Academic Registry

Exams

Exams

Centrally administered exams for Year 2 and Year 3 High Wycombe students are held in January and May, with reassessment examinations in August. Exams are normally held on Monday to Fridays (with the exception of UK Bank Holidays). For exams scheduled outside these periods and for all Time Constrained Assessments (TCAs) please contact your Registry Officer or Module Tutor.

If you are enrolled on the module for which you have an exam (and are able to access the module Blackboard site) you are automatically registered for the exam. If you are not able to access Blackboard, please contact your Registry Officer as soon as possible.

A student with a pencil in their right hand about to write on a bit of paper
Examinations Office
ID Cards

You must bring your student ID card to all of your exams in order to be admitted to the exam venue. If you do not have your ID card you will not be allowed in to the room.

If you have lost your ID card it can be replaced at the main Gateway reception for £10. You must carry your ID card at all times on campus.

Exam dates and timetables

The University exam weeks for 2023-2024 are as follows:

Wherever possible the University will accommodate valid reasons you may have for being unable to sit a scheduled exam. This may include personal and professional commitments and religious observances. If you are unable to attend your exams on the dates above please contact your Registry Officer immediately.

Exam venues

Most exams take place in the Gateway Events Hall (High Wycombe Campus) and the Park Room (Uxbridge Campus). Exams for students at partner institutions are usually held at the location where the module is taught.

Please ensure that you always check the location of your exam and plan your journey carefully in order to arrive in plenty of time.

  • You should arrive at the exam venue at least 20 minutes before your exam is due to start
  • You can enter the exam venue for up to 30 minutes after the start of the exam. You will not be permitted any extra time.

For exams at the High Wycombe Campus: Morning exam sessions normally start at 9.30am, afternoon sessions at 2pm unless indicated otherwise.

For exams at the Uxbridge Campus: Morning exam sessions normally start at 10am and afternoon sessions at 2pm.

What to take into your exam

There are strict rules about what you can and cannot bring into your exam. Please ensure you only bring permitted items with you. Remember that you will need your Student ID card to be admitted to the exam venue.

You must bring your own stationery, which must be unmarked and kept in a clear pencil case.

The following items may be brought into the exam venue:

  • Sealable clear plastic wallet (no larger than A4 and all the following items should be placed inside this wallet)
  • calculator (non-programmable only)
  • non-carbonated water ‘in a clear plastic water bottle with no writing/logo
  • one mobile phone only (switched off)
  • anything permissible for the particular examination paper
  • small valuable items

These items must be taken into the examination venue in a clear plastic wallet.

Anything you will need to use during the examination must be placed on your desk, as the wallet must be stored underneath the table. Items such as your mobile phone (switched off) or other valuable items should remain in the wallet, which cannot be touched until the end of the examination.

Watches MUST NOT be worn in the exam venue and should instead be placed inside the plastic wallet under your seat. You will be able to see clocks on the wall of the exam room and so do not need to be wearing a watch.

The following items may not be brought into the exam venue:

  • Revision or course notes, books, statutes (except where approved by the examiner, this will be detailed on the front of the exam paper)
  • pencil case (unless clear) - all pens/pencils etc. should be held in your clear plastic wallet
  • dictionaries or thesauruses
  • laptops, media storage devices, iPads, tablets, programmable watches or audio players
  • ear plugs
  • correction fluid
  • paper for rough writing (unless supplied by invigilator)
  • headwear (except on religious grounds)
  • all liquids except non-carbonated water

Watches MUST NOT be worn in the exam venue and should instead be placed inside the plastic wallet under your seat. You will be able to see clocks on the wall of the exam room and so do not need to be wearing a watch.

The majority of University examinations are ‘closed book’ which means that you are not permitted to bring any written/printed material into the examination.

If the examination is classified as 'open book' you are permitted to bring written/printed materials into the examination, including written notes and textbooks that are relevant to the exam and have been approved by the module tutor. Depending on the instructions for the exam, your textbooks may be marked with written notes or highlighting. Please ensure that you have checked this prior to the day of the exam.

You are not permitted to bring any revision or course notes into the exam venue, unless they are specifically permitted for the particular exam.

It is an examination offence to have unauthorised notes either on your person or under your desk during an exam.

No form of dictionary, whether English or foreign language, is allowed in the exam venue.

Calculators and drug calculation cards are only permitted in some exams. Your module leader or department should make you aware of whether they are allowed prior to the exam period but if you are unsure then please check. Calculators should be non-programmable.

Please note that you are required to purchase your own calculator or drug calculation cards. You will not be provided with one at the exam.

You will be required to leave your coats, bags, hats and other items in a designated cloakroom area as you are not permitted to wear / take them into the exam venue itself. This area will be unsupervised so you are strongly advised not to bring valuable coats or bags to your exams. The University cannot accept any liability for any items lost or stolen from the venue.

