2005 vision of exam process on show

Nearly 200 exam officers from schools and colleges around the country are set to visit Edexcel's examinations processing centre in north London over the next two months to see for themselves how the system works and for a
glimpse at Edexcel's hi-tech vision for exam management for 2005.

They join the ranks of civil servants, QCA officials, journalists and MPs, including members of the Education and Skills Select Committee, who have visited the facility in recent months.

Edexcel is running a number of exciting pilots with schools and colleges that will transform the job that exams officers have to do. Online entering of students, online marking by examiners, online entering of assessment
marks as well as exam results by examiners. All of these pilots, when they go live in schools and colleges, will make full use of modern technology and transform the administration of the exams process.

Lawrence Anderson, the Operations Manager, explains:

People have many misconceptions about the way exams are managed and since March 2001 we have been opening our doors to visitors to show them how the process really operates and what is planned for the future.

Whilst it is a huge operation logistically, exams are a very human process. We never lose sight that the end result - the grade - matters to one individual - the student whose grade it is. Exams are set by our most
senior examiners; each has been a teacher, trainer or lecturer, and knows just what is at stake. All our examiners are trained and are themselves marked and have to face a final grade. Our staff and examiners have been at
the receiving end of waiting for exam results - we do know what is involved emotionally.

All the administration tasks carried out by our examiners are being reviewed and modernised for the 21st century - with electronic entries, online changes to students' detailed, electronic marking and online reporting of grades being piloted. That is what the exams officers are
coming to see - how their work will change by 2005!