The Exam Man

SPECIAL EPISODE of The Exam Man is here! Such a pleasure to speak to Amanda Swann, Executive Director at Ofqual, about the imminent summer exam series and the role of Ofqual- with information aplenty, helpful tips, timely reminders, and uplifting messages of appreciation for those in charge of running exams in schools. Wishing everyone the very best for the next couple of months see you on the other side! #exams #summerseason #gcses #alevels #ofqual #examregulation

Celebrating One Whole Entire Year of The Exam Man! How to create a podcast... and what we've learned.The Exam Man podcast- despite originally being planned as a scrappy six- week event for the summer exam season- somehow reaches its first anniversary this week! Over the past year, thousands of colleagues around the world have tuned in every week to listen, learn, and connect. From episodes on every exam technicality and helping students prepare, to how exams run in the US and what on earth is 'special consideration', we've also heard from parents, students, teachers, policy makers, Headteachers, and very many exams officers, sharing their stories and wise words. The Exam Man has become a platform for deepening our shared knowledge of exams and assessment and appreciation for the people who run them, whilst having a whole lot of fun in the process. We've explored a large range of topics and now have a huge bank of free audio content to support anyone involved or interested in the business of exams- you can listen to all episodes and read our blogs at theexamman.com.In this special anniversary episode- which also brings Season 3 to a close- John and Sophie Gaston focus on what they've learned about creating a podcast over the past 12 months, with lessons for others embarking on a similar endeavor.A huge thank you to all our awesome guests and supporters, it has been a joy. Here's to the second year!For more information on Examscreen go to: examscreen.co.uk.

This week on The Exam Man podcast we swing from talking about South Korea's all-in attitude to exams to transforming the exam system- should we? Could we, even if we wanted to? Lisa Greenslade joins us to talk about her experience of transforming at scale in higher education exams.To subscribe to Examscreen go to: ExamscreenTo read more about the work of TEAMCo- teamcouk.comFind out more about the Suneung (CSAT) in South Korea here

Exams and employability- do exams prepare young people for the many decades following school?This week we are joined by Oli de Botton, the CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company – the national body for careers education- to talk everything exams and employability. We had a great chat all about the purpose of exams, and what employers want and need from an assessment system. Oli draws on his vast experience in education in our thought- provoking conversation, including his time as the founding Headteacher of Welcome to School 21 and as a government education adviser. (As an aside, find out why Oli and Sophie Gaston admit to being irritating in their younger days- and why John Gaston agrees!)To learn more about The Careers and Enterprise Company: The Careers & Enterprise Company | The Careers and Enterprise CompanyWould you like to find out more about Examscreen? Examscreen

How do you keep your exams officer? One of the most enlightening and entertaining things about running The Exam Man over the last year has been hearing all about how people have fallen into running exams, and what they were doing before. We've heard from a former Met police officer on the podcast, a tax officer... and someone who once crossed the Alps on a space hopper! Once exams officers are in post, though, there is large amount of churn and the retention crisis is real. This week we enjoy chatting to Paula Wood, who wanted to join us to tell us all about the great work she does supporting exams officers in their roles. Together with Paula, John and Sophie reflect on the attributes of those who take to running exams like a duck to water, the challenges of the role, and how schools and trusts can support and retain their exams teams. Enjoy!Tune in:Spotify:Apple:The Exam Man:To find out about Examscreen and to sign up for a free trial: ExamscreenTo learn more about Paula's work and to get in touch with her, please go to: Exam Officer Training | Online Training Courses | EODS

This week, we are- rather predictably for The Exam Man- digging into exams- but this week, with a particular focus on assessment for students with SEND. John and Sophie dig into why access arrangements and extra time have recently made the headlines.With insights from Vicki Clayson, a former SENCO and Deputy Headteacher and an Education Consultant for iTrack Education about the importance of tracking incremental progress in pupils’ learning and recognising every small step in pupil development.Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to The Exam Man to find out more and to be the first to know when new episodes drop! www.theexamman.comFor more info on Examscreen go to: examscreen.co.ukTo learn more about the work of ITrack Education go to: iTRACK Education | Pupil Tracking Software & Teaching Resources

Nick Gibb joins John Gaston and Sophie Gaston for a far-reaching chat, spanning the freedoms that come after 27 years in the House of Commons, his career highlights, the reasons he wanted to work in education, how many schools he personally visited whilst in office, and how he thinks AI may impact exams and education. As one of the key figures in education policy over the past two decades, who served under four prime ministers, it was a joy to speak to Nick. Enjoy!To listen to all previous episodes of The Exam Man and to read our blogs, go to: https://theexamman.com/ To find out more about Examscreen or sign up for a free trial: https://examscreen.co.uk/

Understanding how exams run in prisons has been something that John and Sophie have wanted to cover on The Exam Man since the podcast began. It's taken a few months of conversations, approvals and sign offs, and we are delighted to launch Season 3 with a hugely thought- provoking interview with the Exams Officer at HMP Norwich. Geraldine Jozefiak has worked in the prison for the past 9 years, and she has a wealth of information and so much enthusiasm for the brilliant work she does. Geraldine is also a speaker for schools and conferences, where she shares her expertise on Managing Exam Stress, Mindfulness for Schools and Prison Education. With a passion for helping schools support their students, Geraldine develops practical resources to reduce exam anxiety and increase confidence. Her latest programme, the 'Exam Reaction Plan', launches Spring 2025, offering a thoughtful approach to managing exam pressure. You can contact Geraldine at: hello@geraldinejozefiak.com and download her free Exam Resilience Cheatsheet for schools at: https://www.geraldinejozefiak.com/exam-resilience-cheatsheetAll previous episodes and blogs from earlier seasons of The Exam Man can be found here: https://theexamman.com/