bottle of water (with labels removed), again placed within visible range of the invigilator.
- Calculate how much time you have to sit the exam and keep an eye on the clock throughout.
- Be confident! You’ve studied and prepared for this exam, so go in there and do your very best!
What are your tips to prepare for exams? We’d love to know! If you are due to sit a remote based exam with us and have any questions, please email AEC at info@aectutors.co.uk
