The number of invigilators required to oversee this summer’s exams will be reduced amid fears over shortages of people to carry out these roles this year.

Normally, schools have to ensure that there is at least one invigilator present for each group of 30 candidates sitting written exams but, for this summer, updated guidance from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has said there will only need to be one for every 40 students.

Similarly, rules usually state that there needs to be at least one invigilator present for each group of 20 students completing practical assessments - for example, in art and design - but the number here will be increased to 30.

The new guidance even adds that in “exceptional cases”, where the centre has “exhausted all other options to meet the revised ratios”, the examination may continue with the invigilators that are available, but the school must notify the awarding body on the day of the examination to explain the circumstances.

It says the body will then make a decision about whether the exams can be accepted.

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It adds that if the head of the centre, or designated deputy, is not confident that the examination can be conducted with “integrity with the invigilators that are available”, they may wish to consider delaying the exam until later in the day or splitting the cohort into different groups of candidates.

The relaxation of invigilation rules has been welcomed by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), though the union said that a lot of uncertainty could be “eradicated” if students and staff had access to free Covid testing.

Tom Middlehurst, curriculum, inspection and assessment specialist at ASCL, said: “We have been picking up evidence anecdotally that the recruitment of invigilators for this summer’s exams is proving more difficult than it was pre-pandemic for some schools and colleges.

“We, therefore, welcome the exam boards’ relaxation of the rules regarding the number of individual candidates each invigilator can supervise from the usual 30 to 40 for this year only.

“However, this is clearly a measure forced by extraordinary circumstances and, even with this in place, schools and colleges face a huge challenge in ensuring they have enough invigilators.”

Tes has previously reported that some schools are considering hiring supply staff to invigilate exams this summer due to shortages of trained invigilators, while, last month, an exams officers’ body warned that schools were becoming “increasingly desperate” over Covid-related invigilator shortages.

The National Association of Examinations Officers (NAEO) said that, in a survey of 1,025 exam officers and centres conducted in April, 83 per cent confirmed a shortage of invigilators.

A link to the full JCQ guidance can be seen on its website.