Exams

The Exams Team is here to help you and have an open-door policy for students. The exams office is situated at R133, on Rotherfield Campus.

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CONTACT US

Natalie Green: 01491 634316

Chris Molloy: 01491 634324

EXAM RESOURCES AND SUPPORT

Our Exams Department have a selection of further resources and support to help students and their parents/guardians with exams.

Your timetable will be emailed out to your Microsoft college accounts. Text messages will be sent to remind you. A copy of the timetable will be available on the website.

If you have a clash for the same day between two subjects, they will be changed so they are not at the same time and you will be escorted from the hall and placed in a holding room in between each exam.

In the holding room, you will not have access to any electronic devices, including phones and watches. I would advise that you bring a packed lunch with you as you will not be able to mix or talk with anyone until you are escorted back to the hall for your second exam. It is advised that you bring paper notes or books along for the next exam, which you can look over.  

If you have three exams in one day the above applies, but you must come to the exam room in R133 as soon as possible to collect a form that must be read, understood, and signed by parents/guardian and brought back to the office asap.

Dec 2025 -Jun 2026 Exam & Mocks Timetable

If you need to resit an exam, please complete the below form and return it to exams@henleycol.ac.uk. The cost of BTEC unit resits for summer 2026 is £45.10 per unit, this goes up to 21/03/2026 for Summer 26 before late fees apply.

Payment can be made via Parent Pay or by calling Deanfield Reception on 01491 579988. Please note we only take credit or debit card payments.

EXAM RESIT REQUEST FORMBTEC RESIT FORM

CLERICAL RE-CHECKS, REVIEWS OF MARKING AND APPEALS CANDIDATE FORM

ACCESS TO SCRIPTS CANDIDATE FORM

STUDENT GUIDE TO EXAMS AND FORMAL ASSESSMENTS IN 2025 TO 2026

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) has created a guide for students on how GCSEs, A Levels, and vocational and technical qualifications will be graded and awarded in the academic year 2025-2026.

STUDENT GUIDE

Question Answer
How will I know where to sit?

There are a number of options; namely:-

1. During an exam series your seat allocation will be sent to your college email.

2. On the outside of each examination room will be a seating plan. Look for your name (for example Row A Position 1), this will tell you where to sit.

3. For BTEC exams only, in each room you will have a name card on the tables.

Can I leave an exam early if I finish ahead of time?

No. You must stay for the duration of the exam as leaving early will cause disruption to other students that are still sitting their exam. Once the exam is finished you will be directed by the invigilator who will inform you that you may leave.

What happens if I am entitled to the 25%Extra Time and I don’t wish to use it?

That is fine, but you must stay at your desk for the duration of the exam – for example, English Writing is 1 hr. If the exam starts at 09.30 am you have until 10.30 am to complete the exam in the normal allotted time. But if you are entitled to the 25%ET your finishing time would be 15 mins later – 10.45 am. If you decide that you do not wish to stay for the extra time, you can leave at the normal allotted time of 10.30 am.
Am I allowed to have a toilet break? Normally the answer would be no, you should have gone to the toilet prior to entering the exam room. Sometimes though, it is unavoidable. If you do require to have a toilet break, you will be accompanied by an invigilator to the designated toilet and wait with you. You are not to speak to anyone in passing. REMEMBER! YOU ARE STILL SITTING YOUR EXAM!!! Any sign that you are talking with another student, could be misconstrued as potential cheating and therefore would mean your exam would be void.
Am I allowed to bring a drink in with me? Yes - only bottled water, it has to be in a clear container with no writing, labels, no design on it. It has to be a clear container only. No other form of soft drink is allowed. For example – squash or diet drinks. Only water.

Am I allowed to bring my mobile phone with me?

No! absolutely not!! If you have a mobile with you by accident then you are to hand it over immediately to the lead invigilator before the exam has started, who will hold onto it for you until the exam has ended. If you are caught with your phone on your person, even if it is turned off. It could potentially void your exam. 

The only exception is for a medical purpose as shown in your EAA's. 

Am I allowed to bring my watch in with me? No watches of any form are allowed in the exam room!
Am I allowed Fitbits or Apple Watches? No! There are to be no electronic devices in the exam area at any time. If one comes into the exam area by mistake, then it must be handed over to the lead invigilator before the exam has started. It can then be collected once the exam has finished. If you are caught with your phone on your person, even if it is turned off. It could potentially void your exam.

What equipment can I bring into the exam area with me?

You can bring in the following equipment with you; namely:-

1. Black Pen

2. HB Pencil

3. Ruler

4. Eraser

5. Calculator(no cover) – but only if the exam requires you to do so

6. Mathematical equipment for example set square, compass – but only if the exam requires you to do so.

What happens if I forget my own equipment – pens, calculator, etc ?

The lead invigilator will have a small limited supply of basic equipment that you can use in an emergency for your exam.

Remember – it is up to you to make sure that you are prepared and ready to take your exam and have all the relevant equipment with you.

REMEMBER: FEELING STRESSED ABOUT EXAMS IS NORMAL, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE ON YOUR OWN.

We have compiled a list on how to tackle exams head on.

