General InformationExam Access ArrangementsExam DatesExam Results and CertificatesReceiving Your Exam ResultsGCSE November Exam InformationInformation for Parents and Carers
Preparing for exams
We recognise that for many students, sitting a formal exam is likely to add to normal levels of stress and anxiety.
In addition, some students may be unfamiliar with the rules and regulations around sitting exams at Colchester Institute, so we will be taking steps to help prepare students in advance.
The summer term will focus on “Destresstival” with support and information for students to be ready for the exam and assessment season including:
• Familiarisation with exam rules and processes • Strategies to cope with exam stress • Support and drop-in sessions/workshops • Wellbeing activities to promote good mental and physical health
Exam Stress and Anxiety
Fear of the unknown
Stress is normal. It is often a result of feeling under pressure or having multiple demands on us. When we have a lot to do and lots to think about, we can feel we have lost control. Stress can be helpful at times – it can give us drive and motivation, and encourage us to be productive. However, if we are feeling too stressed for long periods of time, it can then have an impact on our general wellbeing and mental health.
When people are revising for and preparing for exams it is very normal to feel stress and also high levels of anxiety, so you shouldn’t think you’re unusual – not many people actually enjoy exams! The trick is to find strategies that work for you to help you cope with how you are feeling, and hopefully turn this into a positive thing.
We think this video sums it up well and shows how you can feel overloaded by stress at times – well worth a watch!
Anxiety and stress often go hand in hand, and anxiety is a normal response to any situation we may see as threatening or frightening. The problem comes when the level of anxiety is no longer rational in comparison to the event. Unfortunately, anxiety can very quickly, manifest into a problem for someone, and at times, can lead to panic attacks.
Many people experience anxiety at some point in their lives, often in response to triggers, and exams can quite often be a cause.
We understand that preparing for exams can be very difficult and sometimes overwhelming so we have provided some links to other organisations in case you may need some extra support.
Also, the following are free resources that you might find helpful.
Headspace – Headspace is a comprehensive meditation app, with guided and unguided meditations to help you through all phases of your life. The free app offers ten sessions, however, there is an optional ‘in-app’ subscription allowing you to access many more hours of extra content. CALM – This is an app designed to help you to be calm; with stunning backgrounds that you can stare at for ages, and a range of meditations, CALM provides a space to get away from it all, without having to go anywhere. SAM – This is a self-help app for the mind – providing a range of self-help techniques organised into several wellbeing themes, together with tools for recording and monitoring changes in your wellbeing.
Exam Access Arrangements (EAAs) are adaptions made to allow students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) fair and equal access to examinations and formal assessments. Students who are entitled to EAAs will usually have already had these at school. All students must declare their need for EAAs within the first six weeks of their college course to allow for the correct referrals and assessments to be made, and for requests to be submitted to the relevant exam board to meet their deadlines.
EAAs which can be put in place will vary according to individual requirements but could include: a reader, scribe, computer reader, extra time, prompt, separate or smaller room and exam papers in suitable formats (such as large print or coloured paper). Arrangements put in place must be based on evidenced need, and on the student’s normal way of working whilst at College. If a student does not make use of EAAs in examinations these may be removed for subsequent examinations, in consultation with the student.
In most cases students will need to meet with a member of our Specialist Support Team to review their normal way of working and / or carry out an assessment of need to identify whether arrangements put in place at school are still relevant, or to carry out a formal Exam Access Arrangement assessment. Students will be notified of appointments for these assessments through their college emails; the responsibility to attend lies with the student and if they do not attend more than two booked appointments their EAA request will be declined.
Deadlines
For the 2022/23 academic year the deadline for notifying the need for Exam Access Arrangements to Colchester Institute was Friday 21st October 2022. *
Where additional information is required to assess or process an application for Exam Access Arrangements, for example evidence from a medical professional or specialist, this must be provided to Colchester Institute by Friday 4th November 2022.*
Failure to meet these deadlines, or a student not attending their booked assessment appointments, will result in EAAs being declined.
*In cases of a newly identified specific learning difficulty or where a student has a temporary illness or injury at the time of the examination, the College can review cases on an individual basis.
Please read the Colchester Institute Exam Access Arrangement Policy for more information:
The assessment methods for Further Education courses will vary from course to course, not all of these will have formal exams, but many will. Course tutors will advise how students are assessed, and will support them to prepare for and be ready to sit exams where these take place.
In many cases, exam and assessment dates will be organised by the College to suit the needs of the course and the readiness of students, but some courses undertake national public exams which are on the same date and times for everyone and these cannot be changed, these include GCSEs and BTEC qualifications.
