MustJoint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), the exam boards' rules for exam centres

Exam information for candidates

Information for exam candidates on access to scripts, re-checks, reviews of marking and appeals, the internal appeals procedure, access arrangements and the JCQ candidate documents. Secondary, middle and all-through schools that run public exams must provide it.

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Who it applies to

Published on
The school's own website
School type
Academies and maintained schools
School stage
Secondary, all-through and middle
Does not apply to
No school types are excluded

When is it due?

Renewal
No fixed date

The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.

What's needed

Publish exam information for candidates on the exams page: timetables, JCQ notices, results day and post-results services (guidance says schools should).

What it must contain

10 parts
  • Says its procedures are made widely available to every candidateMust
  • Says there is a written internal appeals procedure for candidates who disagree with a decisionMust
  • Says the written complaints policy covers general complaints about the centreMust
  • Says what access arrangements, special consideration and post-results services are availableMust
  • Says post-results service requests must be made through the centreMust
  • Says private candidates can request access to scripts, re-checks and reviews of marking directlyMust
  • Publishes the JCQ information for candidates documentsMust
  • Says candidates are told their data has been transferred to the awarding bodiesMust
  • Says candidates are told the awarding body may use their submitted materialsMust
  • Says candidates are told their centre-assessed marks and can request a reviewMust

What the official sources say

Set out in 1 official source:

JCQ General Regulations for Approved Centres 2026-27

Version 2026-09-16

  • have in place written procedures for how it will deal with candidates’ requests for access to scripts, clerical re-checks, reviews of marking, reviews of moderation and appeals to the awarding bodies. Details of these procedures must be made widely available and accessible to all candidates. Candidates must be made aware of the arrangements for post-results services prior to the issue of results;

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.13(a) (Post-results services and appeals), page 24

  • have available for inspection purposes and draw to the attention of candidates and their parents/carers a written internal appeals procedure to manage disputes when a candidate disagrees with a centre decision not to support an application for a clerical re-check, a review of marking, a review of moderation or an appeal;

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.13(i) (Post-results services and appeals), page 24

Show 10 more from this source
  • ensure that all internal candidates are made aware that all post-results service requests must be made through the centre;

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.13(c), page 24

  • Centres must provide appropriate support and information to parents and candidates, including private candidates, where required. This would include, for example, information about access arrangements, special consideration and post-results services.

    Must§ Section 3, paragraph 3.39 (Communication), page 12

  • It is the responsibility of centres to ensure that candidates are made aware of this and consent sought, where required.

    Must§ Section 6, paragraph 6.3, page 26

  • draw to the attention of candidates and their parents/carers: their written complaints policy, which will cover general complaints regarding the centre’s delivery or administration of a qualification; and their written internal appeals procedure which will cover appeals regarding internal assessment decisions, access to post-results services and appeals, and centre decisions relating to access arrangements and special consideration.

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.8(e) (Candidate information), page 22

  • have in place and be available for inspection purposes, a written internal appeals procedure relating to internal assessment decisions and to ensure that details of this procedure are communicated, made widely available and accessible to all candidates;

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.7(h) (Centre-assessed work), page 22

  • ensure that all private candidates are made aware that requests for access to scripts, clerical re-checks and reviews of marking can be made directly through the relevant awarding body;

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.13(d), page 24

  • ensure that the JCQ Information for candidates documents AI (Artificial Intelligence and assessments), coursework, non-examination assessments, on-screen examinations, social media and written examinations and awarding body privacy notices are distributed to all candidates, whether electronically or in hard copy format, prior to assessments and/or examinations taking place.

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.8(c) (Candidate information), page 22

  • ensure that all candidate data, where required by the awarding body, has been supplied within the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and that candidates have been properly informed that this data has been transferred to the awarding bodies (see section 6 for more information);

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.8(d) (Candidate information), page 22

  • Each centre must ensure that candidates are informed that, by submitting Student Materials for assessment, the awarding body is entitled to use those Student Materials to the extent necessary to give effect to the assessment, qualification and regulatory framework, as set out below.

    Must§ Section 6, paragraph 6.16 (Student Materials), page 27

  • before submitting marks to the awarding body, inform candidates of their centre-assessed marks and allow a candidate to request a review of the centre’s marking;

    Must§ Section 5, paragraph 5.7(d) (Centre-assessed work), page 21

Questions schools ask

Does every school have to publish the exam information for candidates?

The official sources we check set no requirement for academies. The official sources we check set no requirement for maintained schools.

When does the exam information for candidates need to be published?

Renewal: No fixed date. The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.

What must the exam information for candidates include?

Says its procedures are made widely available to every candidate; Says there is a written internal appeals procedure for candidates who disagree with a decision; Says the written complaints policy covers general complaints about the centre; Says what access arrangements, special consideration and post-results services are available; Says post-results service requests must be made through the centre; Says private candidates can request access to scripts, re-checks and reviews of marking directly; and 4 more parts listed above.

Where does the requirement for the exam information for candidates come from?

It is set out in JCQ General Regulations for Approved Centres 2026-27.

Changes to the official sources

The sources for this item do not publish dated change notes. Their current versions are listed above.

We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.

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Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4