Storing confidential materials (c) If you make entries for a particular component
4.4 Storing confidential materials (c) If you make entries for a particular component
and subsequently withdraw all entries for that This section explains our regulations for storing
component, you may still receive the question confidential materials. You must store question papers
papers for that component. If this happens, store securely and in full compliance with our regulations.
the question paper packets unopened in your secure storage until after the release of results for the
4.4.1 Checking confidential materials
relevant series.
(a) On completion of the checks in section 4.3, move (d) You must store exam stationery, materials and all confidential materials to your secure store. Check
secure materials downloaded from CIE Direct and question paper packets against the exam timetable
the digital file despatch area securely until the time and arrange them in order to reduce the possibility
they are needed. If you have printed them off they of opening a packet at the wrong time.
must be stored securely with your other question (b) Do not open packets of question papers and other
papers and confidential materials. confidential exam materials until the time set for the
(e) If you have to keep answer scripts in storage before relevant exam, except in the circumstances below. If
despatching them they must be sealed and stored you are unsure, contact us.
under the same secure conditions as question paper • Confidential instructions – Certain confidential
packets and other confidential exam materials. materials, such as instructions for practical exams,
(f) If a member of staff is involved in administering must be opened before the exam. The instructions
an exam that is being taken by a person in whom on the front of the packet will tell you whether you
they have an interest (see section 2.1.5 for a full should open it before the exam. If you are unsure
definition), the Head of Centre must make sure that whether to open the packet contact Customer
they do not have unaccompanied access to exam Services or your Cambridge Associate. Make
materials, either before the exam (for example, arrangements to safeguard confidential instructions
questions papers and question paper packets), or after opening. Do not remove them from the
after the exam (for example, answer scripts). If the building. When they are not in use, return them to
member of staff is the exams officer, another person your secure storage facilities and store them under
must be present for all the administration relating the same secure conditions as the rest of your
to that person’s exams. A member of centre staff exam materials. Do not photocopy the confidential
other than the exams officer must authorise any instructions. The Head of Centre is responsible for
documentation connected with the person in whom making sure these materials remain confidential and
they have an interest taking the exam (for example, that no information about them reaches candidates.
access arrangements forms). The member of staff Under no circumstances should you discuss or
must also complete Entries – Form 1. See section share the confidential instructions with any other
2.1.5 for more details.
centre. Contact us if you have any questions about confidential instructions. • Literature question paper packets – You can open certain literature question paper packets for plain text or open book exams one hour before the start of the exam in order to check the page references to specific editions of texts. The head of department or appropriate teacher must open and check them in the presence of the Head of Centre or their deputy. • Pre-recorded materials – Where confidential material is pre-recorded on CDs or other media, you must make arrangements, before the exam, to test the material according to our instructions in sections
5.7.2 and 5.7.6. • Erratum notices – You must open erratum notices as soon as they arrive, unless otherwise stated on
the envelope. Once you have read them you must place them in secure storage until the timetabled date and time of an exam.
78 4 Before the exams Cambridge Handbook 2018 (International)
4.4.2 Storing confidential materials
Keep the keys and any access codes to both the secure container and the room in a secure place
You must follow the regulations below for storing where unauthorised people cannot access them. confidential materials. Each key holder should be able to access the exam
(a) Store question paper packets unopened, in a place materials independently, in case the other key of high security, ideally a non-portable strong safe. If
holders are not available for unexpected reasons.
a safe is not available, use a non-portable, lockable, The safe or cabinet, and any other security reinforced solid metal cabinet or similar. If you use
measures, must be securely locked whenever
a cabinet like this, it must be bolted to the floor or confidential materials are present, other than when wall and fitted with sufficient locking bars to prevent
being accessed by authorised staff.
the doors being forced open. One external locking bar across the middle of a tall cabinet may not be
(c) Keep the secure safe or cabinet in a securely locked sufficient.
room in a fixed building where walls, ceilings and floors are of solid construction. The door to the
(b) A minimum of two and a maximum of three secure room must be solid or reinforced and fitted authorised people must be key holders, for example
with strong tamper-proof hinges. Any glass panels in the Head of Centre, the exams officer and another
the door must be strongly reinforced or have bars. member of staff. Key holders do not need to be
senior members of staff but they should have a clear The room the secure safe or cabinet is in should have understanding of our question paper regulations.
no internal or external windows. Where this is not It is up to the Head of Centre or exams officer to
possible, fit windows with bars or fit the room with nominate an appropriate member of staff to be a
an alarm (which must be switched on at all times). key holder. Only key holders should have access to
Ideally this room should be located on an upper the secure room and to the secure container holding
floor.
the question papers and confidential materials. (d) Tell us immediately if the security of the question papers or confidential materials is put at risk by fire, theft, loss, damage, unauthorised disclosure or any other circumstances.
Storing question papers
Room should be in a fixed building where the walls, ceiling and floor are of solid construction.
Internal windows must have bars. Alternatively,
Solid door with
an alarm system should
strong hinges and
be fitted and activated.
a secure lock.
A safe or non-portable, lockable, reinforced-metal cabinet. Fitted with a locking bar and bolted to the floor.
Cambridge Handbook 2018 (International) 4 Before the exams 79
4.4.3 Storing confidential materials
Extra guidance
for Cambridge Primary Checkpoint and Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint as
Access the following support from our website at
part of the Cambridge Primary programme
www.cambridgeinternational.org/beforetheexams •
If your centre is registered and approved to offer only Our ‘Receiving and storing question papers’ Cambridge Primary Checkpoint and Cambridge Lower
video explains what you need to do when your Secondary Checkpoint you may, as an exception to
question papers arrive.
section 4.4.2, follow the regulations in this section • Our ‘Secure storage’ video shows examples of (4.4.3) for storing confidential materials.
storage facilities so you can check that your secure container and room meet our regulations.
