Question re A level missed grades going to review of marks

@HarrietDVane same here as in makes no difference to uni place etc! DS's best mate is an agonising wait for a maths review of 1 mark and his firm depends on it. it is really hard for those waiting re uni places!

I think that if you ask for any paper to be ready-marked then all should be. Selecting only the disappointing ones introduces too much if a bias in favour of the more pushy.

We weren't too bothered as obviously DD's university place was confirmed either way - it would have been nice to get the A* but that's life. We wouldn't have appealed if DD's head if dept hadn't pushed for it. I feel more for people whose university places are jeopardised.

Really sorry to hear where they have not gone up: but seems this is the odds.

No the university is under no obligation to still offer a space though I’d have thought if they still have spaces they will. I’m an academic and we’re often in this situation. Last year we rejected two people on A level day due to not making their grades, their places were immediately filled. They rang back 2 days later to say they’d now had their grades increased but it was too late, we didn’t have capacity to take them.

We did an English Lit one too (I think OCR) - was 2 marks off but remark came back identical which was disappointing but quick!

@HarrietDVane that's a shame, it was worth a go. Probably dreaming here with the gaining 4 marks!

Our review is back and there is no change to DD's mark, which was one point short of an A*. It doesn't make any difference to her uni place, but I'm relieved they didn't knock anything off!

Any success stories of going up by 4 marks in a review of marking? Considering asking for a review as unlikely to drop down to grade below.

@ZandathePanda That made me laugh!

I have an old uni friend who is a team leader for AQA History and AQA politics. He will also be a reviewer for review of marking. These are his insights:

Because there is a tolerance level then a marker giving 15/20, 16/20 or 17/20 is seen as ok. This can bite those on the border of two grades but someone has to be on the border.

However, markers get approx 5-10 mins to mark a two hour script (within pay rates). For those who have 'internalised the standard' and/or are prepared to stand back from something a bit more novel and take more time then usually fine. But, if markers are rushed or less experienced and afraid of the seeding they do to check they are within the tolerance level, they tend to squeeze at the lowest mark. While marking schemes are reviewed and updated during standardisation, and while team leaders can support markers who are unsure, some markers don't ask for help and stick to the lowest tolerance level. Also, mark schemes say credit other valid ideas: but unless markers ask for support, then things can be missed/squeezed.

However, while all this means not many grades change via the review, some do if unreasonable academic judgement (outside of the tolerance level and where markers have not asked for help) occur: and sometimes this does happen. There have also been some rarer instances where input of marks has been a keyboard error and also where marks have not been inputted.

So glad I teach at a uni where we don't have this going on!

Politics is the one that seems to be the most problematical. True to life!

@Zott I know exactly what you mean! DS had missed a lot of school but did work hard for his exams. He was on the money with his other papers in terms of how they went. For example, he knew maths papers 1 and 2 had gone really well and paper 3 was brutal. When he got his strong A and then the teacher showed him his breakdown: spot on in his own estimation. Now, for politics, he felt these had all gone super well with a strong showing in paper 2. He is one mark off an A - no issues with his Firm and normally would not bother but he wants closure: did he go wrong or is something amiss? Given he had not over estimated his other exams, is very curious. . School suggested a non priority review of marking and are waiting for the teachers to come back to look at the scripts and see which one to send.

Meanwhile, his best mate is waiting a priority review for maths for his Firm. mate got a B - one mark off - and has always been stronger at maths than DS. We are really hoping for him!

I hope everyone gets what they need.

DD got a remark for physics in 2019 and went up a grade. We have had a gew GCSE's remarked over 4 children, they usually come back very quick,in a day or 2

Can anyone clarify that I’m correct in my thinking, please?

DD sat WJEC English lit.
Her result sheet shows UMS marks, not raw marks.
She is 4 UMS away from the next grade band up, so the HoD suggested a review of marking.

However, am I correct in thinking that raw marks carry different values to UMS marks, and therefore, 4 UMS may actually mean she’s actually further away in raw marks which means there’s no point in asking for a review?

Thanks - we're waiting for history.

Yes - Eng Lit

Thank you - hopefully we'll hear soon too! Was it an essay subject?

Tbh I'm not sure how it went through. We requested priority but the exams officer explained that was for students needing a quick outcome for Uni offers. My DD had met her requirements so I said I was happy for it to be a normal review. So was surprised to get it so quickly. As we don't have to pay I don't actually know how it was processed!!

@Localher0 Congratulations to your DD! Did you go for the priority service with OCR? We are awaiting a standard review from OCR, also sent on 18th.

DD was one mark off an A so we requested a review of marking in 18th. It was done by 20th but not emailed by school until 22nd. (OCR) The new grade was a comfortable A.
Good luck to all who are still waiting.

That’s so tough - as if it’s their fault if it has been marked incorrectly? Hope it all works out for them.

We were told they would get the results back within 14 days

However the firm offer university have said that they will not keep a place open. She has to wait till the remark is back and then contact them. They also won’t honour her accommodation so will end up with none as the clearing people are getting their places now.

Same here. The university have said they will look at it if the review is back before September 2nd, with September 3rd being the latest it should be back according to AQA. They aren’t even giving accommodation to insurance place students or firm choice students who missed the accommodation deadline so there will be zero left for ds. I really want him to get the extra mark but it’s going to be pretty stressful finding a place to live if he gets it and they will accept him.

We were told they would get the results back within 14 days.

However the firm offer university have said that they will not keep a place open. She has to wait till the remark is back and then contact them. They also won’t honour her accommodation so will end up with none as the clearing people are getting their places now.

@noblegiraffe Just in case I’m being thick - have I understood it right that table 14 show that economics is one of the subjects where grade adjustments/uplifts were more common?

@Zott the awarding bodies try to get these things done as quickly as humanly possible. Teachers not understanding the new processes or using the wrong terminology can muddy the waters somewhat