We offer on-screen tests for qualifications in the Cambridge Technicals 2016 suite. This page provides guidance on how to get started, including links to detailed step-by-step instructions.

• Qualification and examined unit entries are made using EDI files via A2C or in Interchange
  
• Timetabled examinations
  
• We schedule tests based on unit test entries
  
• Practice tests scheduled by centres
• Performing Arts uses Web Delivery rather than SecureClient
• Teachers can mark Unit 2C practice tests
• Detailed candidate feedback available

To offer our on-screen tests, you need to become approved and then set up to use the on-screen test system, Surpass: 

1. To become an approved centre, complete the vocational qualification approval form.
2. To confirm you can use the on-screen test system, check your computers meet the minimum system requirements for running Surpass. The requirements for Surpass Platform apply to the administration site and the requirements for Secure Delivery (SecureClient) apply to test delivery with the exception of Digital Media and Performing Arts Unit 2C where the requirements for Web Delivery apply.
   
3. We’ll set up your centre in Surpass and you’ll receive a link to set up your account. 
4. To log in and get started, you’ll need to set up your account.

Once your centre is approved and set up in Surpass, we will register the candidates you have made unit test entries for in Interchange or A2C. You will then be able to schedule practice tests for your candidates.

To sit a test, each candidate must be scheduled in Surpass.

• We will schedule the live tests for candidates you make unit test entries for.
• You can schedule practice tests using the schedule test wizard.

For every schedule created, one or more records are added to the Schedule screen. For live tests, these will be locked 10 days before the start date. For practice tests, they will be locked 5 days before the start date. Once locked, a keycode is created for each scheduled candidate. You can view keycodes in the Invigilate screen. The candidates need to enter their keycodes to start their test and a PIN may optionally be used for practice tests only.

Before any test sitting, the room should be set up and the equipment prepared taking the relevant JCQ Instructions for conducting examinations into account. 

The JCQ notice to candidates can be read out or shared with the candidates.

You can download tests in advance if the internet connection is slow, unreliable or you want the tests to be sat offline. 

During the test sitting, the invigilator can monitor the candidate’s progress from the Invigilate screen in Surpass from where it is possible to: 

• Set or remove a PIN (for practice tests only)
  
• Modify the test duration (up to 25% extra) for practice tests or to view the extra time added by us to live tests for candidates requiring reasonable adjustments
  
• Print an invigilation pack and keycode slips
  
• View the state (Ready, Downloaded, In Progress, Finished) of tests and ensure no tests are left in the Awaiting Upload state
  
• Pause and resume tests in an emergency. 

For all tests, except Level 2 Cambridge Technicals in Digital Media Unit 2C and Level 3 Cambridge Technicals in Performing Art Unit 2C computer-based projects, candidates use SecureClient to sit their test and restrict access to other applications on the computer. 

To confirm you can use SecureClient, check your computers meet the minimum system requirements.

You can download SecureClient from the Launch Test – Secure Delivery website (select Download for Windows). Take a look at the Surpass Help Site for troubleshooting advice.

To help your IT support team, we’ve provided additional guidance on setting up SecureClient. This guidance includes tips on installing SecureClient, and instructions on checking SecureClient can be used to deliver tests in your environment.

Before on-screen test sessions take place, we strongly recommend your IT support team follows these instructions on setting up SecureClient.

We've set up a dummy candidate in your centre (InstallationTest Candidate) you can use to schedule an Installation Test, which can be sat in SecureClient logged in with a candidate account – this can help to identify any problems which can be dealt with before the test date. You can schedule and sit the Installation Test as many times as you need to confirm tests can be sat in SecureClient in your environment.

A new version of SecureClient is released 3–4 times a year and it's important to keep it updated on your test computers. To update SecureClient, simply open the application and it will check for updates. If any are available, they will be installed automatically.

Starting the test

With the Enter Keycode screen open the candidate enters their keycode and clicks ‘OK’. The test downloads and its progress is displayed.

Once complete, the Confirm Details screen opens with the candidate and test details. The candidate clicks ‘Confirm’ to continue. The introduction page displays with instructions and information about the test. The candidate clicks ‘Start the Test’ to begin and the time remaining starts to count down at the top of the screen. 

Navigating through the test

The candidate can navigate through the questions in several ways. They can use the ‘Next’ and ‘Back’ buttons in the bottom toolbar to move to the next or previous question.

The candidate can flag questions they want to return to later in their test using the ‘Flag’ button in the bottom toolbar. A warning displays if they try to finish a test with any questions still flagged.

They can also navigate directly to a question using the question numbers in the left-hand navigation. The appearance of the question numbers depends on the status of the question.

• Grey with corner folded – response recorded for question
• Blue or grey with flag – question flagged by candidate
• Blue or grey with right arrow – current question displayed
• Blue – unanswered question

Candidates can narrow down the answer options by striking out those they believe to be incorrect. To do this they can right-click an answer option. To remove the strikeout they right-click it a second time.  

