Lead Exam Invigilator

Avanti Schools Trust; Bishop's Stortford; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development opportunities

LGPS pension scheme

Discounts (Retail partner)

Cycle-to-work scheme

Job summary

Avanti Grange Secondary School is seeking a Lead Exam Invigilator to oversee a team of invigilators, ensuring examinations are conducted fairly, securely, and in line with JCQ requirements. You will lead the team within your examination room, prepare spaces, and uphold procedures before, during, and after each session.

Working with the Examinations Manager, you will coordinate sessions, maintain security of materials, and respond calmly to incidents, guiding candidates with clear instructions

Qualifications

• Experience leading a team of invigilators.
• Strong organisational and time‑management skills.
• Clear communication with students and staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the invigilator team to ensure fair and secure examinations.
• Prepare rooms, seat candidates, supervise and manage incidents or irregularities.
• Ensure correct procedures, attendance, and secure handling of papers and materials.
• Provide clear guidance and maintain a calm, reassuring examination environment.
• Participate in required training and assist with other examination duties as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Attention to detail

Communication

Job description

About us and the role

We are seeking a Lead Exam Invigilator to join the team at Avanti Grange Secondary School, playing an important role in ensuring examinations are conducted fairly, securely and in accordance with examination regulations.

You will lead and support a team of invigilators, taking responsibility for the team within your allocated examination room and ensuring that all examination procedures are carried out accurately and in accordance with the relevant regulations. You will ensure examination rooms are well prepared and that all procedures are followed before, during and after each examination. You will help create a calm, welcoming and well‑organised environment in which every candidate feels supported and has an equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.

Working closely with the Examinations Manager, you will help coordinate examination sessions, ensure examination materials remain secure and confidential, and respond appropriately to any incidents, emergencies or irregularities that may arise. You will also support candidates by providing clear instructions and maintaining a reassuring presence while ensuring the required examination standards are upheld.

This role would suit someone who is organised, attentive and confident in taking responsibility, with the ability to remain calm and focused while leading others and supporting students through their examinations.

School visits are welcomed and encouraged. Please contact the school to arrange a suitable time.

Avanti Grange is Bishop's Stortford's newest secondary school, already recognised as Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted (2025). Our state‑of‑the‑art campus serves families across Bishop's Stortford and neighbouring villages, and is home to a vibrant, ambitious and supportive community. The school is heavily oversubscribed, reflecting its strong reputation locally and the demand to be part of our journey.

We are a co‑educational community school, part of the Avanti Schools Trust, with a clear vision to inspire spiritually compassionate changemakers. Our staff are motivated by a shared purpose: to deliver exceptional teaching, foster character formation, and nurture wellbeing. As one colleague put it: "Working at Avanti Grange feels like being part of a family with a shared, values‑driven mission."

We are equally committed to the growth of our staff as to the success of our students. In 2024, we were awarded the Teacher Development Trust Gold Award for the quality and culture of our professional development — recognition held by only a small number of schools nationally. Through education‑leading CPD and coaching, colleagues at Avanti Grange thrive in an environment where "better never stops."

Students benefit from a rigorous, knowledge‑rich curriculum, underpinned by yoga, mindfulness, and an exceptional co‑curricular programme. Our pastoral system is a defining strength: impeccable behaviour supports high‑quality learning, while wellbeing is woven into daily life through practices that allow both staff and students to flourish.

With more than 660 students on roll and growing each year towards a full secondary and sixth form, Avanti Grange offers a rare opportunity to help shape one of the most exciting schools in the region.

What will you do?

• Lead and support the team of exam invigilators to ensure examinations are conducted fairly, securely and in accordance with JCQ, awarding body and Avanti Grange requirements.
• Prepare examination rooms, admit and seat candidates, distribute the correct papers and materials, and provide clear instructions in line with examination regulations.
• Supervise candidates throughout examinations, remaining vigilant to any incidents, irregularities or emergencies and ensuring these are managed and reported appropriately.
• Complete all required examination procedures, including attendance registers, checking candidate details, collecting scripts and securely returning examination materials following each session.
• Undertake required training and support additional examination‑related duties, including access arrangements, timetable clash supervision and maintaining the security of examination materials.

Why should you apply

Avanti exists to help each person become a well‑rounded human being through intellectual, moral and spiritual growth, and so make the world a better place.

You will be working in a fantastic environment, with:

• Great opportunities for professional development
• LGPS pension scheme (subject to eligibility)
• O2 discounts, Specsavers corporate eye test vouchers
• Eligible for NUS Card and CSSC membership
• Well‑being programs (retreats, yoga, wellness apps)
• Cycle‑to‑work Scheme

What are we looking for?

• Reliable, flexible and readily available during main examination periods
• Effective communication skills and good interpersonal skills
• Ability to follow processes and procedures, give instructions and manage situations involving groups of people
• A confident and reassuring presence for candidates in the examination room
• Commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of all students

Please view the full Job Description for more information on the responsibilities and essential criteria required for this role.

Further information

Pre‑employment checks

Avanti Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates are required to have an Enhanced DBS check unless internally appointed and still within the cycle of DBS re‑checks.

Any appointment subsequently made will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and other pre‑employment checks.

Diversity and Inclusion

We want to make sure we are attracting the widest possible range of people and ensure that they are accepted, understood and treated equally when they work here. This means we will work hard to understand that each employee is unique and ensuring that individuals or groups are not treated differently or less favourably on the basis of specific characteristics.

Such characteristics include (but are not limited to) age, disability, gender including transgender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, and how the school supports pregnant women and new parents.

Safeguarding Statement

Avanti Grange Secondary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We particularly welcome applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.