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Original poster

Help with AQA English literature GCSE from teachers or examiners please

36 replies

honeyhelps · 06/09/2026 11:06

DS is 1 mark off a 7 in English lit and 2 grades below his predicted grade and 3 grades below all his other GCSEs.

School had agreed to look at the papers but they have still not done so, they are not happy he has moved schools so I am not sure if they actually will. We have obviously now lost too much time to mark one paper first and then the 2nd and I am keen to get a decision made asap.

Would anyone be happy to review the papers for payment in absence of having a school to help. Likely paper is Inspector Calls and war poems. The other paper where he scored more highly is Macbeth and Christmas Carol.

Thank you so much.

OP posts:
Araminta1004 · 06/09/2026 13:11

Can you not afford to have both papers reviewed? Because if you can accord it and it’s unlikely to go down why not just do that?

Original poster
honeyhelps · 06/09/2026 13:04

Thanks but he got 8s and 9s in literature in his mocks and was predicted an 8 so it is not his usual grade. He may have done something wrong on paper 2 and not deserve the higher grade, I have no idea. This is my 4th child and all the older ones have had scripts reviewed by teachers (often at their suggestion not our request). I just want him to have the same opportunity so am happy to pay. I dont want to select the wrong paper without at least trying to get some advice.

OP posts:
Iamthemoom · 06/09/2026 12:51

If he’s that close to the grade boundary I would just go for a regrade. DD was 2 marks off A in one of her A Levels (predicted A star). We ordered a regrade and she went up 6 marks.
That close to the grade boundary you are so unlikely to drop a grade but very likely to go up.

Bluepower · 06/09/2026 12:42

You don't need a teacher's approval to put it in, but you're right it's easier for someone who teaches it to see if the answer is higher quality than the marks given to it. Or spot if annotations say a higher level noted than the final mark adds up to.

We've had some where it says certain comments meet the criteria, then it's just been missed in the total.

We've also had some where we might have awarded an extra mark, but the original is classed as 'reasonable', so it stands.

Honestly, the boundaries in English literature are just higher this year due to straightforward questions on those texts, so it might be he's just missed what he hoped and performed roughly where he always was in relation to all other candidates.

If he's really upset and it's below what you know he is genuinely capable of, the outcome is very likely not to make anything worse.

Original poster
honeyhelps · 06/09/2026 12:38

I understand it has to go through the exams office. This is just to help make a decision on whether to pay the exams office to submit a paper for a review.

OP posts:
LIZS · 06/09/2026 12:27

DooDallyHallie · 06/09/2026 11:37

Just request it yourself

It has to go through the exams officer.

Original poster
honeyhelps · 06/09/2026 12:08

I obviously didnt explain the situation well.

We have the papers. DS got grade 9s except a 6 in English. Predicted an 8. We have the english papers. We want to choose which if any paper to get reviewed by AQA. His friends have had help from schools in which paper to choose if any. I would like to pay someone to have a look at the papers and see if in their experience as a teacher one has more chance of gaining an extra mark than the other or if it is better not to remark in case it might go down.

He is very upset as it is so far from predicteds and all mocks and all other subjects

The worse paper was Inspector Calls and war poems. The other paper where he scored more highly is Macbeth and Christmas Carol.

OP posts:
CrikeyMajikey · 06/09/2026 12:01

You are probably not too late to submit the papers separately, the deadline is 24 September. I would politely follow up with the English department, all schools are looking to achieve the best possible grades. Teachers have only just returned from holidays (no, they aren’t paid for the summer holidays) and straight in to INSET training and a new year, it’s a busy time.

DooDallyHallie · 06/09/2026 11:37

Just request it yourself

LividRoasting · 06/09/2026 11:33

Nobody affiliated with the exam boards SHOULD be reviewing for payment.

Nobody who simply examines has had review training.

Review is a very specific skill with specific rules.

If you suspect an issue with the paper and school aren't helpful then can you apply yourself?

clary · 06/09/2026 11:14

What other GCSEs? Have you recalled the papers (I assume so but sorry it's not totally clear) ie you have them?

If MFL is one I am happy to take a look, but tbf the new spec meant it was hard for teachers to give accurate PGs.

What grades did he get? I agree if the grades were a surprise then it is worth looking at; but does it make a big difference going forward (so a grade of lower than a 4 or 5 for maths for example)?

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