You can look after yourself in different ways:

  • Make time for things you enjoy. Find ways to release stress and celebrate progress. You could listen to music, draw, cook, play with a pet or go for a walk. You can try things alone or with friends.
  • Talk to others about how you feel. Connect with other people, especially people who are going through the same thing. For more information, see our page on talking about how you're feeling.
  • Try to find balance. Take regular breaks and be realistic about what you can do in a day. Keep things in perspective and remember that exams won't last forever.
  • Take care of your physical health. Make sure you get enough sleep, food, water and exercise. If you take regular medication, keep up with your routine.
  • Focus on yourself. Try not to compare yourself to others. Think of things you like about yourself and what you're good at – this can help boost your confidence.

While you're preparing an exam, you could try lowering stress levels by:

  • Finding a study group. If there's nothing at college, try starting one with friends or people in your class.
  • Making a revision timetable. This helps organise your revision and your breaks. You can find useful tips on the BBC Bitesize website.
  • Working in the best way for you. Be creative or active if it helps, like drawing diagrams or making up songs. Try being open to different types of studying and revision.
  • Revising in the best place for you. You might prefer the quiet or being around others. If you don't have a space to study at home, you could try at school, the library, a cafe, or a family member or friend's house.

The Pomodoro Technique

  • Identify a task or tasks that you need to complete.
  • Set a timer for 25 minutes.
  • Work on a task with no distractions

(Flora is a free productivity app that helps you stay off your phone, clear to-do lists, and build positive, life-changing habits) 

  • When the alarm sounds, take a 5-minute break.
  • Repeat the process 3 more times.
  • Take a longer 30-minute break and start again.

Visual - learning by looking 

  • make posters, post-it notes or flashcards
  • use colour-coded revision timetables and notes
  • draw mind maps, spider diagrams or graphs

Verbal – learning by talking

  • go to group revision sessions
  • read your revision notes aloud to yourself or someone else
  • rewrite lesson materials in your own words

Kinesthetic – learning by doing

  • go practice papers
  • go to group revision sessions
  • use flashcards

Auditory – learning by listening

  • record yourself reading your notes and listen back
  • listen to podcasts or audiobooks
  • listen to a playlist while you revise

To help cope with stress on the day of your exam, you could:

  • Prepare your items the night before. Get everything you need ready to take with you, like pens and water for your exam.
  • Start your day the best you can. Try to eat breakfast and make sure you have enough time to arrive at your exam without rushing.
  • Try to ground yourself with a breathing exercise. If you feel overwhelmed in the exam, try to breathe in through your nose for 4 counts, hold it for 2 counts, and breathe out through your mouth for 7 counts. If you repeat this, it can slow your breath and help keep you calm.
  • Take your time. Read the exam carefully and plan what you need to do before answering.

Remind yourself that it'll be over soon. You've done your best and that's all you can do.

To cope with stress and difficult feelings after an exam, you could:

  • Try not to compare your answers to others. If possible, avoid talking to other people about the questions, comparing answers or looking up answers online.
  • Reward yourself. Think of something to do afterwards that you enjoy. You could go out with your friends, play video games, or eat your favourite food.
  • Focus on next steps. Plan what you'll do next, like going home, doing something fun, then revising for the next exam. Think ahead in a positive way – if you have another exam, focus on the time and date that it'll be over.
  • Relax before your next exam. The stress from doing an exam can leave you feeling exhausted. You might find it hard to revise again before you take a break.
  • Remember: you can only try your best. Each new day is a chance to start again.

 

Appeals

Stage 1 – Centre Review

Students can request a review to The College, specifying whether they believe:

1: An administrative error has been made by the centre (for example; the wrong grade /mark was recorded against an item of evidence), or

2: A procedural error has been made by the centre (for example; a reasonable adjustment/access arrangement was not provided for an eligible student)

Students will then be required to provide a short explanation of what they believe went wrong and how this may have impacted the grade.

Students will be notified of the outcome of the appeal, with information of what was considered by the College and the rationale for the outcome of the review.

 

Stage 2 – appeal to an awarding organization

An awarding organization appeal must be submitted to The College, and we will then submit it to the awarding organization.

Students will be required to state the grounds for appeal;

1:Administrative error by the awarding organization

2:Procedural issue at The College

3:Unreasonable exercise of academic judgment

Students will then need to provide an explanation of what they believe went wrong and how they think it impacted their grades.

Students must email the Application of Appeal form which can be found and downloaded above from their college account. This will act as proof of identity. The form also contains the following acknowledgment on the part of the student:

“I confirm that I am requesting an appeal for the qualification named above and that I have read and understood the information provided in the ‘Important information for students’ section above."

I am aware that:

  • The outcome of the appeal may result in my grade remaining the same, being lowered or raised
  • I understand that there is no further opportunity to appeal to the awarding organisation and that the next stage would be to contact the regulator. The awarding organisation will include the next appropriate steps, where applicable, in their appeal outcome letter which you will receive from your school/college.”

 

Key dates and deadlines for the appeals process:

Priority appeals: dates and deadlines (students will need to give their UCAS personal ID to qualify for a priority appeal – you must include this for a priority appeal).  Priority appeals that do not meet these deadlines may lead to appeals not being completed in time for students applying to higher education who did not attain their firm choice.

Awarding organizations will not accept appeals directly from students or parents.

Appeals cannot be made to an awarding organization until the centre review has been completed.

The college will confirm to the student that it has submitted the examination appeal