Malpractice

Malpractice in examinations and assessments is deception in any way before, during or after an examination. There are many different ways of malpractice.

Examples of malpractice:

• • Communicating, or trying to communicate, with other candidates inside or outside the room during the examination - this may be through talking or trying to get the attention of others.

  • Bring any unauthorized materials into the examination room.

  • Stealing another person's work; allowing your work to be copied; sharing work on social media before the exam.

  • Continue writing when the inspectors have told you not to.

  • Interfering with the examination in any way.

  • Acting in any way that undermines the examination, or in any dishonest or fraudulent way.

Any behavior that may unfairly disadvantage a pupil will be considered malpractice. This can take place outside or inside the examination room.  Malpractice rules apply to written examinations and any non-exam or controlled assessment.  If there is any cheating, or suspected cheating, the school must inform the exam board immediately. The examination board may give any of the following in response to the misconduct:

• • Caution - if there is any further suspicion of misconduct, a penalty will now be possible.

  • Loss of marks - you may lose the marks for the unit, or the paper (depending on the subject). The subject may be graded, but the unit mark will be 0.

  • Disallow the subject - you can lose marks for each unit in that subject

  • Disqualification from all subjects - you may lose the right to sit any exam. Examining boards share information - any record of cheating will be shared with all examining bodies in the country.