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Original poster

Any aqa gcse English language examiner that can answer a query

120 replies

Naddd · 20/08/2026 15:31

I've just got the script back for my sons English language paper and it seems on one multiple choice paper he hasn't filled out a box but has put an x on the other side.
It looks like no marks have been awarded for this.
Would he get the marks if we put in for a re-mark?

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 18:26

Naddd · 21/08/2026 18:24

Hi yes we've had the head of literature have a look and he thinks the literature paper has been marked harshly and that he should be able to get 7 marks if not more. I'm not really sure how that works because they don't actually re-mark it.
I think the school have given us the incorrect results and the ones on the script are correct so that means he's actually 7 marks away from a six. And I think 9 away from the lower grade.
Might be worth a punt as they say.? I don't know how rare it is a student would get moved down.

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Rarer than staying the same or going up, but not impossible.

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 18:24

MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 17:03

The best thing you can do is check what the numbers on the front add up to and check them against the results slip. If the centre has given you incorrect info, then you need to speak to the exams office.

You also need the centre to look at the papers and advise you about whether to seek a review. But they should look at the papers, not just go off the numbers.

Hi yes we've had the head of literature have a look and he thinks the literature paper has been marked harshly and that he should be able to get 7 marks if not more. I'm not really sure how that works because they don't actually re-mark it.
I think the school have given us the incorrect results and the ones on the script are correct so that means he's actually 7 marks away from a six. And I think 9 away from the lower grade.
Might be worth a punt as they say.? I don't know how rare it is a student would get moved down.

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MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 18:23

Naddd · 21/08/2026 18:16

5

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Doh... wrong mark scheme in my brain!

If everything on the front adds up (which it will) then you just need to check that p1 and p2 add up and then look at the grade boundaries.

I think you mentioned a discrepancy with lit... it occurs to me that you might be missing seeing the SPAG mark somewhere.

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 18:16

MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 16:45

That's paper 1 then - that's exactly what I would expect to see. A mark of 6?

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5

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MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 17:03

The best thing you can do is check what the numbers on the front add up to and check them against the results slip. If the centre has given you incorrect info, then you need to speak to the exams office.

You also need the centre to look at the papers and advise you about whether to seek a review. But they should look at the papers, not just go off the numbers.

MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 16:45

Naddd · 21/08/2026 16:41

So for question 3 on the language paper the feedback is as follows

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That's paper 1 then - that's exactly what I would expect to see. A mark of 6?

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 16:41

MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 14:05

Results sheets are generated by the school so I'd want to check they've not made an error. It's easily done.

There should be comments on the scripts which show how the marks have been awarded.

So for question 3 on the language paper the feedback is as follows

Any aqa gcse English language examiner that can answer a query
OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 15:18

Naddd · 21/08/2026 15:13

Hi
There aren't any comments. It's just like what you posted

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There won't be any comments there. There should be in the body of the work.

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 15:13

This reply has been deleted

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Hi
There aren't any comments. It's just like what you posted

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MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 15:10

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 14:41

MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 14:05

Results sheets are generated by the school so I'd want to check they've not made an error. It's easily done.

There should be comments on the scripts which show how the marks have been awarded.

Yes I think the school have made the mistake unfortunately not in out favour.

It means to get the language re-marked he'd have to gain 4 marks before we thought it was 2.

Abd literature he'd need to get 7 whereas before it was 5.

So I don't think either is worth it.

Quite down now

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 14:05

Results sheets are generated by the school so I'd want to check they've not made an error. It's easily done.

There should be comments on the scripts which show how the marks have been awarded.

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 14:03

MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 13:25

@clary is correct - I know a bit (!) about this.

That annotation sounds odd. What else is written on the paper?

Apologies for asking. What annotation?
I've had scripts back and the marks on two them are different to what is shown on the results sheet
.
It won't change the grade but makes the re-mark harder as he'll need to get 7 marks as opposed to 5 for literature and 4 as opposed to 2 for language. I'm assuming that when it's sent for re-mark tgis will be picked up on.

We had the teacher look at it and were told one literature paper was under marked they felt quite a lot and should gain 7 possibly more marks. But if the numbers aren't matching and it's an error rather than some sort of standardisation then he'd need to gain a minimum of 7 marks to get to the next grade

Appreciate any help thank you

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Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 13:35

clary · 21/08/2026 13:13

Well that's an odd anomaly. Definitely the same paper? I might raise it with the teacher except it is an anomaly the wrong way - as in, if 39 is right his mark would go down.

