Send scripts for marking

When an exam finishes, it’s essential all scripts are kept secure and despatched for marking as soon as possible. Please follow the steps detailed in this section.

Further information on the despatch of scripts can be found in the JCQ Instructions for conducting examinations.

It’s important all candidates who attempt an examination are listed on the relevant attendance register, and equally important all candidates listed are clearly indicated as present or absent. 

Don’t forget to include those candidates who have: 

• Been entered late and whose names do not appear on the register (even if they are absent) 
• Taken the exams in separate rooms 
• Transferred elsewhere – write ‘Transferred to [centre no]’ next to the candidate name. Please leave both the ‘Absent’ and ‘Present’ boxes blank to prevent a delay in issuing the candidate’s results. 

If you know a candidate has been withdrawn, please cross through their candidate number and name. 

The names on the attendance register must match the names on the scripts. 

If a candidate has used a different name on the script, please indicate this on the attendance register.

Accurate attendance records for each session must be kept and may be asked for by us at any time up to the review of results deadline.

Collect the scripts and then, under secure conditions, match the scripts with the attendance register (making sure the latter has been completed correctly). 

Please do not overfill the OCR script envelope; we provide extra envelopes and labels based on your entries. 

If you require additional envelopes, please contact our customer support centre. 

See our guidance on handling contaminated scripts.

Attach one label per packet, making sure the assessment code matches the scripts enclosed.

It’s essential that the scripts are despatched in the correct envelope. Scripts for different components must not be despatched in the same envelope, even if the address on the label is the same.

If you have still not received your labels within three days of an examination, you can request emergency replacement labels).

You must ensure envelopes containing scripts are undamaged and securely sealed prior to collection/despatch. 

It is also worth checking there is an OCR return address on the label or the packet in case there is a problem with the delivery of the scripts. 

Either OCR, The Triangle Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge CB2 8EA, or DC10 (OCR) Hill Farm Road, CB22 4FZ, can be used for this purpose.

For yellow label packets, you need to fill in a despatch log sheet with one line for each packet you’re sending. DfE’s despatch of exam scripts page has a blank despatch log.

For all other packets, we recommend you keep a receipt as proof of posting or keep a record of the address you send the work to and the date of despatch including any tracking references.

For yellow label packets during the June exam series, there will be daily scheduled collections if you have timetabled exams on three or more days during any week in the exam series. 

Parcelforce will have contacted you before the start of the series to arrange this. 

If you have two or fewer timetabled exam days every week during the June exam series (and during the November and January series regardless of the number of days with exams) then you will need to contact the Parcelforce Worldwide exams helpdesk before the exam series so that ad hoc collections can be arranged. 

Further details are available on the DfE website.

At the time of collection make sure the Parcelforce driver signs a printed copy of the despatch log to confirm collection of the number of packets listed and the date and time of the collection. 

For white label packets, you will need to contact your chosen courier/despatch company to arrange collections.

If Parcelforce have collected the packet, this will be taken to a local depot, forwarded to their central depot (Hub), sorted and sent to the delivery depot. The packet should be delivered within 24 hours (although there can be delays around weekends). 

It is possible for you to track delivery via Parcelforce using the consignment numbers recorded on the despatch log.

We may be required to retain some scripts as exemplar material for awarding, regulation, archive, teacher training and educational purposes.