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Paper 1 Listening Examinations
Where extra time is to be made available to a candidate in his/her examinations, the centre must ensure that appropriate invigilation and timetabling arrangements are in place. Additional sets of MP3 recordings will be produced with additional time allowance for those candidates who qualify for 25% extra time.
Recordings are available via our Secure Download Service (SDS). Please note that extra-time sound files will appear alongside the standard-length digital recordings, so care must be taken to select the correct ones for your candidates.
Where extra time has been approved and is to be made available for a candidate for the listening exam, the centre must ensure that appropriate invigilation and timetabling arrangements are in place.
For additional information please see: Secure Download Service (SDS): Extra Time For Listening Exams GCSE/International GCSE. |  |
Guidance on Manually Administering Extra Time for Listening Examinations
Centres can also choose to take responsibility for manually stopping and starting the recording to allow for the different needs of candidates. The approved extra time should be distributed as required in line with the candidate’s needs, and must not exceed the total time allowed. The invigilator will be required to manually pause the MP3 recording to administer the appropriate additional time for the candidate.
Centres are responsible for calculating and distributing the amount of extra time based on the length of examination time for that paper. The duration of extra time permitted must be calculated based on the actual examination time for that specific paper. This will involve calculating what the percentage of extra time equates to in terms of total amount of extra time in seconds. Using this information the centre must then decide how best to distribute the total number of extra seconds across the paper.
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Foundation Tier
Please find below an example of how 25% extra time for a Foundation tier candidate could be administered:
Foundation (1F)
Regular timing
25% extra time
Total with 25% extra | Paper time
35 mins
8 mins 45 secs
43 mins 45 secs |
1. The invigilator presses play and starts the timed examination
2. The five minutes reading time on the recording comes to an end
3. The invigilator pauses the recording for 11 seconds
4. The invigilator un-pauses the recording
5. After the extract for Question 1 has played fully for the first time, following the final single beep sound, the invigilator pauses the recording for 18 seconds
6. The invigilator un-pauses the recording
7. After the extract for Question 1 has been repeated in full, following the final double beep sound, the invigilator pauses the recording for 18 seconds
8. The invigilator un-pauses the recording
9. The invigilator repeats steps 5 – 7 for all remaining questions on the paper
10. The invigilator pauses the recording for 10 seconds at the end of the examination, ensuring that the total duration of the examination does not exceed 43 minutes and 45 seconds.
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Higher Tier
Please find below an example of how 25% extra time for a higher tier candidate could be administered:
Higher (1H)
Regular timing
45 mins
Total with 25% extra | Paper time
45 mins
11 mins 15 secs
56 mins 15 secs |
1. Invigilator presses play and starts the timed examination
2. 5 minutes reading time on the recording comes to an end
3. Invigilator pauses the recording for 38 seconds
4. Invigilator un-pauses the recording
5. After the extract for Question 1 has played fully for the first time, following the final single beep sound, the invigilator pauses the recording for 30 seconds
6. Invigilator un-pauses the recording
7. After the extract for Question 1 has been repeated in full, following the final double beep sound, the invigilator pauses the recording for 30 seconds
8. Invigilator un-pauses the recording
9. Invigilator repeats steps 5 – 7 for all remaining questions on the paper
10. Invigilator pauses the recording for 37 seconds at the end of the examination, ensuring that the total duration of the examination does not exceed 56 minutes and 15 seconds.
Live speakers
Where a live speaker is approved for the candidate, this should, wherever possible, be the candidate’s subject or specialist teacher. However, an invigilator must also be present in the examination room at all times. The live speaker should have access to the recording or transcript one hour before the examination to prepare and the candidate should be under supervision during the prepare.
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Paper 2 Speaking Assessment
Eligible candidates will be allowed to add up to a total of 25% of the maximum time permitted for assessment for that tier. This may consist of extra time during the preparation time or during the recording (i.e. when the candidate is speaking during the recording) in order to ensure the diverse needs of candidates are addressed.
The allocation of time must be managed by the centre in response to the needs and usual ways of working of their individual candidates and should not exceed a total of 25% extra time of the assessment for that tier.
For candidates who have been approved more than 25% extra time, this can be calculated using the above method, but must not exceed the total amount of extra time granted for the candidate. |  | Please ensure full details of the candidate’s requirements, including their usual way of working and your observations on what has helped make the assessment suitably accessible (based on mock assessments of the speaking component) are included with any requests submitted for extra time for the speaking assessment.
Supervised breaks
Supervised rest breaks are permitted and should be determined by the SENco before the start of the examination, where possible. The timing of the examination should be paused and re-started when the candidate is ready to continue. Please note that the recording itself should not be stopped or paused but the teacher-examiner should state on the recording that ‘the candidate is now taking a supervised rest break'.
For further information on Access Arrangements, please see our support page here. |
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Related articles:
Special Requirements: Access Arrangements & Special Considerations
Access Arrangements: Making Applications
Secure Download Service (SDS): Extra Time For Listening Exams GCSE/International GCSE
