Examinations Regulations

In response to the increased potential for cheating and the disturbance of other candidates, the College will follow the strict appliance of the following rules regarding the use of electronic devices, mobile phones and smartwatches during examinations:

1

Smartwatches and other electronic devices have no place at examinations and must not be in the chosen exam environment.  If the chosen exam environment is not the home, devices must be switched off and fully deactivated for the duration of the examination. 

Online written and clinical examinations 

• A mobile phone may be present in the exam room in replace of a free standing webcam.  Once the phone has been used in selfie mode to secure the exam environment by panning the room, it must be switched off and placed out of reach. 
• If a break is taken, the mobile phone must remain in the exam environment. 
• Invigilators will ask candidates to show their wrists to check for smartwatches at the start of the examination. 

Non-compliance

Failure to comply with these requirements may lead to disqualification from the examination.

(a) The following constitutes non-compliance of the above rules:

• a smartwatch or electronic device seen in the possession of a candidate during an examination.
• the ringing, vibrating or any audible ‘beep’ heard from a mobile phone, smartwatch or electronic device whilst an examination is taking place.

(b) In all cases of non-compliance an incident report form will be submitted to the misconduct group (see Appendix 7, paragraph 4.1) for their consideration. Candidates may be required to attend the College to give further information/evidence regarding the incident.

(c) Examination results of candidates cited for non-compliance will be withheld until a decision has been reached by the Misconduct Group. Investigations will be completed as quickly and efficiently as possible and candidates will be kept informed of progress. Candidates will be informed of the outcome in writing by the Director of Education, Training and Examinations on behalf of the misconduct group.

(d) Where the misconduct group agree that non-compliance is proven they will consider the following, before a penalty is agreed:

• the need to preserve the integrity of the examination.
• consistency with previous penalties.

(e) The misconduct group may consider awarding one of the following standard penalties or may give a more specific penalty where felt appropriate:

• no further action;
• a written warning;
• result for an examination or part of an examination, to be declared void;
• candidate barred from applying for an exam for a specified period.

3

The following are some examples of ‘electronic devices’, it is not intended to be complete, if in doubt then candidates should ask the examinations department prior to the examination. 
Calculators, electronic tablet, smartwatch, any recording device, internet enabled device, MP3 player, Bleeper, timing devices that make audible beeps.

4

A timer is present in all online written examinations therefore no non-smart watch is required during the examination. Smartwatches are not permitted in the examination environment.