Blunder as pupils are told to leave half way through GCSE exam
Exclusive by Tessa
Youens
GCSE students missed the second part of a maths exam after being
instructed to leave after sitting the first paper.
Pupils at Thamesview School in Gravesend were expecting to sit
two OCR maths modular papers - but after completing the first were
told by invigilators to leave the examination hall.
Realising their mistake, staff asked the children to return to
their seats but some had already disappeared from the premises.
The majority returned to the hall for the second paper. However,
eight year 11 pupils made their way home unaware they were missing
the second paper.
The school admitted its mistake and has contacted the exam board
to make it aware of the situation. Apologies were also offered to
affected parents over the phone.
The exam was a resit module giving students the chance to
improve the grade gained earlier in the year.
Head teacher Rhiannon Hughes said the error "will not adversely
affect their existing result".
Thamesview is waiting to hear back from the exam board.
Thursday, July 02 2009