Q: Are there any marking criteria for speaking external assessments?
Yes, marking criteria for speaking is contained in the Examiner's Booklet and detailed on the website on the centres/speaking tests page. Q: What are stepped entry fees and when are they charged? New entries for an assessment will not normally be accepted more than two weeks after the published deadline for a session. However it will still be possible to add (or withdraw) candidate entries for assessments already entered. Such entries will be charged at a higher rate. Fees charged at this higher rate will be listed as ‘Stepped’ on your centre’s invoice.
Q: Will I receive a refund for a withdrawn entry? Entry fees will not be refunded if a candidate is withdrawn after the entry deadline has passed. Q: What is the option code for? The option code is a one-letter code appended to the assessment code when making entries to identify which context is to be taken (e.g. P201/P). The option codes are Primary: P, Secondary: S, Post-16: A and Context-free: C. Q: How do I make an entry amendment? See the Admin Guide and the Online Entries and Results System User Guide for details on how to make entry amendments. Q: Where can I check the entry deadlines? Deadlines are given in the Admin Guide (available on the exams officer's page of the website) and in the schedules for external assessments, see the examsofficers/scheduling page. Q: How do I make entries? Final entries must be made for all skills by the deadline for each series. These are made by EDI or via the Online Entries and Results System.
Estimated entries are no longer required for all skills. However, if you wish to enter candidates for speaking tests during the year, centres must complete a request for speaking test materials form by 5 October 2009, with an estimate of the number of candidates that will be entered for each language and stage in a series. Q: Why do I need to complete a request for speaking test materials form? So OCR can send you the materials you need to deliver your speaking tests. Q: Do I need to make final entries for all skills? Yes, final entries are required for all skills. Check the deadlines for each series provided on the examsofficers/scheduling page of the website. For speaking tests, you also need to request speaking test materials by the deadline of 05/10/09. Q: What is the Online Entries and Results System and how do I sign up to use it? It's a free secure website for exams officers to make entries and view results. You register by completing and submitting a Terms of Use form downloadable from the exams officers/entries page. You will then be issued with login details. Q: What is a ULN? A ULN or unique learner number, is a personal 10-digit number, which is essential for all 14-19 Diploma candidates. It is allocated by the Learner Registration Service (www.maip.gov.uk/lrs). It is used to link Diploma component results together for Diploma certification. Where a learner is not working towards a Diploma, no ULN needs to be submitted with their entries. Q: Can someone take an exam who isn't a pupil at our school/college? Yes. They can be entered as a private candidate. Select the private status when making their entry. You will need to be willing to carry out any necessary administration including verifying the identity of the candidate in the examination room. Q: Can I/my child take an exam at a school/college I/they don't attend? If a school/college is willing to carry out the necessary administration, you/your child can be entered as a private candidate. Q: Will I be charged for late entries, amendments or withdrawals? Late entry charges are applied once the final entry deadline for each series has passed. These charges are detailed in the fees list available on the centres/fees pages of the website. Fees are not refunded for withdrawals. Amendments to a candidate's personal details (eg name) are free of charge before certificates are issued. Q: What happens if I want to update the details I submitted on my speaking test materials request form? If there are significant changes in the details of candidates, languages or stages that you submitted on your first materials request form, please complete and submit a second one. Q: What is basedata and how do I obtain it? These are data files which allow you to make entries and receive results electronically, for centres using EDI. The files are designed to be electronically imported into your centre's management information system. With details of all available assessments, entry codes, timetables, and fees, Asset basedata can be downloaded from the main OCR website (www.ocr.org.uk) approximately one month before the entry deadline. Q: How do I find out what is available for each series? A full list of available assessments is given in the Admin Guide, provided within the Asset Languages basedata downloadable from the OCR website, and visible on the Asset Languages Online Entries and Results System. Q: What if I have a problem preventing me from making entries on time? If you are worried that you are going to miss a deadline, you should fax Centre Services on 01223 552646 briefly describing the problem and stating when you expect to make entries. Q: What if I disagree with the fees invoice? To query an invoice, please forward a copy of the invoice and supporting documentation to Finance Division, OCR, 1 Hills Road, Cambridge CB1 2EU, or email creditcontrol@cambridgeassessment.org.uk. Please quote your centre number and invoice number in all correspondence. Q: What happens if I make entries on paper/by fax? They will not be accepted (unless your centre is known not to have access to the internet). We will contact you and ask you to make them electronically. Q: How do I let Asset know when our centre is holding computer-based tests? Please use the Online Entries and Results System to inform OCR of the times and dates that you wish to schedule your tests. Q: When will we receive question papers? Speaking test materials lasting for a whole academic year will be despatched within 4 weeks of receiving the request for your speaking test materials forms. Listening, reading and writing tests for each series are despatched, based on final entries seven to ten days before a testing window. Q: Who can conduct speaking tests? See section 4.3 of the OCR Admin Guide available on the exams officers page of the website. Q: Do I need to tell you if I don't plan to enter any candidates for speaking tests? No! Q: If I cannot make entries via the Online System or via EDI, what should I do? If your centre does not have access to a computer we can accept paper entries. However this is under exceptional circumstances only. All centres that do have access to a computer should make entries via the Asset Online Entries and Results System or EDI.
If your centre envisages long-term electronic problems (ie more than a week in most cases), please let us know. |