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AIBU?

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Original poster

to tell you reviewing your GCSE paper isn't "free"

393 replies

BorrowedThyme · 01/09/2023 17:45

I've never begrudged putting aside a few hours for genuine disappointing shock grades, or when a student has so nearly made the grade they need for their next stage.

But this year it has gone totally over the top.

And recalling GCSE papers for the school to review is NOT "free" - it just doesn't cost the parent anything, that is all. It relies either on teachers volunteering their spare time, or the school employing an additional, qualified person to do it.

I spent 25-30 hours in the last week of the holiday doing this, and now have a whole new list to somehow try and cram in to a single weekend

My head of department has already contacted some parents to say no, we are not doing it for such and such a student, and honestly, you would think we were chopping their kids hands off, or something, the abuse, and threats and accusations we get!

Some of the students we have said no to have already got their sixth form places, and don't need to check their grades, some are so far from the next grade up that they are many times more likely to go down than up, and some have got exactly what was predicted, anyway.

Occasionally a grade goes up, but it is very rare, and in genuine cases, I am happy to spend the time checking. Most of the cases we are getting requested now though, are not genuine! None of the papers I have checked this year are going up, although several might actual go down if the parents take it further.

So please, before expecting this service for the school, keep in mind

a) Is it necessary? Not if your child has got their sixth form place or apprenticeship, or whatever they wanted.

b) Is it likely? Parents often over estimate their children's likely GCSE grades, particularly if they have helped them revise, and marked a few mock papers, etc- children perform best in a one to one situation with a lot of encouragement, such as they might get at home with a parent, but this is not how they are assessed.

c) Somebody has to be just below the next grade boundary! That is how grade boundaries work!

d) Some grade bands are very narrow - being 3 marks off a 6 could actually be 2 marks from a 4.

e) It isn't a case of " just finding one more mark" - the marking has to be withing a tolerance. 2 examiners might mark the same paper differently, but that does not mean one is right and one is wrong. Yes, I find marks in the papers that I would have given that the examiner has not, but I also find marks the examiner has given that I would not, and overall, the mark comes out the same, or virtually the same. The grade is not going to be changed over a disagreement about fractions of marks. It needs to be a substantial difference for the grade to be changed, and not a case of strict or lenient marking.

Yes, it is sometimes worth having a look at the papers, no it is not worth this wholesale demand that has developed this year.

If this school review system continues to be abused, I expect it will be withdrawn very soon!

OP posts:
Hufflepods · 01/09/2023 20:31

I feel like when I was in school I was told it was £X to remark a paper but it was refunded if the grade was changed.

I had to send an Alevel paper off to get remarked. I was a straight A student and it came back as an E. My teacher asked if I even put my student number on the paper and if I did then get it remarked. Came back with an A of almost full marks so fuck knows what went on the first time.

I’m fairly certain it was done by the exam board and not the school. I’m not sure if it’s different between GCSE’s and A Levels or if that’s an NI vs GB thing.

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:35

I feel like when I was in school I was told it was £X to remark a paper but it was refunded if the grade was changed.

This is still the case. However schools now have access to the papers for free so it is becoming common to ask a teacher to check the paper for free to decide whether it is worth the parent spending the money on the official remark.

This ‘free’ look over the paper to save parents money has cost the OP a week of her holiday and more work next week. It’s not free, it is costing her time and effort.

MrsHamlet · 01/09/2023 20:38

For the sake of clarity:

The OP is talking about priority access to scripts whereby candidates can get their marked work back from the board. They then are likely to ask the centre to look at the papers to advise on the next stage. Which is...

A review of marking - a service which can only be undertaken by the exam board.

Cubic · 01/09/2023 20:40

Exam board: AQA
Selective grammar school, non fee paying

Ds had three papers one mark off the next grade. Exam team advised that we pay for priority scripts (school charge for this, probably to stop parents asking for them all) and then send them to subject teachers who advise on if a review is worthwhile and which paper to get reviewed (with the aim of banking the marks on the other paper). Two teachers advised which papers to get reviewed (again we paid for this) the third advised not to risk it.

School had sent this process out four times via email including a diagram (although i still wasn't 100% on if this was the right way to go about things). At no point was we told or it was implied that it is unreasonable to ask. Teachers were amazing and I'm very grateful to them.

For children intending on applying to some universities or for some courses in particular GCSE grades do matter and can impact on their applications.

Cubic · 01/09/2023 20:41

I think you are being unreasonable as parents and children are lead down this path by some schools. We certainly wouldn't have asked for reviews if not supported by school to do so.

immergeradeaus · 01/09/2023 20:42

I sympathise. But ultimately I want to support ds by requesting a remark. He was 3 grades below his predictions, and on one paper got a score of 60 when his individual scores added up to over 90, so the school has agreed with us that we should request a remark, as that will take him from a 6 back to the 9 he was predicted. Ds doesn’t need a 9 for sixth form but why should he have to put up with receiving a low grade due to a counting error by the exam board?

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:43

School had sent this process out four times via email including a diagram (although i still wasn't 100% on if this was the right way to go about things). At no point was we told or it was implied that it is unreasonable to ask. Teachers were amazing and I'm very grateful to them.

And again it's 'teachers being amazing because they do work for free in their holidays' when actually that's a totally unreasonable expectation. The school union rep should be all over it.