You may store question paper packets unopened in either a non-portable strong safe or in a securely locked
• Our ‘Handling confidential materials’ poster room in a fixed building where walls, ceilings and floors
explains the security regulations for each type of are of solid construction. Where only the securely
The information on this poster locked room is in place, the key holder requirements
component.
may not reflect local arrangements between detailed in section 4.4.2(b) must also be followed.
Cambridge Associates and their Associate Centres.
If you need advice on security arrangements, please contact the Compliance team at info@cambridgeinternational.org
Associate Centres should contact their Cambridge Associate.
80 4 Before the exams Cambridge Handbook 2018 (International)
4.5 Preparing the exam room
Important information
This section sets out the regulations you must follow The regulations in this section also apply to all Art when preparing the exam room.
& Design practical exams.
4.5.1 Exam venue
All candidates must sit the exam at the centre unless
4.5.3 Seating arrangements
you have our prior permission for them to take the exam
4.5.3.1 Distance between candidates
elsewhere. If you need some or all of your candidates to take their exams at a venue that is not your registered
(a) Seating arrangements must prevent candidates centre please follow the instructions in section 2.6.
from viewing the work of others, intentionally or otherwise. The minimum distance in all directions
from the centre of one candidate’s chair to the (a) Exam rooms must provide candidates with
4.5.2 Exam room
centre of another’s must be 1.25 metres (see below). appropriate conditions. Pay attention to access,
heating, ventilation, lighting and outside noise. (b) You must carry out practical exams under conditions
that give all candidates the opportunity to finish their tasks and display their true level of attainment in the subject.
(c) You must clearly display to all candidates: • the centre number
• the actual start and finish time of each exam • the syllabus and component code of each exam.
(d) You must have a copy of Parts 4 and 5 of this handbook in each exam room and a copy of the full handbook in the main exam room.
4.5.2.1 Clock
A reliable clock must be directly visible to all candidates in the exam room.
Where multiple clocks are
needed in large rooms, make sure they all show exactly (b) For multiple-choice papers, if desks are spaced the same time.
1.25 metres apart candidates may still be able to see other candidates’ work, intentionally or otherwise.
4.5.2.2 Notice to Candidates and Candidate Where this is the case the exams officer must use Warning poster
an alternative method so that no candidate’s work You must display the Notice to Candidates and
can be overseen by any other candidates. This can be Candidate Warning poster both inside and outside
achieved by:
the exam room for all exams, including speaking and • increasing the space between candidates’ desks listening tests. We recommend you print this as A2 size.
• seating alternating rows of candidates taking You will receive copies of each poster in the pre-exam
different exams
despatch and you can download them from our website
at www.cambridgeinternational.org/examday
using extra invigilators.
4.5.2.3 Display material (c) If necessary, please contact us or your Cambridge Associate for advice about alternative methods. We
Under no circumstances should display material that retain the right to approve or query the steps the might help or distract candidates be visible in the
exams officer has taken to prevent candidates from exam room (for example, maps, diagrams, wall charts).
seeing the work of others.
You must take particular care with exams held in laboratories or libraries.
4.5.3.2 Written exams
(a) All candidates must face in the same direction. (b) Candidates must sit in candidate number order, with
candidate numbers or index numbers on each desk.
Cambridge Handbook 2018 (International) 4 Before the exams 81
(c) Each candidate must have their own desk or table of sufficient size to accommodate question papers,
Extra guidance
maps, equipment and materials for practical exams, If a candidate is unwell in the exam room or and answer booklets/paper. has a potentially contagious disease, go to
(d) We would suggest that where possible you do www.cambridgeinternational.org/help and type not use desks with shelves in exams. Candidates
‘soiled scripts’ into the search box for advice on could use these shelves to store notes or other
handling soiled scripts.
unauthorised items. If no alternative desks are available, invigilators must check the shelves before the beginning of the exam, and must pay special
Extra guidance
attention to make sure nothing is placed on them during the exam. You could appoint extra invigilators
Use the first section of our ‘Exam day to monitor this.
checklist’ to make sure you are ready for the exams ahead and your preparations meet
(e) Candidates who are working on a drawing board our regulations. Download the checklist from set on an easel or another non-horizontal surface www.cambridgeinternational.org/examday should, wherever possible, sit in an inward-facing
circle or similar. (f) Where candidates sit an exam in a language
laboratory, the minimum distance in all directions from the centre of one candidate’s chair to the centre of another’s must be 1.25 metres. If you cannot meet this requirement you must use screened booths instead.
Screened booths
may restrict invigilators’ view of candidates. In this situation, increase the number of invigilators.
(g) Where candidates sit an exam in a computer laboratory, the minimum distance between the outer edge of one monitor to the other should be
1.25 metres. If you cannot meet this requirement, candidates must sit at alternate monitors or in screened booths.
Screened booths may restrict
invigilators’ view of candidates. In this situation, increase the number of invigilators.
(h) You may hold other exams in the room at the same time, provided no disturbance is caused.
4.5.3.3 Candidates suffering from a contagious disease
(a) If a candidate is suffering from a contagious disease, you should consider whether the candidate is fit to take the exam. If the candidate does take the exam, they must be in a separate room where you can apply all exam regulations.
(b) After the exam you must photocopy the candidate’s script and return this photocopy with the other candidates’ scripts as normal. Seal the original script in a transparent file with a visible note explaining the situation. Store the original script securely and contact Cambridge International for further guidance.
82 4 Before the exams Cambridge Handbook 2018 (International)