Where the area provided is a room, this will be locked but unsupervised. The room will be open at set times during exam days for you to collect items you have left there. Times will be displayed outside the room; there will be no access at other times.

Small valuable items such as one mobile phone (switched off), wallet/purse, Oyster card etc. may be taken into the venue inside a sealable clear plastic wallet (no larger than A4) and then placed underneath your desk. Plastic wallets will be supplied by the University.

Any items that do not fit in a plastic wallet must be left in the cloakroom which is unsupervised. You are strongly advised not to bring items of value with you to your exams. The University cannot accept any liability for any items lost or stolen from the venue.

Student taking exam/working
Female student typing on laptop studying
Personalised Examination Provision (PEP)

If you have dyslexia, a physical impairment, medical condition, mental health difficulty or another disability you may be entitled to reasonable adjustments and a personalised examination provision (PEP). This will enable you to demonstrate that you have met the criteria for progression or conferment of an award.

Reasonable adjustments for your PEP will be according to your disability evidence and agreed between you, the course leader, Academic Registry and the Disability Service. The PEP will need to be set up at least six weeks before the first examination on the University published timetable. Please note that this may be over six weeks before your actual examination.

To receive a PEP you must first contact the Disability Service for a registration appointment. You will need to bring up to date medical evidence.

At least two weeks before your examination the Examinations Office will email your registered university and external email accounts with information about the date, time and location of the examination.

If you have not received any information regarding your examination, please contact your Registry Officer.

If you have been emailed about your PEP and do not wish to use it, for instance, not take your examination in a separate room as agreed, then it is your responsibility to contact the Examinations Office (details below) as soon as possible before the start of the exam.

Extra time

You may be entitled to one or more of the following:

  • 25% extra time, e.g. if you have dyslexia
  • a rest break, e.g. if you have a mobility difficulty
  • other amounts of extra time/rest breaks

Note: You will sit the examination in a teaching room. This ensures you are not disturbed by others leaving the main examination room.

A reader or amanuensis (scribe)

You may also be entitled to a reader or amanuensis:

  • the reader will read the questions as often as you request
  • an amanuensis will write legibly and accurately exactly as you dictate
  • an amanuensis will ask you to give spellings of specialist/technical terms
  • the reader / amanuensis must not give factual help, advice on questions to answer, in which order and when to move onto the next one

Note: You will sit the examination in a separate room and you should, wherever possible, be given adequate practice in the use of a reader and/or amanuensis.

You can contact Disability Service, the Learning Development Unit (LDU), or the Students' Union Advice Centre for advice around reasonable adjustments. Please also refer to the Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Students Policy.

Exam offences

Offences committed during exams are treated very seriously and will be reported to the Academic Registry for further investigation. Penalties include:

  • Expulsion from the University
  • Failure of the exam and possibly the module as a whole, with capped marks for any subsequent referral attempts
  • Potential loss of accreditation or registration with your Professional Body

Examples of exam offences include:

  • having unauthorised items either on your person or underneath your desk, in the examination hall, or the toilets
  • cheating, attempting to cheat or assisting another candidate to cheat
  • opening the exam paper before the exam has started
  • writing anything on the examination stationery other than the information requested (i.e. candidate number, module code, exam title etc.) before the exam has started
  • having writing on any part of your body or added to your clothes
  • talking to any other students whilst in the exam hall (including after your exam paper has been collected)
  • removing any used or unused answer books, exam papers or any other examination stationery from the examination venue, even temporarily
  • having a mobile phone that makes any noise at all during the exam or that is not switched off when in the examination venue, or having a mobile phone on your person at any time during the examination, including when in the toilets
  • leaving the venue during the first 60 minutes of the examination or during the last 15 minutes of the examination (unless instructed to do so)
  • continuing to write after the examination has ended
  • ignoring or disobeying any other instructions given by an invigilator or member of the Examinations Office

The Academic Misconduct Policy has more information regarding offences committed during exams.

Bad Weather

If the University is closed due to adverse weather conditions, exams will be cancelled. The closure will be notified via the home page of the University's website, our Facebook page and the home page of Blackboard. The decision will be posted on the site at 6.30am on weekdays and 8.30am at weekends.

If the University is open, exams will continue as normal. If the University is open but you personally are affected by adverse weather conditions, you may be able to claim for mitigating circumstances.

Checklist
  • Check the location of your exam venue
  • Make sure you know how long it will take you to get there and plan accordingly
  • Remember to set your alarm if you have a morning exam
  • Check that your pens have enough ink in them. These should be placed in a clear plastic wallet
  • Make sure that you only bring in permitted materials and that there are no notes written on anything you are taking into the exam
  • Take your ID card to all exams. If you have lost your card, go to the Gateway Reception for a replacement

Examination Handbook for students 2023-24

Reasonable Adjustments Procedure

January 2024 High Wycombe Exams Timetable