Dear [$RecipientName],
Your online ‘written’ examination(s) for your VTCT Qualification are scheduled as follows:
Online Exam(s) Start Time: [$CourseDate]
If any details above are incorrect, please notify us immediately at [email protected]
Remote invigilation written exams, time and date.
Your examination(s) are scheduled to be taken remotely through the VTCT Skills Saras platform using a record-and-review invigilation service. There will not be a human invigilator watching or assisting you in real time. You must sit all exam papers between 6:00am – 12:00am (midnight) on [$CourseDate].
You would have received a confirmation email from Saras together with your login details, Record & Review guidance, a step-by-step learner guide and demonstration video. Please inform us immediately if you have not received this.
Exam Guidance
Please follow the instructions within the confirmation email received from Saras and log into the Saras Test Player at your earliest convenience and complete the mock assessment before your scheduled examination date. This mock assessment will allow you to test your device, the lockdown browser, camera settings, practice the identity and environment checks, to ensure you’re your equipment is ready before taking the live assessment.
To ensure that you are fully prepared ahead of your scheduled written assessment day, we strongly recommend that you complete the mock assessment in advance.
Please do not leave these checks until the day of your examination. Being able to access ordinary websites or video calls does not guarantee that your device will work correctly with Saras and the LockDown Browser.
During an examination, the system will record you through your camera and record activity on your computer screen.
Automated technology, including artificial intelligence, analyses the recording and identifies events or behaviour that may require further examination and flags them for review.
A flag generated by the system does not necessarily mean that you have broken an examination rule. Where the system identifies a potential concern, the relevant part of the recording will be subsequently be reviewed by a human to determine whether any further action is required.
You should therefore behave throughout the examination as you would in a formally invigilated examination room, even though nobody is watching you live.
At the start of each exam paper, you will be required to complete system and identity checks, including:
- A clear live webcam feed check.
- An internet/bandwidth suitability check.
- Photo ID and a headshot.
- A 50-second room/environment scan.
Please ensure you have your photo ID to hand e.g. driving licence, passport or any other permitted photo ID.
During the examination, you must:
- Remain visible to the camera throughout.
- Complete the examination alone in a quiet, private and well-lit room.
- Ensure that nobody enters the room or communicates with you.
- Keep your whole face clearly visible and avoid repeatedly looking away from the screen.
- Remove mobile phones, notes, books, study guides or additional devices and other unauthorised materials from the room.
- Follow all on-screen instructions, including any identity, camera and environment checks.
- Avoid speaking aloud unless specifically instructed to do so.
- Avoid leaving your seat or moving out of camera view.
- Keep the examination and recording software running until you have submitted and completed the session.
Technical problems and other concerns
As there is no live invigilator, you should carefully follow any on-screen troubleshooting or support instructions provided by VTCT Skills.
If you experience a technical failure or significant disruption:
- Record the time and a brief description of what happened.
- Follow any on-screen recovery instructions.
- Notify The Beauty Academy as soon as possible after the session.
We can help you submit the relevant information to VTCT Skills, but we cannot guarantee that VTCT Skills will permit another attempt or change an examination outcome.
In the event of any technical problems and other concerns, please email our bookings team at [email protected]who will be happy to help.
Revision Materials in Preparation for the Exam
In preparation for the exam, you should revisit the training manuals and study guides for your qualification on the online student portal.
We also recommend downloading the Record of Achievement (Logbook) for your qualification under ‘Additional References’ tab on the student portal as this contains a breakdown of the full course syllabus including exam topics. Let us know ASAP if you need access reactivating for the portal.
The exam questions will take a multiple-choice format and cover all theory covered on your course and included within the student study guide.
The attached assessment terms and conditions should be read before participating in your exam session online. Please take time to read these carefully.
Unable to attend your assessment? Rescheduling info can be found within T&Cs.
Best of luck with your exams! Let us know as soon as possible if you have any questions regarding any of the above.
Kind regards,