twenty fourth Jun 2025
Studying Time: 5 minutes
Bear in mind examination time? The frantic cramming, the squeaky footwear of the examination invigilator striding between the desks or sitting purposefully on the head of the room. Nicely, they weren’t simply doing it for kicks – invigilating exams will be an effective way to make a little bit of fast money and nearly anybody can do it.
It’s not as simple because it seems although – you want tact in coping with pressured college students, to not point out the flexibility to maintain quiet for lengthy durations and stay alert regardless of how slowly the minutes could cross.
Oh, and a pair of non-squeaky footwear is crucial…
The first step: Getting began
Most schooling authorities, faculties and universities will recruit individuals for invigilating exams previous to their Might-June and January examination durations, so the weeks or months earlier than then are the perfect time to start out trying. Nevertheless, in some instances exams can fall outdoors this time too.
Try your native borough council web site for positions at native colleges, which is able to want individuals to supervise GCSE and A-level exams. When you’ve got a baby in school, hold a watch out for any bulletins within the faculty e-newsletter, or it would even be price asking colleges in your space immediately.
For faculties, universities and grownup schooling authorities, seek for vacancies on their particular person web sites. Many additionally undergo recruitment companies or promote on job web sites, so strive your luck with these (tip: a fast search on Google for ‘examination invigilators’ ought to present essentially the most present crop of positions).
Clearly, faculty exams will probably be throughout faculty hours, whereas college exams could run till a bit later, making it an excellent non permanent job for part-timers, retirees or stay-at-home mother and father.
You don’t want any expertise, as coaching is offered – principally should you’re accountable and out there to work, you’re in with a very good shot. Some locations would require a CRB test, relying on their particular person insurance policies. This may be tough to get at quick discover and should you haven’t had one earlier than it may value you between £21.50 and £49.50 relying on which DBS stage is required. See our full article on DBS checks.
Step two: How a lot are you able to earn?
The speed varies however you may count on something between £12.21 to £30 per hour (universities are inclined to pay extra). How a lot you find yourself with will rely upon what number of exams you may sit in on.
So, for instance, should you had been to sit down in on two three-hour exams a day over a two-week interval on the most pay price, you would end up with between £732 and £1760. Not too shabby for pacing up and down.
Step three: What’s concerned
There’s much more to invigilating exams than turning as much as open the doorways and shouting “pens down!” on the finish. Coaching will typically be offered earlier than the examination interval begins and every faculty or college will undoubtedly have their very own procedures to comply with, however listed here are a few of the fundamentals:
Earlier than the examination
You’ll should arrive early, half an hour to an hour earlier than the examination is because of start, to arrange the examination room. It will possible embrace:
- Putting reply booklets and query papers on every desk
- Checking all seats are labelled accurately and that there’s a appropriate hole between every desk to make sure college students can’t copy others
- Figuring out what gear college students are allowed (Calculators? Further paper? Is it an open ebook examination?)
- Put up regulation notices, seating allocations, examination begin and end instances, centre and paper quantity and guarantee clocks are seen (even for these on the far finish) and dealing
If it’s a giant examination corridor, there’ll most likely be a couple of invigilators so you may divide what number of tables every of you’ll oversee.
Begin of the examination
- Direct college students to their seats and inform them the place to depart their luggage
- Confiscate any objects that aren’t allowed, equivalent to revision notes, textbooks, calculators (until in any other case allowed), and naturally, any cellphones
- Learn examination laws to college students and provides out any particular examination directions
- Be certain that nobody begins studying or writing earlier than the beginning time
- Checking the ID of all college students and marking their attendance (you’ll typically have to tell the workplace instantly if any college students are absent)
- Not letting anybody in or out of the room earlier than the allowed time has handed
In the course of the examination
That is the place a bit tedium could set in. You will need to stay alert all through your entire examination, to stay looking out for college kids who need assistance, or those that could also be utilizing lower than trustworthy means to complete their paper. This implies you CANNOT use the time to learn or write your self, and not stand round chatting with the opposite invigilators. You’ll have to:
- Flow into the room usually (that is the place these soft-soled footwear turn out to be useful!)
- Observe the scholars, however strive to not stand studying over their shoulders (it may be off-putting to college students)
- Accompany college students to the bathroom if wanted
- Hand out additional paper or reply booklets if requested
- Be certain that there isn’t a speaking and that any disruptions (equivalent to loud noises outdoors) are taken care of as shortly as attainable
- Give common time checks and announce when the examination time is nearly completed (often when there’s quarter-hour left)
If you happen to do suspect a scholar of dishonest, it’s possible every particular person establishment has their very own process for coping with it that you must comply with.
Relying on the size of an examination, chances are you’ll be allowed to take a brief break. Some exams will be as much as three hours lengthy!
Finish of the examination
- Inform candidates that they need to cease working and remind them that they’re nonetheless in examination situations
- Acquire all reply sheets and query papers BEFORE dismissing the scholars
- Be certain that reply sheets are in the best order (it is perhaps by ID quantity or lessons) earlier than returning them to the workplace
What else it is advisable to know
The excellent news is invigilating exams means fast cash will be made for not doing an excessive amount of apart from observing, however this job most likely isn’t for you should you bore simply or have a brief consideration span. Whereas it doesn’t take numerous bodily effort, you actually do have to be mentally centered on the duty at hand.
For instance, if somebody raises their hand asking for assist it is advisable to attend them instantly – they shouldn’t should attempt to get your consideration for 5 minutes once they’re in timed situations.
Additionally, you will want numerous persistence and understanding. Exams will be extraordinarily irritating for some, so it is advisable to be ready within the occasion a scholar appears panicky. Just a little sympathy received’t go astray – probably they’ve sufficient to fret about with out having to cope with an unfriendly examination invigilator.
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