twenty fourth Jun 2025
Studying Time: 5 minutes
Keep in mind examination time? The frantic cramming, the squeaky sneakers of the examination invigilator striding between the desks or sitting purposefully on the head of the room. Nicely, they weren’t simply doing it for kicks – invigilating exams could be a good way to make a little bit of fast money and nearly anybody can do it.
It’s not as simple because it appears although – you want tact in coping with harassed college students, to not point out the power to maintain quiet for lengthy intervals and stay alert regardless of how slowly the minutes could move.
Oh, and a pair of non-squeaky sneakers is important…
The 1st step: Getting began
Most training authorities, faculties and universities will recruit individuals for invigilating exams previous to their Could-June and January examination intervals, so the weeks or months earlier than then are one of the best time to begin trying. Nevertheless, in some circumstances exams can fall outdoors this time too.
Try your native borough council web site for positions at native faculties, which is able to want individuals to supervise GCSE and A-level exams. If in case you have a baby in school, preserve a watch out for any bulletins within the faculty publication, or it would even be price asking faculties in your space immediately.
For faculties, universities and grownup training authorities, seek for vacancies on their particular person web sites. Many additionally undergo recruitment companies or promote on job web sites, so attempt your luck with these (tip: a fast search on Google for ‘examination invigilators’ ought to present probably the most present crop of positions).
Clearly, faculty exams might be throughout faculty hours, whereas college exams could run till slightly later, making it a great momentary job for part-timers, retirees or stay-at-home dad and mom.
You don’t want any expertise, as coaching is supplied – principally if you happen to’re accountable and obtainable to work, you’re in with a great shot. Some locations would require a CRB verify, relying on their particular person insurance policies. This may be tough to get at quick discover and if you happen to haven’t had one earlier than it might value you between £21.50 and £49.50 relying on which DBS stage is required. See our full article on DBS checks.
Step two: How a lot are you able to earn?
The speed varies however you may anticipate something between £12.21 to £30 per hour (universities are inclined to pay extra). How a lot you find yourself with will depend upon what number of exams you may sit in on.
So, for instance, if you happen to had been to take a seat in on two three-hour exams a day over a two-week interval on the most pay price, you would end up with between £732 and £1760. Not too shabby for pacing up and down.
Step three: What’s concerned
There’s much more to invigilating exams than turning as much as open the doorways and shouting “pens down!” on the finish. Coaching will usually be supplied earlier than the examination interval begins and every faculty or college will undoubtedly have their very own procedures to observe, however listed here are among the fundamentals:
Earlier than the examination
You’ll must arrive early, half an hour to an hour earlier than the examination is because of start, to arrange the examination room. This may possible embrace:
- Putting reply booklets and query papers on every desk
- Checking all seats are labelled accurately and that there’s a appropriate hole between every desk to make sure college students can’t copy others
- Realizing what gear college students are allowed (Calculators? Additional paper? Is it an open guide examination?)
- Put up regulation notices, seating allocations, examination begin and end occasions, centre and paper quantity and guarantee clocks are seen (even for these on the far finish) and dealing
If it’s a giant examination corridor, there’ll in all probability be a couple of invigilators so you may divide what number of tables every of you’ll oversee.
Begin of the examination
- Direct college students to their seats and inform them the place to go away their luggage
- Confiscate any gadgets that aren’t allowed, similar to revision notes, textbooks, calculators (except in any other case allowed), and naturally, any cell phones
- Learn examination laws to college students and provides out any particular examination directions
- Be certain nobody begins studying or writing earlier than the beginning time
- Checking the ID of all college students and marking their attendance (you’ll usually have to tell the workplace instantly if any college students are absent)
- Not letting anybody in or out of the room earlier than the allowed time has handed
Through the examination
That is the place slightly tedium could set in. You need to stay alert all through your entire examination, to stay looking out for college students who need assistance, or those that could also be utilizing lower than sincere means to complete their paper. This implies you CANNOT use the time to learn or write your self, and not stand round chatting with the opposite invigilators. You’ll have to:
- Flow into the room frequently (that is the place these soft-soled sneakers turn out to be useful!)
- Observe the scholars, however attempt to not stand studying over their shoulders (it may be off-putting to college students)
- Accompany college students to the bathroom if wanted
- Hand out additional paper or reply booklets if requested
- Be certain there is no such thing as a speaking and that any disruptions (similar to loud noises outdoors) are taken care of as shortly as doable
- Give common time checks and announce when the examination time is sort of completed (normally when there’s quarter-hour left)
If you happen to do suspect a scholar of dishonest, it’s possible every particular person establishment has their very own process for coping with it that it’s best to observe.
Relying on the size of an examination, you could be allowed to take a brief break. Some exams could be as much as three hours lengthy!
Finish of the examination
- Inform candidates that they need to cease working and remind them that they’re nonetheless in examination circumstances
- Accumulate all reply sheets and query papers BEFORE dismissing the scholars
- Be certain reply sheets are in the suitable order (it is perhaps by ID quantity or courses) earlier than returning them to the workplace
What else you must know
The excellent news is invigilating exams means fast cash could be made for not doing an excessive amount of apart from observing, however this job in all probability isn’t for you if you happen to bore simply or have a brief consideration span. Whereas it doesn’t take a number of bodily effort, you actually do have to be mentally centered on the duty at hand.
For instance, if somebody raises their hand asking for assist you must attend them instantly – they shouldn’t must attempt to get your consideration for 5 minutes once they’re in timed circumstances.
Additionally, you will want a number of persistence and understanding. Exams could be extraordinarily demanding for some, so you must be ready within the occasion a scholar appears panicky. Just a little sympathy gained’t go astray – probably they’ve sufficient to fret about with out having to take care of an unfriendly examination invigilator.
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