GCSE English Lit and Language review of marking

What are timelines for appeals? If marking schemes become available next summer, is it then too late to query why marks weren't allocated?

Such a big decision for a 16-year old to risk their grade going down if they consent to review.

What’s the reason @celticprincess ? I thought an appeal was if you felt exam board done something wrong.

We had OCR for English and Econ.

English Language went up by two marks to the next grade boundary.

Economics went up also to the next grade boundary. Needed 1 and got 3

Anyone any experience with CRN OCR in IT. Teacher just called to say son was one mark off next grade. They have reviewed and think they have missed 2 marks.

If you scroll up further back you'll see some very helpful explanations as to how the review of marking works - it's not about trying to look for marks, it's about reviewing the levels assigned during marking and checking if they are appropriate. The reviewer does not look to give marks, they can reassign levels if they disagree with what was given (which therefore assigns more or less marks) - but if the level given looks to be correct they must leave it - even if they may have awarded slightly more or less marks which could have impacted the final grade. Therefore, in your case, the papers have been deemed to be within the levels which equate to a grade 8. The final mark being just off a boundary is therefore not relevant. That is my understanding anyway, perhaps not very well put!

I wouldn’t have thought an appeal would be likely to be worth it - a teacher thinking it is a “bit harsh” is very different to thinking it is completely unreasonable which would justify an appeal. As said above, a senior marker has looked at the original marking and agreed it is reasonable.

Oh that’s galling! Glad your DC is enjoying their next steps though

I know I may sound a bit crabby here but they honestly have not been subject to ‘harsh’ marking if they got an 8 nearly a 9.

If after reviewing both papers they have stayed the same then you have your answer. Two sets of examiners will have looked at it. On what grounds would you appeal anyway?!

As far as I’m aware, the teachers aren’t allowed to make a case for where they think it was too harshly marked. I believe it’s just a matter of submitting the paper, although someone may come along to correct me.

Sorry to hear. But glad not affecting college course.

Well we got the second paper back from review and no change again. So 2 papers and £86 later we are still one mark off a level 4 in lit. WJEC. Such a shame but DD won’t resit and will just be stuck with that grade. It’s not needed for their college course. They got moved down a college course level anyway despite teaching grades and despite an audition and an offer back in January. Performance based course and I suspect was oversubscribed so they’ve harshly pulled out a few last week to be moved based on fitness levels I suspect.

I’d be interested to hear from the experienced posters on here about under what circumstances they think appeals are worth it for AQA English Language? DC is one mark off a 9. I know an 8 is a great result and there has to be a cut off somewhere. The school felt one paper was a bit harshly marked so advised we submit for review, but the mark remained the same (for all the reasons I have read on here I assume!) DC did better on the other paper which we are now submitting for review as well.
We are fortunate enough to be able to afford an appeal. Is it a difficult process, and does it need input from the teacher to argue the case of where the errors have been made? I suspect the school may be reticent to do that with the extra work involved so it may be a non starter…

Got you. Head said were going in within a week of results day. I followed up a week later to check their decision, and they said going in by last Thursday. So if that was stuck to that is a week. 3 exam boards… if I hear nothing within two weeks will ask again…

Well waiting from when we sent the forms into school... radio silence from the EO so no clue when they were sent off to the exam board

Oh wow so you have been waiting 3 weeks?? I felt from this thread that they were coming back quickly. Better brace for a few weeks

I've not been asked for payment either - and have offered and ticked the box to say I am happy to pay. Whether the bill comes later I don't know!

Also sitting here stressing. DD submitted 2 for Lit on the 21st and the other on the 26th once we had the mark breakdowns by paper.

Will be very glad when I have the answers and can move on.

I’m surprised all these schools are making parents pay. DC’s comp is covering costs even though I offered the money. What if parents can’t pay!!!

Feel like waiting forever for outcome even though only been sent off a week ago. Maybe they wait for all four to be returned before telling us. I think DC has forgotten all about it, thankfully, just me feeling a bit preoccupied and wanting to put it to bed.

Great News!!

Thank you, his is AQA too.

The full refund was on AQA.

@ThatsCute that’s really helpful to know. We’ve just had it suggested to submit both biology papers, and I was wondering what got refunded if the grade went up but only one paper changed marks

Thanks for letting me know @ThatsCute.

It really makes me cross that cost may be a preventative barrier for people who can’t afford to play the review lottery! I know they don’t want to get inundated but they should have better checking / quality control of marking systems in the first place.

@Examinetheexams we had our refund through—both papers have been refunded, even though there was only movement on one.

I won't say that I didn't have that little worry in the pit of my stomach too. But, I knew the stats so I could counteract that worry with my knowledge of the data. We did literature first actually - because it was only one mark off the higher grade boundary and really was a long way over the lower grade boundary. When that came back with a 10 mark increase it gave me more confidence to also put in language, which was 2 marks off the higher grade boundary.

@TheSoupDragon70 wonderful news! Well done to your DD.

@mojobrojo thanks for spelling out your scientific approach. I have also looked at the grade boundaries and the scripts/marking and concluded that the risk of the grade going down is minimal. It would be bizarre for my DC to lose marks as they have not been generously marked. However, I still feel a ball of fear in my stomach and suspect it will remain until after the review is back and we haven't even submitted it yet!!