Pearson Edexcel Remote Invigilation Service for Schools

Onscreen

Exam questions are provided onscreen, and candidates type their answers into the text boxes provided within the assessment player. Subject-specific resources are also accessed onscreen and are not provided in a printable format. 

Paper-based

Where a subject is not yet available onscreen, a paper-based approach will be used. Candidates access a pdf answer booklet via a link within the assessment player. They are required to print this out and handwrite their answers. The answer booklet does not include the examination questions. Questions appear onscreen once the candidate presses the Start button. Subject-specific resources are provided as pdf files and can either be referred to onscreen or printed out, depending on student preference.  
 
Use of a Word processor: for students whose normal way of working is to type, may opt to use a word processor for paper-based examinations. This should be requested based on need, not preference. Further guidance is provided in the FAQs and in section 5.8 of the JCQ Instructions for Conducting Exams. 
 
View a step-by-step walkthrough of the remote invigilation experience for each type of assessment: 

Onscreen Test Set-up Guide

Paper-based Set-up Guide

Please also see our series of videos which shows how to navigate the onscreen assessment player, and the variety of question types students may come across. Please note that not all subjects listed are necessarily available via remote invigilation, so please check the subject lists on this page for confirmation. 
 
Our onscreen assessment sandbox, enables teachers, parents and students to access a variety of onscreen assessments (past papers) and provides the opportunity to explore and practice navigating the available accessibility tools within the assessment player at their convenience. 

Invigilators are allocated to a limited number of students, ensuring that we can provide personalised support, especially in the case of any candidates with SEND. 

Students cannot see or hear the Invigilator, but they can communicate with them by typing into a live chat box or speaking via their microphone if they need assistance at any stage of their examination. The Invigilator can see and hear the candidate throughout the setup, exam and submission process. Invigilators can only communicate with candidates by typing into the chat box. All familiarisation activities and live examinations are recorded and monitored for quality and safeguarding purposes. 

A parent or guardian must be available to students throughout the course of their examinations taken via remote invigilation. They may assist with the set-up and submission stages, but must exit the room during the live examination. They should please remain within earshot in case students need to call them for assistance. 

The responsible adult will be required to sign a declaration to confirm that they understand and accept our Terms of Use and will assist in upholding the JCQ Instructions for conducting examinations (ICE). 

The Remote Invigilation Service Handbook provides step-by-step guidance through the remote invigilation exam process, which includes:

1. Set up
2. Examination
3. Completion and submission process.  

We make sure that students can interact directly with the assessment platform in the lead up to their examinations. 

Students who make formal exam entries for the Remote Invigilation Service are required to participate in a systems familiarisation exercise, to ensure they are comfortable with the proctor experience prior to the live high-stakes examinations. 

Familiarisation activities are conducted using a limited set of past papers and/or sample assessments, and the focus is to make sure students familiar with the system.  

Exams Officers should follow the normal process to apply for access arrangements via Edexcel Online.  

Please see the Pearson Remote Invigilation Service Accessibility Statement for confirmation of the support we can currently provide via the service. Please use this to support families in deciding whether the service is appropriate for their specific needs.  
 
To ensure we can provide students and families with a positive experience of their examinations, we request that centres not make entries for students whose needs we are not currently able to support.

Please share details of candidate access arrangements and individual needs with us when they first express interest in using the service, if you require confirmation on the type of support we can provide. 
 
Please encourage students to practice using the above accessibility features in our sandbox environment. 
 
Personalised requirements can be more easily accommodated via this service e.g. white noise machines, noise suppression earbuds, ear defenders, fidget toys, blankets, cuddly toys, cushions or non-standard equipment. These are subject to approval by Pearson. 

Exam Officers should make entries in the normal way via Edexcel Online. Entries must be made prior to the RIS entry deadline, which is earlier than the standard entry deadline for each exam series. You will be asked to share details of your planned entries with the remote invigilation team in advance of this for planning purposes.

Please take note of the following key considerations when making entries: 

Regional and Home Papers 

International GCSE examinations have regional (R) versions of some subject papers. It's important to consider whether you have candidates in R paper and/or home paper regions. Access to each paper type is based on the country your centre is registered in. Exceptional approval is required to be able to make entries for both paper types. It is the centre's responsibility to apply for this approval via your Regional Development Manager and ensure that candidates are entered for the correct paper type. 