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:43

immergeradeaus · 01/09/2023 20:42

I sympathise. But ultimately I want to support ds by requesting a remark. He was 3 grades below his predictions, and on one paper got a score of 60 when his individual scores added up to over 90, so the school has agreed with us that we should request a remark, as that will take him from a 6 back to the 9 he was predicted. Ds doesn’t need a 9 for sixth form but why should he have to put up with receiving a low grade due to a counting error by the exam board?

That's a paid remark. That's absolutely fine, someone will be paid to do that work, unlike the OP.

ThinWomansBrain · 01/09/2023 20:44

give people a genuine report where marks seem overgenerous, get it graded down.

NorthernGirlie · 01/09/2023 20:45

@immergeradeaus in the same argument though - why should his teacher have to work for free because of a possible mistake by the exam board?

NorthernGirlie · 01/09/2023 20:46

Sorry @immergeradeaus I didn't read your post properly!

gogomoto · 01/09/2023 20:46

We had my DD's a levels remarked , all went up a grade - bdd is quite different ti acc. Also some universities look at gcse grades, that grade could be the difference. Kids haven't had it easy, if you don't want tj revuew them, the school needs other arrangements

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:47

NorthernGirlie · 01/09/2023 20:45

@immergeradeaus in the same argument though - why should his teacher have to work for free because of a possible mistake by the exam board?

And the teacher doesn't have to work for free at all. The parent can pay for the remark without the OP doing any extra work.

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:48

gogomoto · 01/09/2023 20:46

We had my DD's a levels remarked , all went up a grade - bdd is quite different ti acc. Also some universities look at gcse grades, that grade could be the difference. Kids haven't had it easy, if you don't want tj revuew them, the school needs other arrangements

Even if the OP reviews them and finds a marking error, that doesn't change the mark. The paper will still need to be sent to the exam board for a paid for review.

The paper can be sent to the exam board for a paid for review without the OP doing any checking.

twelly · 01/09/2023 20:49

I think that reviewing scripts is part of the role of the school - how the school manages that is the schools concern. However, if teachers are asked to review scripts and it is reasonable then that is part of the job. The point about not being important is subjective.

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:49

twelly · 01/09/2023 20:49

I think that reviewing scripts is part of the role of the school - how the school manages that is the schools concern. However, if teachers are asked to review scripts and it is reasonable then that is part of the job. The point about not being important is subjective.

But reviewing scripts doesn't change the grade, it is purely to save parents money.

SorrySadDog · 01/09/2023 20:50

When DS does his GCSEs (just going into year 8) I’m unlikely to ask for a remark….because I don’t understand the new grading system at all. I’m still stuck on As and Bs 😂

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:50

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:49

But reviewing scripts doesn't change the grade, it is purely to save parents money.

Show quote history

And crucially, it didn't used to happen. This is a new expectation, an increase in workload that didn't used to be there.

EmmaStone · 01/09/2023 20:51

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:28

Emma you seem to be talking about paid-for remarks, which is not what the OP is talking about.

No, the A Level papers the teachers want to review to see if something's gone wrong, and if they think so, would then send for paid review. If nothing else, they will want to work out why they thought they were teaching an A star - A cohort that ended up B-D. It could be a useful learning tool for them.

The GCSE subject again I believe the teacher wants to review first before asking for paid review.

I'm very grateful to both DC's teachers for their support, I do understand that this takes time away (and have not expected this to happen before term starts).

Chippy4me · 01/09/2023 20:51

I feel really sorry for the teens in this situation (the teachers too of course).

Unless as you say they need a certain grade for college then it’s so unfair to them.

They need to learn that they may get lower than expected and that it’s still ok.

twelly · 01/09/2023 20:52

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:49

But reviewing scripts doesn't change the grade, it is purely to save parents money.

Show quote history

That is true but if students are thinking of a remark with many subjects the marking is subjective so a teacher reviewing this first is the best of course of action as everyone knows marks and grades can go up or down. I would have thought it was in the teachers best interests to advise either for or against remark - as well as being the professional response.

Clymene · 01/09/2023 20:53

I think you should ay no to 99% of requests. The number of kids who it matters to in terms of impact on future prospects is vanishingly small.

and I'd prioritise those kids who were 2 marks off a 4 over those who were 2 marks off a 9

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:53

That is true but if students are thinking of a remark with many subjects the marking is subjective so a teacher reviewing this first is the best of course of action

Only if you're not the poor sod doing 25 hours of work in their holiday, right?

MrsHamlet · 01/09/2023 20:54

Clymene · 01/09/2023 20:53

I think you should ay no to 99% of requests. The number of kids who it matters to in terms of impact on future prospects is vanishingly small.

and I'd prioritise those kids who were 2 marks off a 4 over those who were 2 marks off a 9

Why?

Cubic · 01/09/2023 20:56

noblegiraffe · 01/09/2023 20:43

School had sent this process out four times via email including a diagram (although i still wasn't 100% on if this was the right way to go about things). At no point was we told or it was implied that it is unreasonable to ask. Teachers were amazing and I'm very grateful to them.

And again it's 'teachers being amazing because they do work for free in their holidays' when actually that's a totally unreasonable expectation. The school union rep should be all over it.

I empathise but I don't feel the blame should lie at the parents feet. The teachers at ds school must have access to the general emails and are obviously aware of and support the process. If the union rep should be looking at this surely it's theirs and the school slt who should be to blame. We wouldn't have asked for the reviews if we hadn't been told to by the school and guided through the process by the exams team.

Some teachers are amazing and life changing for some students (I also have a child with complex needs and am blown away by some, some not so much too) but in all walks of life and in most salaried positions you do extra work.