Press Release

Exams Officers Welcome Professional Recognition And Training

Three new qualifications join the suite…

Leading awarding body Edexcel and the Examinations Officers Association (EOA) today announce the launch of three updated qualifications that recognise the skills and increasingly demanding roles of examinations officers.

Speaking at their annual conference today Edexcel Managing Director, Jerry Jarvis said: “Exams staff in colleges and schools through out the country play a critical role in the conduct and integrity of the examinations undertaken by students. The new qualifications recognise and engender the professionalism that so many of them display every day in their work”

Andrew Harland of the Examinations Officers Association added: “This newly developed qualification will embrace the broad range of roles of those administering examinations, raising the kudos and profile of exam office personnel, provide the education community with a highly trained, professional workforce and help to secure and maintain a high quality service to all students and staff. ”

The new suite of qualifications provide a progression route for new and experienced examinations officers. Edexcel has worked closely with both the Association and other awarding bodies to ensure the qualification represents best practice across the full range of examinations offered. The far reaching consultation involved field staff in the National Assessment Agency (NAA), the Association of Colleges (AoC) and senior staff in the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) as well as many of the EOA’s 4000 members.

The qualification was piloted in partnership with the AoC and GuildfordCollege with over 600 examinations officers registering.

The new qualifications, available at levels two, three and four, have been designed with a clear and straightforward structure to provide exams officers with opportunities for career progression and create a framework for continuing professional development. There is a greater emphasis on communication and interpersonal skills to encourage ownership and contribution from Exam Officers in the system. They include new optional units at the higher levels that focus on ‘management’.

They have been written to allow for flexible delivery and Edexcel expects some organisations may offer the qualifications through distance or blended learning.

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For further details, contact the support team at salessupport@edexcel.org.uk or visit www.Edexcel.org.uk

A case study describing the piloting of the qualification is available on: http://www.edexcel.org.uk/sfc/providing-solutions/customers/guildford/

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Edexcel, a Pearson company, is the UK's largest awarding body offering academic and vocational qualifications to more than 5,500 schools, colleges, employers and other places of learning here and in 112 countries worldwide. We deliver 5.3 million exam scripts each year, with 3 million marked onscreen in 2005. Our qualifications include GCSE, AS and A Level, GNVQ, NVQ and the BTEC suite of vocational qualifications from entry level to BTEC Foundation Degrees.

For further media information contact Amy MacLaren, Senior Press Officer on 020 7190 5191 amy.maclaren@edexcel.org.uk or Stevie PAttison-Dick, Head of Corporate Communications or on 020 7190 5190 stevie.pattison-dick@edexcel.org.uk.

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