Support and training

We provide comprehensive support and training for exams officers on all aspects of the Cambridge Exams Cycle and your role. This includes:

• detailed interactive training on our Online Learning Area
  
• ‘just in time’ learning video tutorials about how to carry out key tasks
• helpful guidance documents detailing our administrative processes
• a dedicated ‘help’ section to answer your frequently asked questions.

Online training

Our online training is free of charge, flexible and easy to use.

For new exams officers, we recommend you take the 'Introduction to being a Cambridge exams officer' self-study course. This is an online modular course for new exams officers and will take approximately 1–2 hours of study a week. Throughout the course, participants complete a portfolio to support you in your role once the course finishes. There is also a webinar to give participants an opportunity to ask questions. To access the course, you will need to register using the specific booking link provided in the  Cambridge Exams Officer eNewsletter. To access the course you need to set up an account for the Online Learning Area.  

All exams officers can join our webinars. They run throughout the year and cover different topics depending on the time of year and what you need to do for the current exam series. An essential resource as a new exams officer, and a useful refresher for more experienced exams officers. Our webinars cover Cambridge Checkpoint, Cambridge IGCSEs and O Levels, and Cambridge International AS & A Levels. Book onto our Exams officers webinars or see the Cambridge Exams Officer eNewsletter.

Exams cycle support videos

To support you through each phase of the Cambridge Exams Cycle we have produced the following videos:

• Key Times
  
• Using the Cambridge Guide to Making Entries
  
• Receiving and storing confidential materials
  
• Completing an attendance register
  
• Packing and despatching scripts
  
• Administering the Candidate Results Service
  
• Submitting enquiries about results
  

Look out for new videos in the Cambridge Exams Officer eNewsletter.

Guidance documents

There are some key online materials and documents you should access to support you as an exams officer. Regulatory documents such as the Cambridge Handbook and UK Supplement to the Cambridge Handbook you must follow, and others are to provide extra information and advice to you in your role, such as the Getting Started guide. It is a great place to start if you are a new exams officer because it gives an overview of the exams cycle and tells you where to find more information and support. It also outlines your responsibilities as a Cambridge exams officer.

You also need the Cambridge Guide to Making Entries and final timetables. The guide tells you exactly how to enter candidates for our exams. The timetable details when each exam is timetabled in an exam series. They are both available on >Direct as they contain information that is specific to each administrative zone. You can also access timetables on our website.

We also produce other extra guidance documents and administrative forms on various processes throughout the Cambridge Exams Cycle.

'Help' section

If you have a question about our exam administration process you can visit our frequently asked questions.

If you can’t find the answer you are looking for you can contact our Customer Services team of experienced staff, dedicated to providing schools with quick, clear and accurate responses to their enquiries. We aim to respond to all enquiries within two working days.

If you work through another organisation to offer our exams, you should contact your Cambridge Associate.

Direct

Direct (>Direct) is a secure online tool for Cambridge exams officers. It allows you to:

• make and submit final entries
• submit forecast grades
• download files, such as provisional and final timetables and results files
• submit enquiries about results
  
• view our fees list in the 'My Messages' section.
  

The site is password protected. After you have registered with us, we send you login details by email. Keep these details secure. If you forget your password contact Customer Services.

Find out more on >Direct.