Frequently asked questions

Students will require either the Proctor Key or be given the right to restart their test by an invigilator using the admin dashboard. Also, the date window for the test must still be valid.

The exam code is unique and auto-generated for each exam.

No, it is not possible to use Blackboard with Safe Exam Workspace currently.

Load time will generally not be impacted, except for very large groups (1000+ students).

Yes, this is possible by clicking on the ‘Share’ button on the top right of the dashboard and entering their email address.

You can create multiple exams (one for each group) that point to the same exam content and share the exam dashboards with the relevant invigilators to achieve this. 

Yes, different exams can be configured with different times using the exams dashboard . As long as they contain the same content in the test application (such as Schoolyear) students will be able to access within the duration of time set in the exam settings. 

No, all desktop applications are launched in the cloud. No desktop application needs to be installed on a local device.

iPads are not yet supported. Windows, Mac, and managed Chromebooks are possible to use with Safe Exam Workspace.

Students will enter their name and ID number as part of the SEW onboarding process, and the invigilator will check their ID.

The available pre-configured tiles and secure apps have been created for the departments currently taking part in the SEW pilot period.  Once the pilot activity has completed it will be possible to request new tiles and secure apps via the ICT Service Desk.

If you are taking part in the pilot and need a new tile or secure app setup, please consult the pilot representative in your faculty.

Yes, providing the student is able to restart (see question above) the exam state will remain the same as it was when the student exited. 

All secure applications are launched in a virtual machine that is completely isolated from their device.  It is not possible for students to access files on their local device, USB storage devices or cloud storage providers.

This can be chosen as part of the SEW exam setup by clicking on the "flag" icon next to the web address.

The exam code is unique per exam. 

Yes, exams that use secure apps such as Word, Python or R can only be used for a maximum of 4 and a half hours. It is not possible to create and exam that uses these apps for longer than that. 

PDFs are available by default and open as a new tab in the browser, so you don't need to enable an app to view PDFs

A number of accessibility options are available in the Safe Exam Workspace environment. These include zooming the screen, customising the language, recovering lost Wi-Fi connection, customising sound and customising keyboard settings. 

Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Firefox are supported. Safari is not currently supported.

Students will be shown a message that the exam has not yet started and will be shown the start date. 

If an AntiVirus application such as McAfee or Windows Defender prevents the Safe Exam Workspace application from running on a student's device then the SEW application will need to be added to the AntiVirus software's exceptions list. You can find the SEW application located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Schoolyear . Links to instructions on how to add exceptions for the various AntiVirus systems can be found on the SchoolYear website under Option 2: Set an exception rule.