Ad hoc assessment procedure

Ad hoc assessments are formal University assessments, managed by the Assessment & Progress Team, that occur outside main assessment periods. Specific procedures relate to these assessments.

Costs

The University charges schools for ad hoc assessments unless the school can provide reasonable justification to hold them outside the main assessment periods. Reasonable justification, for example, could be General Medical Council requirements.

Request an ad hoc assessment

The University asks schools to provide a schedule of up-coming ad hoc assessments and must sign the Service Level Agreement at the start of each academic session. (The agreement is available through the Staff Sharepoint Process Library, in the Assessment Preparation Process Documents area.  If you do not have access please contact the Functional Manager for your school).  

If you need to schedule an ad hoc assessment, complete the Ad Hoc Exam Request Form (available through the Staff Sharepoint Process Library) as soon as you know details of the assessment, and give a minimum of 15 working days' notice.

All ad hoc assessments should be conducted within normal office hours, i.e. assessments should start at 9:30am onwards and finish no later than 4:00pm.

If any students taking the assessment require Assessment Access Arrangements, please make sure to complete the “Special Circumstances” section of the Ad Hoc Exam Request Form (available through the Staff Sharepoint Process Library).

Invigilators

The Assessment & Progress Team will notify schools of their allocated invigilators for ad hoc assessments by email. 

Special circumstances

If any students taking the assessment require Assessment Access Arrangements, please make sure to complete the "Special Circumstances" section of the Ad Hoc Exam Request Form (available through the Staff Sharepoint Process Library).

If a student needs a computer the school should liaise with Disability Services and the IT department.  For more information see the Disability Services webpages and the IT website. 

Cancel an ad hoc assessment

If you need to cancel an ad hoc assessment, notify the Assessment & Progress Team immediately, giving at least three working days’ notice. The school will be charged with any costs incurred from a late cancellation.

Change arrangements

Schools are required to inform the Assessment & Progress Team immediately (at least three working days' notice) if there are any amendments or cancellation of ad hoc examinations.

If there are any amendments to an ad hoc examination such as duration or date, there is no guarantee that the invigilators will still be available, and the school may need to provide invigilation cover.

Assessment question papers

Schools can give assessment papers to the Assessment & Progress Team in advance, or take them directly to the venue.

If a school gives papers to the Assessment & Progress Team in advance, then invigilators will take the papers to the venue, and return them to the Assessment & Progress Team at the end of the assessment so school staff can collect them. You should provide a contact name and telephone number in case of queries.

If a school wishes to take papers directly to the venue, the papers should arrive at least 30 minutes in advance of the assessment starting for large venues and 15 minutes in advance for smaller venues.

Ad hoc papers should be printed on the same colour of paper as in main assessment periods. The standard paper colours are:

  • white, if students are permitted to take the question paper away at the end
  • pink, if students are not permitted to take the question paper with them after the assessment
  • blue, if students are required to answer questions on the paper

Seat lists and candidate numbers

Seating lists should be created by the School and should be provided with the exam papers/materials.

If schools will use multiple venues, there should be a seating list for each venue. Schools must provide multiple copies so that a complete set of seating lists will be available in each venue, and allocate students from seat number one in each venue.