This article provides guidance on what to expect from in-person exams.
Your KEATS module page, and module leader will provide guidance and information regarding the specific details of your exam.
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Your personalised examination timetable will be published in advance of the applicable exam period, at MyTimetable. Please note, this is separate from any timetable in Student Records.
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Your personalised timetable will confirm the exact location of your exam once published, but it may take a week or so after publication before you receive your seating assignment.
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All examinations are time-restricted and will start and end at a specified UK time, the details of which will be on your personalised timetable.
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If you have approved Personalised Assessment Arrangements (PAA) which allow you extra time, this will automatically be added to your exam on KEATS, and will appear as an adjusted exam duration on your personalised timetable.
Most in-person examinations are held at the ExCeL London (E16 1XL). ExCeL London is a large, multifunctional exhibition and convention centre that hosts a wide variety of events and meetings. You can visit the building and concourse before your exams to familiarise yourself with the venue or practise your journey.
You’re advised to be outside the examination hall a minimum of 30 minutes before the start of the examination.
See our article Travelling to and taking your exam at ExCeL London for more information.
What you will need for your exam
It’s important that you understand the rules for what you can and can’t take into your exams. Please read the article What items can I take into my exams? to help you to prepare the belongings you will need in advance of taking assessments at King's.
Below is some further information on what you can expect:
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Examinations are either paper-based or computer-based. In both instances, you will receive the appropriate materials to write your answer (paper booklets or laptop) at the exam venue. Pens, pencils, and calculators (if permitted) are not provided and you are expected to bring your own.
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All students must bring their Student ID card to the examination. For students sitting paper-based exams, you will also need your candidate number: see “Finding Your Candidate Number” in Support when registering for your exams & accessing your exam timetable.
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You will be supplied with rough paper for making notes/planning your answers on your desk.
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If you need more, you can raise your hand during the examination and an invigilator will provide this for you.
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The rough paper cannot be removed from the exam hall; it will be collected by invigilators and disposed of at the end of the exam.
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You will be supplied with a disposable set of foam ear plugs on your desk should you wish to use these during the exam.
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Unless you have approved PAA, these are the only form of ear plugs which are permitted, and you may not use your own.
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You will leave your bag and belongings under your desk, and you will not be permitted to touch or retrieve anything from your belongings once the examination begins.
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Students are not permitted to wear their coats during the exam, but the temperature can sometimes fluctuate in the examination hall, so we advise that you bring additional layers.
Guidance for In-Person Computer Examinations
The sections below explain what to expect before, during and after your computer-based exam, including how to submit your work and get technical support.
There are two formats an exam may take on KEATS:
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a Quiz, typically used for multiple choice questions (MCQs) and short answer questions (SAQs)
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a PDF question paper, with an accompanying submission area for you to upload a written answer document.
Your exam may only feature one of these formats, or it may feature both of these: i.e. you may have to complete both a quiz and upload an answer document or data output to a submission area.
Your module leaders will provide more specific information about the format of the examination.
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Computers will be set up when you arrive at the exam hall, as they are provided by King’s, via an external company that specialises in delivering in-person computer exams.
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You aren’t permitted to use your own laptop/device, nor use your own accessories (i.e. keyboard/mouse).
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If your personal devices have a custom mouse or keyboard, or you are used to using a non-UK English keyboard, we advise you to practice on a King’s computer to familiarise yourself with any differences in advance of your exam.
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The computer desktop will have instructions for you to follow to prepare to start your exam, and this includes a folder with a direct link to the KEATS page that your exam will be completed on.
You may not see the exam paper and/or quiz links when you first log in to KEATS, but they will be made available at the exam start time: you should refresh the page at the start of the exam to see the question paper file/quiz/submission areas if they are not visible.
You will use Wordpad to complete any exams which require answers to be written in a document and uploaded.
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Wordpad is installed on all King’s computers, and on any computer that runs on Windows: we advise you to practice creating, writing, and saving documents on Wordpad before the exam.
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Wordpad does not have an autosave feature, so you are advised to ensure you save the document regularly.
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You can open both the question paper and KEATS at the same time, and have more than one document open at one time. You can also make use of split screen or adjusting the size of the windows you have open to view them side by side.
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As the exam hall will contain students from across King’s sitting exams of different durations, there will not be any announcements during the exam to let you know how much time is remaining.
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You’re expected to monitor your own time remaining: you can use the clock in the bottom right of the laptop screen, or check the countdown timer if you are completing a Quiz.
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Please save your work regularly, titling it clearly, and saving in a folder you can easily access.
Important to know: If you experience any issues with the computer equipment or software, please raise your hand immediately and clearly to alert an invigilator who will be able to provide further support.
When your exam finishes, there will be an announcement in the exam hall.
If your exam requires you to upload any files, you will have a 10-minute period to complete the upload. The 10-minute upload time must only be used for uploading any files and viewing/confirming their upload if required. You must not continue writing any answers during this time.
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Check your work before you submit it. Ensure that every answer is complete and appears as you intended. If you have typed your answers on a Wordpad document, make sure you have saved the final version.
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If your exam is in a Quiz format, your attempt will be submitted automatically once the timer expires. You can submit your answer before the time elapses, by clicking the blue Finish Attempt button.
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If your exam is in a format where you need to upload your answer document as a file submission, make sure you submit the right document to the right submission area. If you are expected to submit multiple files, ensure you have submitted each one correctly.
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If you finish before the end of the exam, you can complete any necessary file uploads and exam submissions: you don’t need to wait until the end of the exam/upload period. Please note if you finish within the first 75 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the exam, you will not be able to leave the examination hall.
There will be invigilators present during the exam who can provide technical support. If you experience any issues with the computer equipment or software, please raise your hand immediately and clearly to alert an invigilator who will be able to provide further support.
In the unlikely event of a widespread KEATS or WiFi outage, you should await instructions from the invigilators in the exam hall.
Please see our article What is exam and assessment misconduct?
Important to know: IoPPN staff can check and investigate the logs of student activity on KEATS during every examination and can identify if a student is accessing an examination remotely or being assisted remotely by a third party.
For in-person paper exams, you may request access to your examination scripts after results have been published via the IoPPN Examination Script Request Form.
The IoPPN Assessment team will process all form requests within 10 working days. Only electronic copies of exam scripts will be issued.
Upon receiving your scripts or feedback, you're advised to make an appointment with your relevant module leader to discuss your examination performance, if necessary. You may also wish to make an appointment with your personal tutor to discuss your academic progress.
Please note: Multiple Choice Question (MCQ), Short Answer Question (SAQ) and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) are exempt from this process. Generic feedback may be provided by your module leader for these exams.
Any feedback available for in-person computer exams submitted directly onto KEATS will be provided automatically following the release of marks.