Examinations Officer
Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 1PY7 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2026
Closing date
16 July 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
9 July 2026
Job details
Job role
- Administration, HR, data and finance
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £27,254.00 - £30,024.00 Annually (FTE) Pro rata earnings £25,245 - £27,811
Examinations Officer job summary
This is a key role requiring exceptional attention to detail, strong organisational skills and the ability to work confidently with staff, pupils’ parents /carers and external agencies. You will ensure that examinations are conducted in full compliance with JCQ regulations and awarding body requirements, maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and integrity throughout the process
Job Purpose
The Examinations Officer will be responsible for coordinating, administering and ensuring the smooth and compliant running of all internal and external examinations in line with JCQ regulations and the awarding body requirements. The postholder will ensure integrity, accuracy and security of the entire examinations process while supporting the school’s Catholic ethos and safeguarding responsibilities.
Main duties and responsibilities
Your duties and responsibilities will include:
Examinations:
Planning & compliance
Liaise with Heads of Department, teaching staff and senior leaders to ensure accurate entries and compliance with regulations
Maintain effective systems for managing all aspects of examinations
- Ensure the school remains compliant with JCQ regulations and awarding body requirements
- To complete exam entries using either electronic or manual systems as required ensuring an appropriate back up arrangement is in place
Keep up to date with regulatory changes and communicate requirements to staff, candidates and parents
Actively co-operate with the JCQ Centre Inspection Service, an awarding body or a regulatory authority when subject to an inspection, an investigation or an unannounced visit
Annually confirm the information required by the National Centre Number Register (as administered by OCR on behalf of the JCQ) and inform of any changes to centre status
Manage the secure receipt, storage and handling of confidential examination materials.
Support with managing potential conflicts of interest by informing the awarding bodies of timescale for each examination series and recording the measures taken to mitigate any potential risk to the integrity of the qualifications affected
Be responsible for the creation/review/update of exam-related policies/procedures as required by the regulations and accurately reflect working practices in the school
Manage the examinations budget, including recovery of fees where appropriate
Entries & Preparation
Register or enter candidates for an examination or assessment in accordance with the awarding bodies’ published procedures and deadlines for that qualification
Coordinate accurate exam entries, registrations and amendments within published deadlines
Maintain required identifiers for each candidate entered for an examination/assessment and enter candidates who are on roll at the centre as internal candidates
Effectively use internal and external systems to submit and manage awarding body registration and entry data
Liaise with Finance to ensure fees are paid as instructed and at the time specified by the awarding bodies
Submit any applications for transferred candidate arrangements in accordance with the awarding body requirements
Liaise with relevant internal stakeholders to ensure final entries/registrations that have been submitted to an awarding body are regularly monitored, submitting timely changes (amendments/withdrawals) to ensure candidates take the correct papers at the correct time and enabling awarding bodies to deliver accurate results
Recruit, train and manage a team of invigilators, ensuring appropriate deployment and record‑keeping.
Organise exam timetables, rooming, seating plans and resource
Provide clear information to candidates, parents and staff regarding exam schedules, expectations and regulations
Ensure all candidates are aware of the JCQ and awarding body information and regulations regarding the conduct of their examinations/assessments in advance of these taking place
Confirm relevant internal stakeholders’ complete administrative tasks associated with centre assessed work in an accurate and timely manner in accordance with the requirements of awarding bodies and moderators
Support the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) in arranging access arrangements and reasonable adjustments
Effectively manage arrangements for the secure storage and dispatch of examination scripts for marking
conduct of Examinations
Manage the full examinations cycle, including:
o Estimation of entries, final entries and amendments
o Exam timetables and rooming
o Secure handling, storage and dispatch of examination materials
o Seating plans, attendance registers and required resources
Ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for candidates with particular needs including SEN and access arrangements.
Act as escalation point for exam irregularities, malpractice or breaches.
Hold responsibility for health and safety arrangements during examination periods.
Develop and maintain exam contingency plans (e.g. staff absence, venue issues, system failures).
Inform the JCQ Centre Inspection Service of any alternative site that may be used by the centre to conduct timetabled examinations
Effectively deploy fully trained invigilators to exam rooms according to the requirements
Maintain the confidentiality and security of candidates’ responses and dispatch scripts according to the requirements
Submit to the published timescales, relevant follow-up reporting to awarding bodies in relation to the very late arrival of candidates for examinations and applications for special consideration where candidates meet the published criteria
general responsibilities
Work within school policies, procedures and statutory guidance at all times
Maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion in handling sensitive information
Support the school’s general administrative function as required
Participate in relevant training and professional development
Undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as required
Support and demonstrate commitment to the distinctive Catholic mission and ethos of the school
Coordination, management and input of data related to key year group assessments
To support with Evolve Administration
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy
- Organisation type
- Academy, Roman Catholic, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- Size
- 770 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
Our Lady’s & St John is a large and friendly school, under the Trusteeship of the Salford Diocese and part of the Romero Catholic Academy Trust. Our school aims to be a “Caring Catholic Community” centred on Christ, where our faith and values guide everything we do.
School location
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