Where a candidate in an R paper region plans to sit a combination of International GCSE and IAL examinations in on exam series, all entries must be made on the R paper centre under the same candidate and UCI number.  

Please note: candidates who relocate during an exam series are still required to join their examinations at the original start time provided in GMT/BST. Entries and start times cannot be amended after the late entry deadline. 

Onscreen Entry Codes

The service makes use of onscreen assessment as a default where this is available. If you do not already use Pearson Edexcel onscreen assessments, once you have been approved as a Remote Invigilation Service (RIS) centre, please request this access via the support portal. 

Only candidates with specific needs, which make onscreen assessment inaccessible, will be approved to opt-out of onscreen assessment. Please share details of such cases with us for approval prior to making entries. 

If in doubt, please refer to the International Information Manual. The onscreen entry options have a ‘C’ next to the paper description. 
 
The Remote Invigilation Service team cannot be held responsible for any issues arising from incorrect entries being made by centres. 

How to indicate to us that an exam is to be conducted via the Remote Invigilation Service

Once you have made entries, the Remote Invigilation Service delivery option must be applied on Edexcel Online. Please select Delivery option and tick Value. Only entries with this delivery option applied prior to the late entry deadline of each series will be conducted via the Remote Invigilation Service.

Please view our video that provide a demonstration of adding the Remote Invigilation Service Delivery Option on Edexcel Online.

Once entries have been made you will have access to our Booking app to setup your students with systems familiarisation activities. They should complete at least one paper-based activity to be eligible to receive their high-stakes login details.  
 
Students entered only for onscreen exams should complete an onscreen systems familiarisation activity and meet the minimum requirement of one paper-based activity.  
 
The paper-based approach may be used as a contingency if necessary, therefore all students must know how to navigate this process and have the required devices in place to enable this.

Students are expected to practice the setup, print a few pages of the answer booklet, provide one or two dummy answers, submit their paper-based responses (including typed responses where a word processor has been used), and end the session correctly.  
 
Login details issued to candidates at this stage will be for familiarisation purposes only. 

Familiarisation activities are not mock examinations and answers will therefore not be shared with centres or parents for review or marking purposes.
 
Students with approved rest breaks will have a visual indicator on each of their high-stakes examinations listed on the assessment player and extra time will be included in the exam duration. They will therefore be able to check if these have been applied correctly once they receive their login details for the high-stakes examinations.  

Access arrangements are not applied to systems familiarisation activities.  

**Late fees apply to new entries made after the RIS entry deadline. An exception will be made for students who enter to resit a subject taken via the Remote Invigilation Service in the previous exam series. No additional entries will be accepted post the late entry deadline. 

Amendments will be permitted for Tier and Option changes only. These must be made by centres on Edexcel Online and confirmed in writing to us via the Remote Invigilation Service Customer Support at least 48 hours prior to the relevant examination. If this is not acknowledged within 24 hours, please call us to confirm receipt. Only Tier and Option amendments will be accepted post the Late Entry Deadline. 

Please note, the Remote Invigilation Service 'flag' delivery option must be immediately re-applied after making any changes as this could cause the entry to be deleted entirely.

Start times

The Pearson Remote Invigilation Service conducts examinations at the published UK start times for each qualification.

Some students may be eligible for adjusted start times based on their location or clashes with other exams. Please contact us to review this on a case-by-case basis. 

Results Dates 
 
Please refer to the published results dates for each series and results guidance: 

Results key dates

Receiving results with EDI and Edexcel Online

Post-results services

From May-June 2026 we have introduced digital certification for students using the Remote invigilation Service.  Further information will be made available to partner schools and centres. 

A Remote Invigilation Service fee is charged per International GCSE paper and per International A level unit. This service fee is separate and in addition to the examination entry fees.   

Late fees will apply to new entries made after the RIS entry deadline. An exception will be made for students who enter to resit a subject taken via the Remote Invigilation Service in the previous exam series. No additional entries will be accepted post the late entry deadline.