Alastair Hopkins & Hayley Macilwraith Data and Examinations Officers at King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy and King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
Alastair Hopkins has worked at King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy for the last 6 and a half years as an Examinations Officer. His job is to uphold the integrity of the exam/assessment process on behalf of the awarding bodies and Ofqual, ensuring our students gain robust and widely recognised qualifications.
Hayley Macilwraith has worked at King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys for a total of 6 years, 4 of which she has spent as a Data and Examinations Manager, handling all external and internal exams as well as the data for the school and for all students that enter. Hayley is also responsible for the new admissions to the school.
In a normal year during exam season, both Alastair and Hayley ensure that all exams start on time and run without problems, ensuring the invigilators have everything they need. It is their responsibility to make sure that exams finish promptly, rooms are cleared, scripts are despatched and everything is ready for the next set. Hayley comments "it's a stressful time but I love seeing all of my preparation come together, especially in August when students are collecting the results that they worked so hard for."
When asked what he loves most about his job, Alastair said "I like the variety of tasks, the adrenalin-rush of exam days and the satisfaction of doing something which is very important in our students' lives. The HWGA staff are great!". The remainder of the exams cycle involves entries planning, access arrangement, final entries, results, certificates and managing vocational qualifications and mock exams.
There is much work to be done outside of exam season too; Hayley prepares the Entrance Exams, compiles and distributes school reports for parents, creates reports for staff which look at different aspects such as behaviour and attendance, as well as playing flute with the school orchestra! Growing up Hayley actually wanted to be an equine vet, until she realised you needed to "be interested in, and successful at Science!". Alastair on the other hand wasn't sure what he wanted to become: leaving Newcastle University with a Maths degree, he became a computer programmer.
