Alternative Examination Venue
Welcome to our Alternative Examination Venue, where accredited examination centres can confidently arrange for their candidates to sit examinations at AoGC. Our fully equipped science laboratory supports the professional facilitation of practical examinations across IGCSE, AS and A Level, providing centres with a secure, well-resourced and examination-ready environment where appropriate facilities are required.
The policy outlined on this page guides the facilitation of alternative venue arrangements with our centre and is in effect from (WEF) 30 June 2025.
Supporting Accredited Exam Centres
Academy of Global Curriculum (AoGC) provides its approved examination facilities and science laboratory to accredited examination centres requiring an alternative venue for the facilitation of practical science examinations and other approved assessments.Our facilities may be used by centres that are authorised to register candidates but require access to an appropriately equipped venue for particular examinations. AoGC facilitates such examinations under controlled conditions designed to protect examination security, candidate welfare and the integrity of the assessment process.Use of AoGC as an alternative examination venue does not transfer the registering centre's administrative responsibilities to AoGC.
Examination Integrity and Candidate Access
AoGC maintains strict controls over access to its premises during examinations. Only candidates scheduled to write the examination and authorised AoGC personnel may enter the examination environment.
Parents, guardians, representatives of the registering centre, private tutors, teachers, externally appointed assistants and other unauthorised persons will not be permitted within the controlled examination area during the assessment.
Where a candidate requires an approved access arrangement or concession, any reader, scribe, prompter, supervised-rest-break facilitator or other support person operating at AoGC must be appointed, approved and authorised by AoGC. This requirement exists to protect examination integrity, maintain appropriate professional boundaries and ensure that all persons involved in the examination operate under AoGC's examination procedures.
Candidates Requiring Access Arrangements or Concessions
The centre registering the candidate remains responsible for identifying candidates requiring access arrangements. The registering centre handles all necessary applications, approvals and administrative processes with the relevant examination board. Where such a candidate will write at AoGC, the registering centre must notify AoGC in writing at least 30 days before the examination. The notification must clearly state the approved arrangement required by the candidate and provide any relevant confirmation or documentation necessary for AoGC to prepare the examination environment. AoGC will then arrange the appropriate authorised personnel and facilities required to implement the approved arrangement. In such a case, AoGC bills the registering centre as per our access arrangement/concession cost. Visit the page below to view the costs.
Proceeding with registration is full consent to the policies below:
Concession and Facilitation Charges
Access arrangements requiring additional personnel, facilities or supervision attract separate charges in addition to the standard alternative venue or practical examination facilitation fee.
The registering centre is responsible for:
- Obtaining the required approval from the relevant examination board
- Informing the candidate or parent of applicable concession charges
- Collecting any concession-related fees from its candidate
- Paying in full; the applicable AoGC facilitation charges; providing AoGC with the required information and documentation at least 30 days before the examination
- Ensuring that all arrangements have been confirmed before the examination date.
Former AoGC Students Applying as Private Candidates
- AoGC reserves the right to refuse private candidate applications from former AoGC-enrolled students. This applies particularly where the student’s previous enrolment and withdrawal obligations were not fulfilled in their entirety.
- Former students who were deregistered because of disciplinary action, outstanding school fees, or other unresolved matters may not automatically register as private candidates at AoGC. Furthermore, they may not use AoGC through an Alternative Venue or Science Practical facilitation arrangement.
- Where a former AoGC student wishes to register, a formal written application must first be submitted to AoGC. Thereafter, AoGC will review the circumstances and determine whether permission should be granted. Registration or alternative venue arrangements may proceed only after AoGC has issued written consent.
- The written application, whether submitted by the candidate or by the examination centre using AoGC as an Alternative Venue, must reach AoGC at least 30 days before the examination date.
- Examination centres intending to use AoGC as an Alternative Venue or Science Practical venue must appropriately screen their candidates beforehand. Where a candidate is identified as a former AoGC student, the referring centre must disclose this to AoGC in writing.
- Consequently, the candidate may only be accommodated after the required application has been considered and written consent granted. Without written approval, AoGC will not facilitate that candidate’s examination at its premises or through its Alternative Venue arrangements.
AoGC-Appointed Concession Facilitators
Examinations conducted on AoGC premises, readers, scribes, prompters, supervised rest-break facilitators and other access-arrangement personnel must be persons authorised by AoGC. A registering centre may therefore not send its own facilitators. AoGC-appointed concession facilitators are regarded as authorised examination personnel for the duration of the examination.
Responsibilities of the Registering Centre
The centre using AoGC as an alternative venue remains responsible for its candidates and all examination administration associated with their registration. This includes candidate registration, examination entries, access-arrangement applications, communication with the examination board, candidate documentation, examination timetables, fees and communication with candidates or their parents. AoGC's role is limited to providing the agreed venue, facilities, practical examination resources, authorised personnel and examination facilitation services. Use of AoGC's facilities does not make AoGC the candidate's registering examination centre.
Communication With Candidates
All correspondence and meetings concerning the examination remain strictly between the candidate and the centre through which the candidate was registered.
Candidates and parents should therefore direct registration and administrative enquiries to their registering centre.
AoGC will communicate directly with the contracting examination centre regarding matters necessary for the preparation and facilitation of examinations at AoGC.
Parent/Guardian and Student's Responsibility
Parents, guardians and students must ensure that the registering centre communicates with AoGC about the student's concession needs.
Failure to Meet Requirements
AoGC will not facilitate an access arrangement where the registering centre has failed to:
- Provide the required written notification
- Obtain the necessary examination-board approval
- Meet the applicable payment requirements due to AoGC
- Notify AoGC within the required 30-day period before the examination
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No last-minute access arrangement will be introduced where doing so may compromise examination regulations, security, appropriate staffing or the integrity of the assessment.
Protecting Examination Integrity
AoGC's alternative venue procedures are designed around three principles: examination integrity, regulatory compliance and candidate fairness.
By using AoGC as an alternative examination venue, the registering centre accepts responsibility for completing its administrative obligations while AoGC assumes responsibility for the professional and secure facilitation of the examination services specifically agreed upon between the two centres.
Planning to Use AoGC as an Alternative Venue?
Accredited examination centres requiring access to our science laboratory, examination rooms or approved examination support services should contact AoGC well in advance of the examination series.
Early communication allows sufficient time to confirm candidate numbers, practical requirements, approved access arrangements, staffing, fees and examination-day logistics.