Online Exams Information
Pearson is the first UK exam board to make remote invigilation available as a service. For some of our Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and A-level courses, online exams are available. Online exams are available in paper-based and on-screen formats, depending on the subject, and can be taken from home.
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Students will need access to three separate devices for online exams: a laptop with a built-in webcam, or a PC with a separate webcam, a mobile device with a camera, and a backup recording device in case of any connection issues, all connected to the internet. Students will also need a stable internet connection, and for paper-based exams, they will need access to a printer to print the exam out at the start. Paper-based exams are then scanned in at the end and submitted.
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For all onscreen exams, the exam questions will appear onscreen, and students will type their answers onscreen. However, for paper-based exams, students will download and print an answer booklet to write their responses in. The questions will appear onscreen once they start the exam. This hybrid approach (questions onscreen and responses in the printed answer booklet) maintains the security of the paper and ensures students cannot see the questions before they press start.
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Online exams have only recently been introduced, so there is only a limited number of subjects available at the moment. However, we expect the subjects available to expand by next year.
What subjects are currently available?
The subjects currently available are for remote invigilation for the Pearson Edexcel exam board and are as follows. Please note that this list is subject to change as we have no control over the availability of subjects for online exams:
A Remote Invigilation Service fee is charged per International GCSE paper and per International A-level unit. This service fee is separate from and in addition to the examination entry fees.
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If you would like a quote for remote invigilation, please book a free consultation below to discuss options in more detail, and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
How does remote invigilation work?
Invigilators are allocated to a limited number of students, ensuring Pearson is able to provide personalised support, especially in the case of any students with SEND.
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Students cannot see or hear the invigilator, but are able to communicate with them via the live chat box or by speaking into their microphone if they need assistance during any point of the examination process. The invigilator can see and hear the candidate, but can only communicate by typing into the chat box. All familiarisation activities and live examinations are recorded and monitored for quality and safeguarding purposes.
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Additionally, a parent or guardian must be within earshot throughout the course of the exam, but outside of the room where the examination process is taking place, in case students need to call for them for assistance. They may assist with the set-up and submission stages, but must exit the room during the live examination.
Registering interest & student demo
After expressing interest in remote invigilation, students will be offered the opportunity to undertake a few demo assessments to familiarise themselves with the process and decide whether they would like to make formal exam entries.
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Once a student has made a formal exam entry, they will be given the opportunity to participate in a live invigilated system familiarisation exercise, to ensure they are comfortable with the process before their official high-stakes examinations. Familiarisation activities are conducted using past papers/sample assessments, helping students become familiar with the system.
