Planning exam desks and temporary assessment rooms

Build the layout from the assessment requirements

Ask the examinations officer to identify the current rules and access arrangements for the specific assessment. Do not rely on a remembered spacing figure or a layout used for a different examination. Mark the planned desk positions on a scaled room plan with doors, fixed equipment and staff routes shown.

Measure the usable desktop and the materials candidates will need. Check whether the surface supports the permitted papers and equipment without crowding. Consider individual arrangements through the school’s established assessment process, including suitable seating and access to the allocated desk.

Rehearse setup before the room is needed

Set out a representative row with the actual chairs. Check stability on the room’s floor, leg space and the visibility of desk identification. For a hall that changes use overnight, record the layout in a clear setup sheet so different staff can reproduce it accurately.

If desks fold, follow their opening and locking instructions and check each mechanism before use. Allocate trained staff and appropriate handling equipment where needed. A desk should not enter the exam layout merely because it came from a stack labelled as ready.

Keep a dependable reserve and storage routine

Identify a small number of inspected replacements and a practical method for exchanging a faulty desk without disrupting the room. Record damage or instability when desks are cleared so the same fault does not return at the next assessment.

Confirm stacking, trolley loading and storage limits from the furniture instructions. Store desks so surfaces and mechanisms are protected and the required room routes remain clear. After the assessment period, review the setup time, missing parts and access difficulties with the examinations and premises teams. Use that evidence to improve the next layout and purchasing decision.