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Secondary education

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Original poster

School Exam Officers - are they allowed to read GCSE exam papers before sending them off?

52 replies

TessaTeacake · 23/05/2017 19:01

Just that really.

DD has come home from school today, saying the School Exam Officer asked to see her today, and told her that she'd read her paper and that she might be disqualified from one of her exams. DD is incredibly stressed anyway, but is it normal for the Exam Officer to read exam papers before sending them off?

Thanks

OP posts:
ImperialBlether · 23/05/2017 21:19

I've been an examiner for OCR and WJEC.

You only mark positively. If someone says "My teacher never taught me this" (really common) you just ignore it. A "I need this for uni" (again, really common) is just ignored.

You mark really quickly and you're just looking to give them marks. You can't take marks away.

ImperialBlether · 23/05/2017 21:21

Oh and the exams officers in my college just checked every page to make sure a) there were no bribes and b) the attachments were there.

noblegiraffe · 23/05/2017 21:22

mum you can pay the exam board to see your marked exam paper.

I once taught a student who failed maths GCSE by 1 mark. We got her paper back and she'd made a silly mistake (think 1 x 2 = 3) that cost her a mark. So frustrating!

Mumteadumpty · 23/05/2017 21:35

I think I'd almost rather not see that Noble!

TheFallenMadonna · 23/05/2017 22:00

This one returned because of this issue. It wasn't marked.

ImperialBlether · 23/05/2017 22:47

It wouldn't look like it was marked. They are scanned in. With some questions (depending on the subject) a mark can be entered without any mark on the paper.

SandyDenny · 23/05/2017 22:56

I'm sure you'll follow up with the exams officer tomorrow, other posters are correct, there's no way the comment would lead to disqualification but unless there was a reason for the exams officer to specifically look at your DDs paper I can't see how (unless the number of candidates was tiny) she's have time to be reading all of the papers in enough detail to pick it up

Sounds like there may be more to it

Hulababy · 24/05/2017 09:50

I would want to speak to the exam officer about it tbh. Ask for clarification and if it is about that comment ask where it contravenes exam board rules.

TBH it was inappropriate if the exam officer to say that to your daughter mid GCSEs. Maybe a quick comment about maybe not writing markers a message in future at most, but to tell a girl mid exams that she will be disqualified from one of her exams is really not on. The officer is then making that child more stressed and worried at a time they need to be focused on the next exam.

Hulababy · 24/05/2017 09:51

Unless it is something far more damning of course and your Dd hasn't told you all of it. I still think there'd be a better approach to it though.

mumsneedwine · 24/05/2017 12:02

I mark exams and have a chuckle at some of the pictures and comments I get rather than answers. No marks deducted - we just ignore them. Usually one clown tells me they love me or how pretty I am and often get pics of willies. Always a delight. Exams officers will usually only check front pages so no clue why they were looking through the paper. And a smiley face won't bother a marker at all (if they even see it, as if it's not within the answer scan border then unless I go looking I won't see it at all)

TheFallenMadonna · 24/05/2017 17:20

It wasn't marked. It came back to the school before the end of the summer term with a letter saying it wouldn't be marked because of the obscene language. We had to inform the student and her parents.

This is quite different though! Some exams officers can be less than sympathetic to nervous students unfortunately. I would probably check with a member of staff what the actual issue is to get a true perspective on it.

Leeds2 · 24/05/2017 19:04

Did you manage to speak to the Exams Office, Tessa?

catslife · 24/05/2017 20:42

Definitely not allowed. See link www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/ice---instructions-for-conducting-examinations/instructions-for-conducting-examinations-2016-2017 and page 40 final paragraph
"Please note: scripts are confidential between the candidates and the awarding body. No-one may read them or photocopy them before they are sent to the awarding body/examiner, unless the awarding body has stated otherwise."
In other word this can only be done with the awarding bodies permission. It is up to the awarding body (exam board to most on MN) to make this sort of decision.
If the exams officer does not reply to you OP then you need to contact the Head of Centre i.e. Head teacher.
PS What other posters have said is correct. This type of comment would be ignored by examiners.

Original poster
TessaTeacake · 26/05/2017 21:44

Thank you everyone, she's very reassured reading your comments. I left a message at school for the exam officer but she's not called back yet.

OP posts:
Noodledoodledoo · 27/05/2017 23:00

Another exam marker here and I love the comments!! Ignored and don't gain any credit but do make a dull job a little brighter sometimes!

Best from last year was 'Mr XXXX - I don't understand this topic can we revise it'!!! Obviously forget they were in the real thing =)

SomeOtherFuckers · 27/05/2017 23:19

I drew me next to a volcano with a lollipop asking for an A on my A level exam ... I got a U bit that was why I drew the image ... the exam had been horrific.
I imagine he/she saw the smiley, wanted to discourage it so thought he'd scare her to stop her doing it again.

SomeOtherFuckers · 27/05/2017 23:21

Although reading this maybe that was why I bloody failed ( it wasn't I also forgot the electron mechanisms and drew a magic box instead)

LilaBard · 27/05/2017 23:29

Just parking myself on this thread as I have an A Level age DB who loves to write smart ass comments on his papers and I need to tell him to stop if he might get disqualified!

NotYoda · 28/05/2017 06:33

God God

I am shocked that even writing fusck this shit would disqualify someone

I really am

Tissunnyupnorth · 28/05/2017 19:56

Exams Officer here. It is against all Exam board regulations for ANYBODY to go through what is written by the candidate within their script. Exams officers collect the scripts, check the front to make sure each candidate has filled in their correct details, attach a register and send them off to the board or straight to a nominated examiner.

Your Exams Officer was wrong to not only read her script, but to also comment on what she had read. It is confidential and she has breached that confidentiality. A candidate would not be disqualified for what your DD wrote. Disqualification would only really be considered for extremely abusive/obscene language.

In your position, I would email (to keep a record) your Exams Officer, stating that you feel confidentiality has not been maintained and that an unnecessary worry has been laid on your DD.

TipTop333 · 28/05/2017 20:06

As an examiner I have read similar messages and I have indeed smiled (albeit sadly because I've then awarded 0 marks because the question wasn't answered). I have never been instructed to report this kind of thing.

The exams officer is the person who has breached the rules and the only person who should be worried is them.

IHeartKingThistle · 28/05/2017 20:12

As an ex- examiner a smiley face is no problem at all. I wouldn't have given it a second thought. To be honest I wouldn't even have reported 'fuck this shit' to my supervisor, let alone refused to mark it. It's not worthy of marks so you ignore it.

The only non-answer things you should take notice of as an examiner are notes that make you concerned about the kid in a safeguarding way. I once had an entire page at the back of a paper on the various problems in the candidate's life. I flagged it up to my supervisor but still marked the paper. Of course you mark the paper.

TheFifthKey · 28/05/2017 21:59

I wouldn't have reported "fuck this shit" either. We've all sat exams! We know how candidates feel.

hmcAsWas · 29/05/2017 09:06

Also in agreement that refusing to mark a paper for "fuck that shit" is disproportionately harsh. Basically two years of work and preparation thrown aside because a stressed out student was venting

TheFallenMadonna · 29/05/2017 09:11

It was a few years ago. But yes, harsh!!