EXAMS @BSB INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS
2023 - 2024 Academic Year
The Secondary School at the British School of Bucharest follows the National Curriculum for England, leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE/GCSE) and a wide range of ‘A-Level’ and ‘International A-Level’ subjects. The School has an excellent record of academic success and students from the British School of Bucharest go on to attend some of the major universities around the world.
CONTENTS Subjects Available Exam Entries Exam Entry Fees Examinations Annual Timetable Information for Students – BSB Exam Briefing Access Arrangements Study Leave Results After Your Results After your Results – Review of Marking After Your Results – Retake After Your Results – Certificate Collection After Your Results – Courier Services (CCS) After Your Results – Lost/Replacement Certificates
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SUBJECTS AVAILABLE A range of subjects are offered at BSB every academic year. Syllabus requirements, examination dates and resit requirements will vary between exam boards. It may be possible for students to take an exam at BSB in a subject that is not taught at the School, for example in a language that they study outside of school. It is essential that any requests are discussed with the Head of School. BSB is a registered examination centre for Edexcel exams (also known as Pearson) and CAIE (Cambridge Assessment International Education) and LAMDA (London Academy for Music and Dramatic Art). Currently the exams on offer include: Faculty
Syllabus name
Exam Board Level
Code
Computer Science, Business and Economics
Business Studies
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4BS1
Computer Science, Business and Economics
Business Studies
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
XBS11/YBS12
Computer Science, Business and Economics
Computer Science
CAIE
AS/A2
9618
Computer Science, Business and Economics
Computer Science
EDEXCEL
GCSE
1CP2
Computer Science, Business and Economics
Economics
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
XEC11/ YEC12
Creative Arts
Art and Design
EDEXCEL
A-Level
1AD0
Creative Arts
Art and Design
EDEXCEL
A-Level
9AD0
Creative Arts
Desgin Technology
EDEXCEL
GCSE
1DT/1F
Creative Arts
Design and Technology
EDEXCEL
A-Level
9DT0
EAL
English as a Second Language (Count-in Speaking)
CAIE
IGCSE
0511
English
English Language
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4EA1
English
English Literature
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4ET1
English
English Literature
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
XET01/YET01
English
Media Studies
CAIE
AS/A2
9607
Faculty Maths
Name Statistics
EDEXCEL
GCSE
1ST0
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Faculty
Syllabus name
Exam Board Level
Code
Humanities
Geography
CAIE
IGCSE
0460
Humanities
Geography
CAIE
AS/A2
9696
Humanities
History
CAIE
IGCSE
0470
Humanities
History
CAIE
AS/A2
9389
Humanities
Psychology
CAIE
AS/A2
9990
Maths
Mathematics
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
XMA01/YMA01
Maths
Further Maths
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
YFM01
Maths
Mathematics
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4MA1
Maths
Further Maths
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4PM1
MFL
Chinese
EDEXCEL
GCE
9CN0
MFL
French
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
XFR01/YFR01
MFL
French
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4FR1
MFL
German
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
XGN01/YGN01
MFL
German
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4GN1
MFL
Mandarin
A-Level
GCE
8CN0/9CN0
MFL
Mandarin
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4CN1
MFL
Mandarin First Language
CAIE
IGCSE
0509
MFL
Spanish
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
XSP01/YSP01
MFL
Spanish
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4SP1
P.E.
