Sahel EDU

Organising mock exams: candidates, rooms, invigilators, anonymous marking and results

A successful mock exam looks like the real thing: candidates spread over rooms, invigilators who do not know their students, scripts marked without names. The deputy head’s workload is considerable. With Sahel EDU, mock exam management software, the room allocation, anonymity, mark entry and ranking are prepared by the software, and the deputy head stays in control.

What a mock exam is for, and how to prepare it

The mock exam is a dress rehearsal. It gives candidates the experience of exam conditions, teachers a reference on the real level of the class, and the head an estimate of the chances of success before the official exam.

It is worth most for what is done with it afterwards. A mock exam whose results arrive too late to fix the class’s gaps has only tired everyone out.

Set the dates, taking into account the school’s assessment calendar.
Choose the candidate classes, starting with the exam classes.
Decide which papers are sat, with their length, coefficient and marking scale.
Plan the rooms and invigilators before announcing the timetable.
Announce in advance the date the results will be released.

The steps of a well-run mock exam

Even in a small school, the same steps come back. Writing them as a checklist avoids omissions, especially when several people share the work.

Draw up the exact list of candidates, class by class.
Give each one a table number and an anonymous number.
Set the papers: subject, day, time, length, coefficient, marking scale.
Allocate candidates to rooms, mixing the classes.
Name one invigilator per room and per paper, never in their own subject.
Have the scripts marked under their anonymous number, then lift the anonymity.
Work out the results, go over them with teachers and release them.

Setting up the mock exam in Sahel EDU

The deputy head creates the mock exam by giving it a title, the exam it targets, its dates and its candidate classes. Exam classes are ticked by default. Each candidate receives a table number and an anonymous number.

Papers are defined one by one, with their subject, day, time, length, coefficient and marking scale. Creating a mock exam falls under a reserved permission, given to the deputy head.

A title, the target exam and the dates.
Candidate classes, exam classes being ticked by default.
A table number and an anonymous number for each candidate.
Papers with their length, coefficient and marking scale.
A management permission reserved for the deputy head.

Rooms, invigilators and documents to print

Room allocation is calculated from the capacity of each room, with classes mixed. Invigilators are allocated at one per room and per paper, never in their own subject and never in two rooms at once, starting with those who have the lightest load.

Door lists, signing-in sheets and the match between numbers can be printed. Teachers are told on their dashboard of their upcoming invigilations, with the room, subject, day and time.

Room allocation calculated by capacity, classes mixed.
Invigilators allocated without clashes of room or subject.
Door lists to post up.
Signing-in sheets to be signed.
The match between anonymous numbers and candidates, kept by the deputy head.

Anonymous marking and mark entry, even offline

The teachers of the subject enter their marks by number: no name appears on screen. A second marking is possible, a large gap between the two is flagged, and the mark kept is the average of the two. No column in the database links a mark to a student before the anonymity is lifted.

Mock exam entry is one of those kept on the phone when the network drops, then sent when the connection returns. The copy is kept until the saving is confirmed.

Entry by anonymous number, with no name on screen.
A second marking possible, with a flagged gap.
A mark kept equal to the average of the markings.
Entry kept on the phone in case of a network drop.
Anonymity lifted by decision of the deputy head.

Results, ranking and limits

Once anonymity is lifted, the deputy head gets the ranking of candidates, the pass rate and the average per class and per paper. Students “on the borderline”, whose average lies between nine and ten, are highlighted: they are the ones for whom a targeted effort is most likely to count. After that, no further entry is possible.

A Sahel EDU mock exam is an internal tool of the school. It does not replace the official registration of candidates, which stays with the State, and it transmits nothing automatically.

A ranking of candidates and results per class and per paper.
Borderline students highlighted.
No entry possible after closing.
No transmission to official platforms.

Frequently asked questions

Do teachers see students’ names while marking?

No. They enter marks by anonymous number. The deputy head lifts the anonymity once all the markings are entered.

How are rooms allocated?

According to the capacity of each room, with classes mixed. Door lists and signing-in sheets can be printed.

Can marks be entered without a connection?

Yes. Mock exam entry is kept on the phone when the network drops and is sent when the connection returns.

Does a mock exam replace registration for the official exam?

No. It is an internal tool. Official registration stays with the State, and nothing is transmitted automatically.

Can we try this feature before committing?

Yes. The free trial lasts 30 days, with no commitment. The price is then negotiated with each school and can be read on the Pricing page.

Try Sahel EDU for free

Try Sahel EDU free for 30 days, no commitment. Afterwards, the price is negotiated with your school and confirmed in writing.

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