Who supplies microscope slides for Biology practical exams?

We supply microscope slides at a ratio of one slide per two candidates. The slides are confidential and must not be viewed with a microscope by anybody at your centre. When you receive the slides, the supervisor should open them immediately and check:

• no slides are broken
• you have been sent the correct number of slides.

If any slides are broken or missing, or you do not have enough for the exam, contact us immediately.

In certain circumstances, we may be able to provide digital images of the slides that can be printed for candidates to use in the exam instead. Before we do this, you must have made every effort to obtain the slides and must have contacted us in advance of the exam.

Once you have checked them, the slides must be stored in your secure storage with the relevant question papers until the day of the exam.

After the exam, you must return all microscope slides to us in the boxes in which they were received, using the self-adhesive label supplied.  The slides must not be included in the packet of scripts. Or you may purchase the microscope slides using the form enclosed with the slides, which must be completed and returned to Cambridge International. The order form must not be included in the packet of scripts. See details in the Confidential Instructions.