Physical Education (long course)
EDEXCEL
GCSE
1PE0
Performing Arts
Drama
CAIE
IGCSE
0411
Performing Arts
Drama and Theatre
EDEXCEL
A-Level
8DR0/9DR0
Performing Arts
Music
EDEXCEL
A-Level
9MU0
Performing Arts
Music
EDEXCEL
GCSE (1-9)
1MU0
Science
Biology
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4BI1
Science
Biology
EDEXCEL
IAS
XBI11/YBI11
Science
Chemistry
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4CH1
Science
Chemistry
EDEXCEL
IAS
XCH11/YCH11
Science
Physics
EDEXCEL
IGCSE
4PH1
Science
Physics
EDEXCEL
IAS/IAL
XPH01/YPH01
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EXAM ENTRIES Students are entered into examinations according to the subjects that they study at BSB in Year 11, Year 12 and Year 13. In some subjects there may be the option for early entry (taking Maths IGCSE in Year 10 for example) and extended or core options. These will be discussed by teachers in the Faculty and recommendations be made to students and their parents. Students are provided with a Statement of Entry to confirm the exams that they have been entered for. When students receive their Statement of Entry it is important that it is checked carefully and any errors reported immediately to the Exams Officer. This is important so as to avoid additional charges for amendments at a later date and to ensure that certificates have the correct name on them.
EXAM ENTRY FEES Examination costs are not included in the School Fees and are payable prior to the examination being taken. Families are required to pay exam entry fees promptly. The cost of exam entries varies each year according to the fees set by the examination boards. Please note that late entries or amendments may be subject to double or triple the published fee according to the exam board deadlines. Exam Board
EDEXCEL/ PEARSON
Qualification Qualification
IGCSE/GCSE
Euro Cost per Entry
English Language
148
English Lit
148
English as a Second Language Maths Further Maths
148 148 148
Chinese
176
French
176
German
176
Spanish
176
Biology/Chemistry/Physics
148
Double Science
295
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Exam Board
Qualification Qualification
GCSE
EDEXCEL/ PEARSON
GCE Full A-Level
IAL Unit Cost Project
EDEXCEL/PEARSON Exam Board
Euro Cost per Entry
Art and Craft
141
Design and Technology
141
Music
141
Physical Education (long course)
288
Drama - A-Level
347
Music - A-Level
461
Art and Design - A-Level
353
Design Technology - A-Level
505
Biology / Chemistry / Maths / Physics
69
Business Studies / Economy /English Language + Literature / French/ Psychology / Spanish / German
98
EPQ - Level 3
196
Late Fees Level 1
Double fees
Late Fees Level 2
Triple fees
Qualification Qualification
Euro Cost per Entry
LAMDA
Speaking in Public Grade 6 - Bronze Award
159
LAMDA
Speaking in Public Grade 8 - Gold Award
202
Exam Board
Qualification Qualification
Euro Cost per Entry
CAIE
IGCSE
IGCSE per subject
133
CAIE AS or A2
GCE
AS/A2 fee per subject
144
Late entry fee
69
Very late entry fee
171
CAIE
Prices are accurate at the time of printing - updated fees may be communicated by letter or on MySchoolPortal.
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EXAMINATIONS ANNUAL TIMETABLE There are three examination sessions each Academic Year. Some of these are for retakes only. Please see the ‘Subjects Available’ part of this document to check the exam board for the subject you are taking. Please see the ‘Results’ part of this document for information about retakes. Exam session
Exam Board
Level
Notes
Results Available
October/ November
EDEXCEL and CAIE
IAL/GCSE/IGCSE
Retakes only
Early January
EDEXCEL
GCSE/IAL
Retakes and some Y12/ Y13 Science and Maths modules
Early March
EDEXCEL and CAIE
IGCSE/GCSE/IAL/AS/A2
All subjects
Mid to Late August
January May/June
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS BSB EXAM BRIEFING Students will be required to attend an Exam Briefing before each exam session. Students will also be issued with a document entitled ‘Information for Students’ which will outline all of the rules and regulations regarding examinations at BSB. It is essential that all students taking exams attend the briefing and read the ‘Information for Students’ document as this details the rules and regulations that cover examinations at BSB. If students have any questions about the briefing or document then they should talk to the Examinations Officer to seek clarification. Failure to comply with the rules and regulations regarding examinations can be considered malpractice and may be reported to the exam board, potentially resulting in disqualification from all examinations. Students will be required to confirm they have read and understood the document ‘Information for Students’ prior to sitting any examinations. 8
All students taking external exams at BSB will be required to join the ‘Exams at BSB’ Google Classroom and should check this regularly for any updates.
ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS BSB is committed to supporting students with additional needs and Access Arrangements allow students with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access the assessment without changing the demands of the assessment. For example, readers, scribes and colour naming. Access Arrangements will reflect a student’s usual way of working and the evidence of need will vary depending on the disability and the access arrangement(s) being applied for. All Access Arrangements must be agreed before the assessment and in most cases the application will begin at the start of the Academic Year in which a qualification is being taken. All Access Arrangements are coordinated by the SENCO and Exams Officer.
STUDY LEAVE Some Study Leave is permitted before external examinations to allow students time to prepare and perform at the best of their ability. For the summer examination period, Study Leave is granted to all students at the same time. For other examination periods, when only a few students are taking exams, Study Leave is specified on an individual basis. In all cases, Study Leave is confirmed by the Deputy Head (Academic) in a letter to students. In these cases, students will miss lessons to take their exams and as such it is important that they catch up missed work.
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RESULTS A letter will be sent home after each exam session to confirm the exact date and time that results will be released for that exam session. The letter will also confirm the process for receiving results, the post-results services available and the deadlines for applying for these.
RECEIVING YOUR RESULTS - CAIE Results will be available on CIE Direct. All students will receive a username and password in order to access the results on the online website on results day. The login details will be issued prior to results day via email to parents and students’ school email account. Replacement details can be obtained by emailing the School Office.
RECEIVING YOUR RESULTS - EDEXCEL Results will be available on Results Plus. All students will receive an email via their bsbonline.net email account, which will activate their Results Plus account on which results can be viewed. The students will receive a welcome email, which will include a link that they must click to complete their account creation. Students must check their email (and look in their spam folder if they do not see the email), to complete the process and activate their Results Plus Direct accounts. When they click on the link, they will need to validate their account by entering their date of birth. They will also need to set a security question and create their password.
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AFTER YOUR RESULTS On results day there will be a team of BSB staff you can talk to about your results. The team may include the University Guidance Counsellor, the Head of School and the Head of Sixth Form. The Examinations Officer will be able to offer logistical support for post-results services.
AFTER YOUR RESULTS REVIEW OF MARKING There are a range of review of marking services that the exam boards offer. There are deadlines for requesting post-results services that are set by the exam boards and the deadline for making your request to the Exams Officer will be communicated by letter to families. Please note that: • If your original mark is lowered then your final grade may be lower than the original grade you received. • If your original mark is confirmed as correct, then there is no change to your grade. • If your original mark is raised then your final grade may be higher than the original grade you received. • Once a review of marking has been sent to the relevant Exam Board it cannot be amended. • The cost of reviews of marking are per component e.g. If there are two papers to be reviewed for an award, then the cost is twice as much! To request a post-results service from the exam board you should complete the form on MySchoolPortal. Completing the form confirms that you will be responsible for paying the applicable fees that BSB will invoice you for. 11
Please ensure you state the subject/subject code/component code for all papers you require to be reviewed and which level of service you require. Failure to provide the required information will result in a delay to your application and may therefore miss the Examination Board's deadline. All candidates will receive a confirmation email within a few days of making the application. All reviewed are dealt with by the exam boards as soon as they receive them - the length of time for the reviewed to be completed depends on the service requested and the number of reviewed currently being processed by the board.
CAIE – POST-RESULTS SERVICES Clerical Recheck Service 1: A recheck of all procedures leading to the issue of a result. This service checks that: all parts of the script were marked, the marks were totally correctly and the marks were recorded correctly. Cost for this service = 38 Euros Clerical Recheck with a Copy of Script Service 1S: The same as a 'clerical recheck' but you also get a copy of the script. Cost for this service = 71 Euros Review of Marking Service 2: A review of the original marking to check that the agreed mark scheme was applied. This service also includes the rechecks detailed in the 'clerical recheck' service. Cost for this service = 93 Euros Review of Marking and Copies of Scripts Service 2S: The same as a 'review of marking' but you also get a copy of the script. Cost for this service = 132 Euros The CAIE Priority Remark Service is not available to schools outside the UK.