The candidate works through the questions entering their responses and accessing any linked source material required by the test. The time remaining is displayed at the top of the screen and warnings pop up with 30, 15 and 5 minutes remaining. When the time remaining reaches zero the test closes.

Additional controls and preferences

There are a number of other controls in the bottom toolbar to the left.

The question mark symbol returns the candidate to the Introduction page. The gear symbol opens the colour preferences panel where the candidate can choose alternative foreground and background colour contrasts if required. They can highlight a pre-set alternative and click 'OK' to apply. To return to the default colour scheme they select this option and click 'OK' to apply. They can choose other combinations by clicking the gear icon at the top and choosing specific background and text colours. To close the colour preferences panel, click 'Cancel'.

The grid symbol opens the section review panel where the candidate views the status of their responses to the questions in the test. They can filter the questions by their status (unattempted, attempted and flagged) by adding a tick to the appropriate checkbox. To remove the filter they can remove the tick from the selected checkbox or click 'Clear'. To close the section review panel click the 'X' in top right corner. When the time remaining reaches zero the test closes automatically.

Finishing the test

The candidate finishes the test by clicking ‘Finish Test’ in the top right-hand corner. A warning displays asking them to confirm. This warning highlights if there are unanswered or flagged questions:

The candidate can click ‘Cancel’ to return to the test or ‘Finish’ to confirm. If they click ‘Finish’, a second warning displays. The candidate can click ‘Cancel’ to return to the test or ‘Finish’ to confirm.

If they click ‘Finish’ again, the test uploads and a notification confirm this.

The candidate clicks ‘Exit Test’ to close SecureClient. The test now shows with the Finished state in the Invigilate screen. 

If there is no active internet connection at the point the candidate clicks ‘Finish’ for the final time a warning displays saying it was not possible to upload the test. 

In this case the test will show in the Awaiting Upload state in the Invigilate screen in Surpass. You can upload the response by either:

• Leaving SecureClient open until the Internet connection is restored or by
• Clicking ‘Exit Test’ to close SecureClient and then restart it once the internet connection is restored.

For Level 2 Cambridge Technicals in Digital Media Unit 2C and Level 3 Cambridge Technicals in Performing Art Unit 2C, files of completed candidate work are uploaded by teachers into a web-based Surpass project. 

Using a web browser, navigate to https://ocr.surpass.com/launchtest, select English (UK) from the Choose Language list and click the ‘Launch’ to open the Enter Keycode screen. Enter the keycode and click ‘OK’ to access the project. Once in the project you can upload the candidate’s work, see our step-by-step guidance below:

• Level 2 Digital Media Unit 2C
• Level 3 Performing Arts Unit 2C.

Pre-release material is published on Teach Cambridge. You can give the pre-release to your teachers as soon as it is published.

The following table shows the pre-release materials publishing timescales. The weeks are term-time weeks: where Easter or Christmas fall within the release window, this is accounted for in the release date. The specific release dates for the latest series are available in our key dates spreadsheet.  

Practice tests allow you to become familiar with the assessments and give candidates an idea of the type of questions they may face in a live test. The practice tests can be delivered in two ways:

• Scheduled within Surpass – The practice tests can be scheduled and then sat in SecureClient in the same way as a live test. For Unit 1C, candidates can see their result, review their responses and view item feedback showing the correct answer. For Unit 2C, candidates can review their responses which can be marked by a teacher to generate a result. After this, the teacher can view the result reports to see how well a candidate has performed in each area.
• Anonymously in a browser from the links below – The practice tests can be sat in a browser. For Unit 1C, candidates can see their result, review their responses and view item feedback showing the correct answer. For Unit 2C, candidates can review their responses.

Business Administration Level 2

• Unit 1C Principles of working in business administration
• Unit 2C Understand the role of an administrator

Digital Media Level 2

• Unit 1C Digital media and emerging technologies

Engineering Level 2

• Unit 1C Fundamentals of mechanical, electrical/electronic and fluid power engineering
• Unit 2C Application of engineering principles

Health and Social Care Level 2

• Unit 1C Principles of working in health, social care and childcare
• Unit 2C Health and safety in practice

IT Level 2

• Unit 1C Essentials of IT
• Unit 2C Essentials of cyber security

IT Level 3

• Unit CC Cloud Technology

Sport and Physical Activity Level 2

• Unit 1C Physical activity, health and wellbeing
• Unit 2C Physical preparation and readiness for sport and physical activity

Any practice tests sat will be available in either the Mark screen for a teacher to mark, or in the Results screen if auto-marked. Any live tests sat will be available to us only for marking.

The results of all live, Unit 1C and CC practice tests taken are available to view in the Results screen in Surpass. The results of the Unit 2C practice tests taken are only available to view in the Results screen if they are marked by a teacher.

Several reports including unofficial result slips for all tests and detailed learner feedback can be generated in the Results screen. 

All achievements and candidate marks (which are not available within Surpass) can be viewed in Interchange.