Mark scheme handed out during controlled assessment

[longingforsomesleep]

DS is in year 10 and is always complaining to me about his biology teacher. I'm trying to get to the bottom of whether it's a personality clash or whether she isn't a very good teacher. I don't really understand the ins and outs of controlled assessments, but he says that she gave them all copies of the mark scheme during their biology controlled assessment (and physics/chemistry teachers didn't).

DS says he didn't refer to it because he didn't think he should have it. I thought mark schemes were issued after exams had been taken so I think he may have got the wrong end of the stick.

Anyone got any thoughts?

Controlled assessments are not exams. The task and mark scheme are issued ahead of time, and it's not answers as such - more what skills/ knowledge they need to demonstrate to achieve a particular band.

OCR say' candidates may be given access to the generic Marking Criteria. Access to the Additional Guidance is strictly prohibited.'

Generic markschemes show the skills which need to be displayed to gain the different levels of mark. They are not a secret. In fact, students should always have them.....the assessment is not a trick. They should be being assessed against known criteria. I'm surprised they hadn't looked at the markschemes before writing and gone through it. If you ask your child, you may well Fi d they actually did do this.

It is the same for exams. generic mark schemes are the same every year. They do. It contain specif factual content, just the skills required to gain each level of marks. So good teaching ensures pupils are aware of what is needed for the top grades by issuing these generic markschemes and perhaps tips for how to achieve the higher levels, or possibly sample answers or paragraphs to show what the top levels look like.

They shouldn't have access to any mark schemes, generic or otherwise, during the high control components of a Science CA. Not for the board we use (AQA).

I suspect it was during the preparation?

He said something about it being in the final part - something to do with a booklet? I didn't get the impression it was during the preparation.

AQA clearly states:

Q.Can I give students a copy
of the marking criteria?
A: Yes. Students should be
aware of the assessment
criteria so that they can
understand how work will be
assessed and what they need
to do to get high marks. It
is also perfectly acceptable
for teachers to produce a
simplified ‘student friendly’
version.

Second DC currently doing GCSEs, and they always have the marking scheme, and are always aware of the level their aiming to work towards. In fact, DC3 in Year 8 has extended homeworks with marking schemes.

As the statement from AQA makes clear, the assessment criteria are not meant to be a secret. How could anyone be expected to know what they needed to do to get high grades otherwise. Exams and assessments are not intended to trick you, just assess you. It is vital that they are issued, or student friend.yversions are produced.