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EDEXCEL – POST-RESULTS SERVICES EAR (Enquiry About Results) Service Type 1 Clerical Check: A clerical check includes checking that all parts of the exam paper have been marked and the marks have been recorded and added up correctly. Cost for this service = 23 Euros EAR Service Type 2 Review of Marking: A clerical check will be undertaken and the marking will be reviewed by a senior examiner. Cost for this service = 78 Euros EAR Service 2 Priority (type 2P) Priority Review of Marking: This service is the same as type 2 but is processed faster. This is only available when a candidate’s place in further/higher education depends on the outcome. Cost for this service = 101 Euros Access to Scripts (ATS) – Candidates can request a digital copy of their script by completing the ‘BSB Script Request Form’ from Google Classroom, the Exams Officer and the Head of Sixth Form. Completed forms should be returned to the Exams Officer and scripts will be returned by email to a student’s school email address. Scripts do not have examiner annotation on them, but you can see the marks awarded. This is a free service and we strongly recommend students share their scripts with their teachers to assist with discussions about reviews of marking and re-sits.
AFTER YOUR RESULTS -
RETAKE
Retakes should be discussed and agreed with the Head of Sixth Form and your teacher before completing the ‘Change to Exam Entry’ form available from Google Classroom, the Exams Officer and the Head of Sixth Form. If there is a Practical/Oral component to the examination then permission from a member of
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BSB staff that teaches the subject must be obtained to conduct the examination again, before completion of the retake request. Retake candidates will be invoiced by the BSB Finance Team following the entry deadline. By completing the form, candidates are agreeing to pay the exam entry fees. Fees should be paid promptly, before the examinations take place.
AFTER YOUR RESULTS -
CERTIFICATE COLLECTION
Certificates normally arrive at BSB a number of weeks after results are published. For existing BSB students, all certificates are distributed via the Form Tutors. All candidates must sign for their certificates to indicate they have received them. For students who have left BSB, please either arrange collection via the BSB Office or complete the Certificate Courier Service request below if you would like your certificates to be couriered. Please note that if exam fees remain unpaid then this may have an impact on our service provision. The School is required to hold certificates for 12 months only.
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AFTER YOUR RESULTS -
CERTIFICATE COURIER SERVICE (CCS) Should you not be in a position to collect your examination certificate(s) then you can opt for the CCS service provided by BSB. Should you opt for this service, we will courier your certificate(s) to you anywhere in the world. If you require this service, please email the School Office. Payment will be invoiced after requests are registered. The cost of this service is approximately 50 Euros within Europe and 75 Euros worldwide, but a quote will be obtained from DHL for each specific request. Prices are accurate at the time of printing - updated fees may be communicated by letter or on MySchoolPortal.
AFTER YOUR RESULTS -
LOST/REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATES Please store your certificates in a safe place. If you lose your certificates you may not be able to obtain replacement certificates. If you do lose your certificates you must contact the exam board directly. CAIE examination certificates will NEVER be replaced!! They will only issue a certified letter stating the results received. EDEXCEL will replace the certificate but the cost is very high. Use the links below to contact the appropriate exam board if you have lost your certificates. CAIE Edexcel
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British School of Bucharest Early Years Foundation Stage | Primary | Secondary 42 Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190, Voluntari, Ilfov County, Romania Telephone. + 40 21 267 89 19, +40 728 133 432, +40 728 133 433. Fax. +40 21 267 89 69 Email. office@britishschool.ro BritishSchoolBucharest
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British School of Bucharest