GCSE exams Summer 2023
All GCSE exams start at 9.30am and students should aim to arrive by 8.45am at the latest.
Exam
Date
Start Time
Duration
GCSE English
GCSE English Paper 1
Monday 5th June 2023
9.30am
1 hour 45 minutes
GCSE English Paper 2
Monday 12th June 2023
9.30am
1 hour 45 minutes
GCSE Maths
GCSE Maths Paper 1 (Non-Calculator)
Friday 19th May 2023
9.30am
1 hour 30 minutes
GCSE Maths Paper 2 (Calculator)
Wednesday 7th June 2023
9.30am
1 hour 30 minutes
GCSE Maths Paper 3 (Calculator)
Wednesday 14th June 2023
9.30am
1 hour 30 minutes
Exam Contingency Days
It is important that you are available for all of your exam dates including the exam contingency days listed below. In the event that an exam cannot take place due to significant disruption, it will be rescheduled to one of these dates so please avoid taking any holidays until after this date.
8th June (afternoon)
15th June (afternoon)
28th June (all day)
Non-GCSE Summer Exam Series 2023
All other exams, including BTEC Nationals, take place across the Summer term (mainly in May and June 2023). Your tutor will confirm which exams you have been entered for, when and where these exams will take place and what equipment you will need to bring.
These are national exams which means that the dates and times cannot be changed.
On here, students can view their overall exam result, and UMS Points achieved in each exam. It will look like this:
If you’re viewing results on your phone, you may need to scroll across the page to view the UMS points. Do this by turning your phone onto the side so you’re viewing it in landscape mode or by pressing the red arrows at the bottom of the page:
Students can also review results via the CI Connect App if they have this, however, they cannot view their UMS points here. Results will be visible by 9am on Thursday 23rd March.
GCSE results – August 2023
Learners studying GCSEs and other level 2 qualification, such as BTECs, will receive their results on Thursday 24th August 2023.
The provisional results day for most level 3 programmes will be Thursday 17th August 2023.
All results will be available to view on the CI Connect App so it is worth downloading this now in preparation for results day. https://www.colchester.ac.uk/ci-connect/
We recommend downloading the CI Connect App, or logging into your account using the link above in advance to avoid any problems on results day. If you are unable to log in, please contact iltservicedesk@colchester.ac.uk who can help you. We are anticipating that phone lines will be extremely busy on results days so it’s best to check that you can log in now and contact us in advance if you have any problems.
Please do not attend campus on results days, unfortunately we are not able to provide results in person.
Please choose your qualification from the drop-downs on the ‘Receiving your exam results’ tab for additional information regarding results, and certificates.
If you don’t see your awarding body listed here, don’t worry – details with regards to all other awarding bodies/qualifications will follow shortly. Please visit this page regularly for new and updated information.
Please contact iltservicedesk@colchester.ac.uk if you are having problems accessing your Colchester Institute account or have forgotten your password.
We aim to release all results to students on the dates listed below. If you need information on how to view your results, please see the ‘Receiving your exam results’ section below.
Exam/Level:
Results Day:
Level 3 Results
Thursday 17th August 2023
Level 1 and 2 Results
Thursday 24th August 2023
GCSE Results
Thursday 24th August 2023
Receiving your exam results
All results should be available to view by midday at the latest on the date(s) listed above.
Please note that there may be exceptions to the date(s) above, so for specific information about results for the qualification that you have studied this year, please see below.
All results will be available to view on the CI Connect App so it is worth downloading this now in preparation for results day. https://www.colchester.ac.uk/ci-connect/
Students will also be able to view their provisional results by logging into their Colchester Institute account online on the Learner Hub here:
We recommend downloading the CI Connect App, or logging into your account using the link above in advance to avoid any problems on results day. If you are unable to log in, please contact iltservicedesk@colchester.ac.uk who can help you. We are anticipating that phone lines will be extremely busy on results days so it’s best to check that you can log in now and contact us in advance if you have any problems.
GCSE English and Maths
Results: – Thursday 24th August 2023
Provisional results will be available by 12 noon at the latest on the above date.
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
BTEC Qualifications
Results Day: Thursday 17th August 2023*
*All Level 3 students and most Level 1 and 2 students will be able to view their results on Thursday 17th August 2023. The exception to this will be Level 1 and 2 students who re-sat exams in May/June 2023.
If you re-sat Level 1 / 2 BTEC exams in May/June, your results day will be: Thursday 24th August 2023.
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found in the section ‘Receiving your exam results’ above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
UAL Level 3 and 4 Qualifications
Results Day: Thursday 17th August 2023
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found in the section ‘Receiving your exam results’ above.
