Exams: Late Starts & Late Arrivals

How do I apply for a late start or a late arrival for an exam?

Starting an exam late: external knowledge base article

A centre may start an examination up to 30 minutes after the official start time without having to let us know. 
Any time after this, you must inform Pearson.

A candidate is late for an exam:

A candidate who arrives after the start time may be allowed to take the examination at the discretion of the centre.

A candidate who arrives late and is permitted by the centre to sit the examination must be allowed the full time for the examination.

A candidate will be considered very late if they arrive:

1. more than one hour after the awarding body’s published starting time for an examination which lasts one hour or more, i.e. after 10.00 am for a morning examination or after 2.30 pm for an afternoon examination;
2. after the awarding body’s published finishing time for an examination that lasts less than one hour.

Where a candidate arrives very late for an examination, the centre must:

1. send the script to the awarding body/examiner in the normal way;

2. submit Form JCQ/VLA-Report on candidate(s) admitted very late to the examination room online, using the Centre Admin Portal (CAP), within seven days of the examination having taken place. The Centre Admin Portal can be accessed via any of the awarding bodies’ secure extranet sites.
   
   The accompanying guidance notes must be read before completing the online form:
   
   https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/online-forms/
   
   Centres must provide the following information:

• The time the candidate came under centre staff supervision;

• The reason the candidate arrived late, including any details of special arrangements made for the candidate to reach the centre;

• The actual starting and finishing times of the examination;

• The time the candidate started the examination;

• The time the candidate finished the examination;

• Any assurances that the candidate did not access and was not made aware of the paper’s content prior to sitting the exam.

3. warn the candidate that the awarding body may not accept their script. Please also warn the candidate that Pearson may not be able to accept their script.

Please refer to page 44 of the JCQ Instructions for Conducting Examination (ICE) document for more information. 

Very late arrival form
A very late arrival form is submitted through the Centre Admin Portal (CAP), accessible through Edexcel Online. Please see the steps below.

Please note: This process does not include T-Levels. If you wish to submit an application for a very late arrival for a T-Level, please click here.

1. Select 'Access Arrangements Online' on the left side menu:



2. For Academic examinations (e.g., A Level, AS, GCSE), click on 'Access Arrangements Online'. For BTEC, Functional Skills, and International GCSE examinations, click on 'Pearson Access Arrangements Online':



This will take you to the Centre Admin Portal (CAP).
3. Scroll down and choose 'Very late arrival':



4. Complete the online form with as much detail as possible please; when complete, click on 'Send' at the bottom of the form. 

 

T-Levels Very Late Arrivals:

T Level very late arrivals cannot be submitted via the Centre Admin Portal (CAP). 

Applications must be emailed to candidatemalpractice@pearson.com, including the following information:

• Centre details;
• Candidate details;
• Awarding Body;
• Qualification;
• Exam Series;
• Subject or component code;
• Time candidate came under centre staff supervision’;
• ‘Reason for late arrival’ - Please state precisely the nature of the circumstances resulting in the candidate’s late arrival and give details of any special arrangements made for the candidate to reach the centre'
• The actual time at which the centre started and finished the examination and the time at which the candidate concerned started and finished the examination;
• Details of what assurances you can provide that the candidate did not access and was not made aware of the paper’s content prior to sitting the exam’.

Please attach any evidence which indicates that the candidate was late for reasons beyond their control and/or has given your centre the assurances detailed in the final point above. This evidence may include statements (e.g. from the candidate, a parent, or third parties), images (e.g. of traffic disruption), or other documents.
 
The Head of Centre must be made aware of the need for an application and authorise its submission.
 
Scripts must be sent to the awarding body/examiner in the normal way.

Back to Exam Administration index page.

Not Applicable.