We’re very happy with British Council personnel – the standard of their exam invigilators is always very high
Steve Perry is a Deputy Headteacher and school exams co-ordinator for Modern English School Cairo, Egypt. A British Council-attached centre, in 2013 the school had 148 candidate entries for IGCSE and International GCSE and AS-/A-level examinations with the British Council.
What are the advantages of being a British Council-attached centre?
The main positives are our connections with them as a school – we’re proud of that. Also, because we’re an attached centre, it means that we can host our own exams.
Is it important to host your own exams?
Yes, I think so. It is a very positive thing for students and their parents – they feel comfortable to be in the surroundings that they are used to. We didn’t always have that. Previously, students would have to go off to separate centres, which can feel a bit daunting.
How do things run on exam day?
Before we became an attached centre, there were some complaints from students and parents about how some exams were run – for example, the standard of examination facilities or a lack of information about exams. But since we’ve hosted exams, the complaints have dropped. We’re also very happy with the British Council personnel – the standard of their exam invigilators is always very high.
A two-way relationship
The British Council are in charge when it comes to [examination] administration, but they also listen to us and have been willing to be guided by us. We’ve been able to talk to them about particular examination arrangements and they trust our professionalism. I think we really understand one another.