Please note that students who have reached the mid-point of a two-year course, such as a Level 3 Extended Diploma, will not be awarded a qualification this year and will therefore not have a result to view on the 17th August. Their mid-point grades will be confirmed with centres and banked to support progression for those students.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
UAL Level 2 Qualifications
Results: – Thursday 24th August 2023
Provisional results will be available by 12 noon at the latest on the above date.
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found in the section ‘Receiving your exam results’ above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found in the section ‘Receiving your exam results’ above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
BTEC Level 1 and 2 Qualifications
Level 2 Technical Qualifications ONLY – Level 2 Plumbing (8202), Level 2 Electrical (8202) and Level 2 Engineering (1145)
Results Day: Thursday 24th August 2023
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found in the section ‘Receiving your exam results’ above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
City & Guilds (All Other) Qualifications
Results: Will be received during the period July to September
We will process results and certificates when we receive them from the awarding body. These results are not released on set results days like other qualifications.
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates – When the certificates are received by the exams team we will either post these to students’ home address or we will send further communication to students regarding collection.
OCR Cambridge Technical Qualifications
Results Day: Thursday 17th August 2023
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found in the section ‘Receiving your exam results’ above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
NCFE-CACHE Qualifications
Results: Will be received during the period July to September
We will process results and certificates when we receive them from the awarding body. These results are not released on set results days like other qualifications. Most results should, however, be visible from 24th August 2023.
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
IMI Motor Vehicle Qualifications
Results: Will be received during the period July to September
We will process results and certificates when we receive them from the awarding body. These results are not released on set results days like other qualifications. Most results should, however, be visible from 24th August 2023.
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
GATEWAY Qualifications
Results: Will be received during the period July to September
We will process results and certificates when we receive them from the awarding body. These results are not released on set results days like other qualifications. Most results should, however, be visible from 17th August 2023.
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
AAT Qualifications
Results: Will be issued to students directly by AAT via MyAAT.
Certificates are sent directly to students by AAT.
LIBF Qualifications
Results Day: Thursday 17th August 2023
You can view your provisional results via the CI Connect App or the Online Learner Hub. Information on how to access these can be found in the section ‘Receiving your exam results’ above.
Please DO NOT attend your college campus on results day to collect in person.
Certificates
Please see the ‘Collecting your Certificates’ section at the bottom of the page.
Post Results Service and Exam Result Appeals
BTEC, GCSE and City and Guilds Technical Students – Post Results Service
If you’re not happy with your Exam results, there are a few options available to you. Once you have received your results, if you have concerns about your grades, you can apply for one of the awarding body’s post results services.
You must pay for these services through the online store (http://onlinestore.colchester.ac.uk/). Please follow the links below for further information about what services are available to you, and confirmation on fees for each of theseservices.
For information on how to apply and pay for post-result services for BTEC Exams please click here.
For information on how to apply and pay for post-result services for GCSE Exams please click here
For information on how to apply and pay for post-result services for City and Guilds Technical Exams please click here
Appeals
If you wish to appeal an exam result you have received you will need to complete an Exam Result Query Form* within 5 days of receiving your exam result.
Please note, if you apply for a post-results service, and after viewing the outcome wish to appeal your results further, you must also complete an Exam Result Query Form* within 5 days of the exam board sending the outcome of your service.
It is important to remember that as a result of the appeal process your grade can go down, up or stay the same.
*when you click on the Exam Result Query Form link above, you may be asked to sign in using your college email address and college password.
Collecting your Certificates
The exams team will be in contact with you once they have received your certificates. You will be given some dates and times that you can come in to collect your certificates. Some awarding bodies don’t send certificates to us until October/November time so don’t panic if you don’t hear from us straight away.
Please keep checking your emails, and this webpage, for information on how to collect your certificates.
If you are unable to collect during the above dates and times, please do not worry!
If you have a friend / family member who will be available to come and collect your certificate(s), they can do this. They must bring their ID and written confirmation from you to show that you consent to them collecting your certificate. This must be signed and dated by you, and it must confirm the person collecting’s full name.
If you are unable to get anyone to collect your certificate, we will be able to send these out to you in the post instead. Information on how to arrange postage will be included in the communication that you are sent from the exams team.
PLEASE NOTE: If you do not collect your certificate, or arrange for this to be posted to you, your certificate will be destroyed after a period of 12 months. After this date, you would be required to contact the awarding body and pay for a replacement.
If you have any queries regarding the collection of your certificate(s), please email the team who will be happy to help with your query:
You will need to contact the relevant awarding body to order a replacement certificate. If you need confirmation of which awarding body you studied with, we may be able to help you. Please email us with your full name, date of birth and the information that you need and we will do our best to assist you.
