Protecting Exam Security: Malpractice Guidance

Maintaining the integrity of ISE Digital is a shared responsibility. Centres must take reasonable steps to prevent, identify and report any activity that could give a candidate an unfair advantage or undermine confidence in an examination result.

This guidance explains the controls centres should apply before, during and after each examination session.

1) What is malpractice?

Malpractice is any action or attempted action that could compromise the integrity, security or fairness of an examination. It may involve a candidate, centre staff member, teacher, invigilator or another person.

Examples include:

• impersonation or proxy test-taking
• providing or receiving unauthorised assistance
• accessing notes, mobile phones, smart devices, translation tools, AI tools or other prohibited resources
• communicating with another person during the examination
• copying, photographing, recording, reproducing or sharing test content
• access to live test content outside of the centre environment
• coaching a candidate during the examination
• submitting work that is not the candidate’s own
• falsifying candidate identity, registration or examination records
• deliberately interfering with cameras, audio, monitoring or other security controls (remotely proctored exams)
• centre staff failing to follow required security procedures
• repeated or coordinated activity intended to identify test content or weaknesses in examination controls

A suspected incident does not automatically mean that malpractice has occurred. Trinity will consider the available evidence before reaching a decision.

2) Before the examination

Centres must ensure that:

• each candidate is registered using their correct legal name and date of birth
• candidate information matches the identity document that will be presented on the examination day
• first and family names are entered consistently and in the correct fields
• each registration relates to the individual candidate and is not a duplicate account
• centre-controlled email addresses are not used in place of candidate details unless Trinity has expressly permitted this
• candidates understand the examination rules, including the restrictions on devices, assistance, notes and test content
• the examination room, equipment, internet connection and monitoring arrangements meet Trinity’s requirements
• only authorised people can access candidate keycodes
• candidate keycodes details are not shared
• invigilators have completed the relevant training and understand how to report an incident

2.1) Identity checks

The invigilator must check the candidate’s identity document against:

• the candidate present
• the name and details on the attendance list
  

The check must be completed carefully for each candidate. Candidates must not be identified from memory or solely on the basis that centre staff recognise them.

Where requested by Trinity, centres must take and securely retain the specified photographs of the candidate, identity document and examination room.

If the identity document does not appear to belong to the candidate, has been altered, does not match the registration details or cannot be verified, the centre must record and report the discrepancy immediately.

2.2) Preparing the examination room

Before candidates enter, the centre must:

• remove or cover materials that could assist candidates
• confirm that microphones and headsets are working
• ensure candidates cannot view another candidate’s screen or communicate with one another
  
• prepare each candidate work station as per Trinity's guidance
  

Where topic notes are permitted, they must comply fully with the current Topic task rules. Notes that exceed the permitted limit must be replaced with a compliant version before the examination starts, and the original notes must be removed.

3) During the examination

Invigilators must actively supervise the examination for its full duration. They must not undertake unrelated work, use a mobile phone, leave candidates unsupervised or rely only on a fixed camera view.

Invigilators are expected to:

• ensure that candidates' mobile phones and other unauthorised devices are removed and stored securely
• prevent unauthorised people from entering the room
• take 360 degree room photographs with candidates seated at their assigned work stations
• be present in the room throughout the exam session*
• move around the room regularly*
• maintain a clear view of candidates, screens and workspaces*
• watch for communication, concealed devices, unusual use of notes or repeated attention to areas away from the screen*
• ensure that no one provides assistance, prompts, translations or corrections*
• record technical issues and unusual candidate behaviour as they occur
• prevent unauthorised photography, recording or copying of test content*
• follow the required procedure for toilet breaks and other interruptions
• ensure that monitoring equipment remains correctly positioned and operational*

* apply to remotely proctored exams in-centre only

Invigilators may assist with genuine technical or administrative issues but must not explain, interpret, translate or help answer examination questions.

3.1) What to do if malpractice is suspected

The centre must:

1. Protect the security of the examination and prevent the suspected activity from continuing where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
2. Record the facts promptly and objectively.
3. Note the time of the incident, people involved and action taken.
4. Preserve all relevant evidence, including attendance records, seating plans, photographs, identity-check records, invigilator reports, system messages and technical logs.
5. Submit the incident through the required Trinity reporting route as soon as possible.
6. Keep the matter confidential and share information only with authorised individuals.
7. Follow any further instructions provided by Trinity.

4) After the examination

Centres must ensure that:

• candidates do not retain, photograph or reproduce examination content
• the Supervisor's Report and supporting evidence are submitted promptly
• relevant records are retained securely for the period specified by Trinity
• staff do not discuss suspected cases with other candidates or unauthorised individuals

5) Centre responsibility

Centres are responsible for the conduct of their staff and for maintaining the required examination conditions. Capacity or staffing pressures must not prevent the application of controls that are integral to examination security.

Failure to follow examination-security requirements may be treated as centre malpractice or maladministration, even where there is insufficient evidence that an individual candidate cheated.

Depending on the circumstances, Trinity may:

• place a result on hold while enquiries are completed
• request additional evidence
• invalidate a candidate’s result
• require corrective action or additional staff training
• impose enhanced monitoring
• suspend particular delivery activities
• suspend or withdraw centre approval
• refer the matter to a regulator or other relevant authority

Centres are not expected to determine conclusively whether malpractice has occurred. Their responsibility is to apply the required controls, preserve the available evidence and report concerns promptly.

Prompt reporting will allow Trinity to assess the incident fairly, protect candidates and maintain the integrity of ISE Digital.