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Chief Examiner
For each specification there is a chief examiner who is responsible to the chair of examiners for the subject concerned. For example, if an awarding body has three GCSE History specifications, there are three chief examiners, each reporting to the chair of examiners for GCSE History. Each chief examiner is responsible for ensuring that all components of the examination meet the specified requirements and that standards are maintained across the components and year on year.
Each chief examiner acts as principal examiner or principal moderator for at least one component of the specification concerned. They monitor any other principal examiners and principal moderators and advise on their appointment, training and re-appointment.
Responsibilities
The chief examiner is responsible for ensuring that the assessment as a whole is appropriate and that the correct standards are applied. For external assessment this means ensuring that the question papers and mark schemes meet the specification requirements and that the specification content is appropriately addressed. It also requires the chief examiner to ensure that any alternative components or options within components make comparable demands on candidates.
Regarding any internal assessment the chief examiner must ensure that the assessment criteria are appropriate, comparable with the marking criteria for external assessments and that they are being applied correctly.
The chief examiner is also responsible for compiling a report evaluating candidates' performance in each examination.
Qualifications
A chief examiner is normally a subject expert with many years of experience in teaching and examining at a senior level. He/she will normally have been a principal Examiner or principal moderator for several years before being appointed Chief Examiner.