If you are unhappy with the overall grade received for your GCSE English or Mathematics result issued on 24th August 2023 and wish to be entered for a resit in November 2023, please see the information below for dates, prices and how to make an application.
Who can apply to re-sit in November 2023:
At Colchester Institute, we run GCSE Maths and English re-sit exams in November for our new students (who have enrolled with us in September 2023).
Students can sit the GCSE re-sit exams with awarding bodies: AQA, OCR or Edexcel. We recommend that they chose to re-sit with whichever Awarding Body they used to sit their exams in Summer 2023.
Please note: We do not accept private candidates for GCSE examinations.
Anyone who is interested in resitting their GCSE Maths and English exam(s) in November must pay for the re-sit themselves, this will not be funded by Colchester Institute. This includes students who are entitled to a bursary – they must still fund the re-sit exam themselves*.
The November 2023 GCSE dates are as follows:
English Paper 1
Tuesday 7th November 2023
Maths Paper 1
Wednesday 8th November 2023
English Paper 2
Thursday 9th November 2023
Maths Paper 2
Friday 10th November 2023
Maths Paper 3
Monday 13th November 2023
For GCSE English, your entry includes two examinations, carrying forward your spoken language grade, and certification (please be aware that you are required to sit both units for this resit).
For GCSE Maths, your entry includes three examinations, and certification (please be aware that you are required to sit all 3 units for this resit).
How to Apply:
Anyone who is interested in resitting their GCSE Maths and English exam(s) in November must pay for the re-sit themselves, this is not funded by Colchester Institute*.
To apply, please pay via the Colchester Institute Online Store by Monday 25th September 2023.
What happens if you have applied for Post Results Service for Summer 2023 Exam Results:
If you have applied for a review of marking or a clerical check on your Summer 2023 Exam Results, you have the option to enter and pay for the relevant November 2023 resit option, but then if the Post Results service outcome means that your grade improves and you no longer want to resit we can withdraw your entry.
As long as you inform us by the end of the day Wednesday 27th September 2023, we can withdraw your entry and refund you (we will retain a £5 administration charge).
Important information:
If you are enrolled for GCSE English and/or Mathematics as part of your 2023/24 timetable and are considering entering for a resit in November 2023:
As part of college policy, if you are enrolled to attend GCSE English and/or Mathematics as part of your timetable for 2023/24 and enter yourself to resit in November 2023 you will still be expected to attend your timetabled GCSE classes until the results day in January 2024. If on the January results day you achieve a grade 9-4 you will be removed from the GCSE timetable. If you do not achieve grade 9-4 you will continue to attend your GCSE classes and will be entered for the June 2024 examinations free of charge.
*Please be aware that any student, under the age of 18 who hasn’t already achieved a 4 or above in GCSE Maths and/or English and is enrolled on a course at Colchester Institute will automatically be enrolled in GCSE classes and will be entered for the GCSE Exams in Summer 2024 free of charge.
How can you support the preparations for exams and assessment
If your child or young person is preparing for exams there are actions that you can take to help support them, this video might be a good starting point so that you are familiar with the regulations
How can you support on Exam Days?
There are several things that you can do on exam days to help improve your young person’s experience, and hopefully their result! (good advice which we know won’t always work with teenagers)
Help them to be rested, fed and watered; encourage a good night’s sleep and to have a healthy breakfast. Provide a bottle of water which they can take into the exam with them, this will need to be in clear bottle with labels removed).
Make sure they get to College early; they will need to have plenty of time to get to their exam room without feeling too rushed, which can add to stress levels. In some cases the course area will arrange to meet students first to keep thing calm before getting to the exam room.
Check they have ID with them; exam regulations mean we have to check all candidate’s identity when they enter the exam room. The easiest way is if they have their College ID card but a back up could be a passport, driving license or other form of photo ID.
Check they have all the equipment that they need; including a black pen (amazing how many students come without a pen!) if they want to bring a pencil case this must be see through. Some maths papers allow the use of a calculator or other equipment so it is helpful if they have this with them if needed.
Remind them of what they can’t have in an exam; all mobiles must be switched off and hand in all mobile phones and watches for the duration of the exam.
Check they can easily read an analogue clock; we increasingly find that some students struggle to tell the time on an analogue clock. Imagine being in an exam and having a big clock on the wall to mark the start and finish time, and not being able to read it – maybe just check that this isn’t going to be something to add to their stress!
Other helpful videos and other resources you could refer to could include:
Ofqual’s Chief Regulator Dr Jo Saxton has also written an open letter to parents to explain arrangements and the support in place for exams this summer, as well as the information available to students.
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