Exactly! It wouldn't change the grade luckily but will make it harder to get the higher grade

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MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 13:28

It might sometimes appear in student essays if they're particularly annoying me.

clary · 21/08/2026 13:27

enjoying your use of "bobbins" there @MrsHamlet

MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 13:27

The advice to only go for review of a script "is x marks off" is bobbins, incidentally. If there are clear errors in the marking, that's when you should consider review.

Small mark changes are forbidden by JCQ except in specific circumstances so the chances of getting one extra mark are very very slim.

MrsHamlet · 21/08/2026 13:25

@clary is correct - I know a bit (!) about this.

That annotation sounds odd. What else is written on the paper?

clary · 21/08/2026 13:13

Well that's an odd anomaly. Definitely the same paper? I might raise it with the teacher except it is an anomaly the wrong way - as in, if 39 is right his mark would go down.

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 13:11

clary · 21/08/2026 12:56

yes that's what I meant by 10 marks - as in he is 10 marks above a 4 so that's a lot to drop therefore less likely. But I have heard of scripts going up by 12 marks so big changes are possible. School can advise.

Not ever heard of moderation tbh but the raw marks are converted into the grade boundary marks. How do you mean they are different?

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So for one paper he's got a a 39 on the script and the results paper shows 41.

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clary · 21/08/2026 12:56

Naddd · 21/08/2026 12:43

Also I don't know if you can answer this but on the script the marks are different to what it says on the results. Do aqa do some sort of moderation.

yes that's what I meant by 10 marks - as in he is 10 marks above a 4 so that's a lot to drop therefore less likely. But I have heard of scripts going up by 12 marks so big changes are possible. School can advise.

Not ever heard of moderation tbh but the raw marks are converted into the grade boundary marks. How do you mean they are different?

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 12:43

Also I don't know if you can answer this but on the script the marks are different to what it says on the results. Do aqa do some sort of moderation.

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Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 12:36

clary · 21/08/2026 11:51

So he is about 10 marks above a grade 4? A review can bring the mark down as well as up – a per my example, the reviewer could feel that the answer was in L5 but should be L4. 10 marks would be a lot though.

I imagine the teachers having looked at it have assessed that as unlikely though. they are really the people to ask tbh. Is there one paper they feel is not in sync with expectations? Maybe submit that one for a review.

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Sorry for any confusion. So he's currently a grade 5 for literature and 5 marks away from a grade 6. So needs 5 marks.

The teacher has had a look and feels it's been marked harshly at least 7 marks off.

That's why I'm not sure what to do as don't want to risk it moving down to a 4. Though looking at boundaries for aqa it's about 10 marks away.

As it was 5 marks away we didn't think of getting it re-looked at. It's only now with teacher feedback that it's a possibility.

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clary · 21/08/2026 11:51

Naddd · 21/08/2026 11:44

Thank you so much for your quick reply. When we saw the grades and boundaries we hadn't even considered having the literature papers remarked. Hence the confusion now as to what to do. He is 5 away from the next grade but don't really want to run the risk of it moving down. Is that likely? It's the aqa board if that makes a difference

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So he is about 10 marks above a grade 4? A review can bring the mark down as well as up – a per my example, the reviewer could feel that the answer was in L5 but should be L4. 10 marks would be a lot though.

I imagine the teachers having looked at it have assessed that as unlikely though. they are really the people to ask tbh. Is there one paper they feel is not in sync with expectations? Maybe submit that one for a review.

Original poster
Naddd · 21/08/2026 11:44

clary · 21/08/2026 11:37

I'm not an examiner of English (MFL is my specialism) tho I have done a lot of work with students on english over the years and I am aware of the new elements this year for Eng lang.

It's not a remark, it is a review of marking. What happens is that the paper is looked at and if (say) it was felt that a specific answer was in the wrong band then it would be reassessed. So if (example) the modern text question had been banded as L5 (21-25 marks) but the reviewer felt it should be L6 (26-30 marks) then the mark would jump by at least 1 and maybe many more marks. If it scored 21 in L5 then L6 would be at least 26. That's my understanding of the process. But of course it could be that the reviewer felt that the banding was correct.

@MrsHamlet is an English marker (not sure if this is the right board) and may be able to confirm if I am correct.

Edited
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Thank you so much for your quick reply. When we saw the grades and boundaries we hadn't even considered having the literature papers remarked. Hence the confusion now as to what to do. He is 5 away from the next grade but don't really want to run the risk of it moving down. Is that likely? It's the aqa board if that makes a difference

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