Examination IT Support Assistant & Invigilator (JCQ / GCSE / A-Level)

Alcester Grammar School

Term Time Only Role

Casual Hours Contract- flexible hours as required by the School

Given the nature of the examinations schedule, this position is not guaranteed hours, which means you will be working on a casual basis, being hourly paid on a zero hours contract. Hours will be spread across the school year but worked within examination periods. A degree of flexibility on the part of the postholder is therefore essential. Hours will be pre-arranged in advance.

Role Salary: AGS B:04 currently £13.05 plus 12.07% holiday pay = £14.62 per hour. Plus Local Government Pension Scheme, optional.

Job Description

Responsible to: Exams Officer

You must be available to work during the main examination times, mostly during November, January, February, March, May and June, with extra days possible at other times of the year as required. 

It is essential that you commit to your availability. 

You will need to be flexible, reliable and able to understand and follow instructions.

Purpose of the IT Support Assistant part of the Role:

To provide dedicated IT and technical support for internal and external examinations in accordance with JCQ regulations, ensuring all examination related IT equipment, software, and access arrangements are correctly set up, secure, and fully operational.

Key Responsibilities:

Pre-Examination Support

• Set up, configure, and test IT equipment used for examinations, including desktops, laptops, tablets, printers, headphones, and specialist input devices.

• Prepare examination rooms in line with JCQ Instructions for Conducting Examinations (ICE).

• Ensure secure candidate logins and correct configuration of examination software and secure browsers is available at the start of each exam

• Check and test correct exams software including word processing and approved assistive technologies is ready and working

• Support approved access arrangements (e.g. extra time, readers, scribes, word processors, screen readers, speech-to-text software).

• Check that unauthorised exam applications, internet access, and notifications are not accessible in line with JCQ requirements.

• Conduct pre-exam checks to ensure devices are fully charged, printers are stocked, and backups are available. 

• Ensure listening (languages) and music materials for internal/external exams are downloaded.

• Work with the exams team to download materials needed for Claro during internal/external exams.

• Ensure enough laptops, memory sticks, headphones and speakers are available.

Support During Examinations

• Be available on-site during examinations to respond promptly and discreetly to technical issues.

• Troubleshoot hardware, software, and printing issues with minimal disruption to candidates.

• Maintain examination security and confidentiality at all time.

• Work closely with the Exams Officer, invigilators, SEN Staff, and IT department.

• Record and report any technical incidents or irregularities in line with JCQ malpractice and incident procedures.

Post-Examination Tasks

• Securely shut down, reset, and store examination equipment.

• Remove candidate data and exam materials in compliance with data protection (UK GDPR) and JCQ guidance.

• Prepare equipment for subsequent examination sessions.

• Provide feedback to the Exams Officer on technical issues or improvements.

• Assist the exams team with printing pupil work at the end of each exam, saving a copy of the pupils work and clearing the memory stick.

Skills and Experience Required:

• Confident setting up laptops, printers and related equipment

• Calm and professional approach to troubleshooting technical issues in an exam environment

• High level of confidentiality, reliability and attention to detail

• Previous experience of supporting school examinations

• Familiarity with JCQ Exam Regulations

• Experience with assistive software (e.g. CLARO, speech-to-text or screen readers)

You will in addition be required to invigilate a range of school and external examinations as follows:

Invigilator Duties and Responsibilities:  

• To arrive at your designated exam room to act as a roving invigilator once the IT is all set up and running.

• To ensure that the nominated examination room is set out suitably to receive the expected number of examination candidates.  

• To ensure that notices to candidates and any other regulations are suitably displayed within and outside the examination room.  

• To ensure that only candidates officially entered for the examination are permitted entry and that attendance registers are accurately and legibly completed. 

• To ensure that all candidates are supplied with the requisite examination question paper(s) and materials. 

• To be familiar with awarding body and school regulations for the conduct of the examination.  

• To ensure the candidates comply with any awarding body and school regulations at all times and to formally and promptly report any breach of those regulations to the Exams Officer.  

• To maintain the security of examination papers and/or candidate scripts before, during and following the examination.  

• To ensure pupils who have access arrangements that these are carried out correctly.

• To supervise candidates if they need to leave the room for any reason, including evacuation.

• To deliver completed candidate scripts and exam materials as requested to the Exams Office.  

• To comply with all directions issued by the Exams Officer/Lead Invigilator.  

• To be vigilant, but not intrusive, throughout the period of the examination.  

• To act in a professional manner at all times.  

• To attend and complete all training sessions as required by JCQ for this role.

• To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably required commensurate with the grade of the post.

• To be familiar with the JCQ instructions for the conduct of exam

Typical Examination timeline and exam related activities for an academic year

• Applications close at 8am on Friday 13th March 2026

• Thank you for your interest in the role. If you would like to talk through the role prior to application, then please do not hesitate to contact Helen Silcox, Exams Officer at exams@alcestergs.com