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Secondary education

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Original poster

Aqa review of marking, how long?

118 replies

Cubic · 31/08/2023 13:26

Ds has put in for a review of marking on two papers (two diff subjects). School suggested which papers.

Has anyone had a review back yet please? I'm just wondering how long it takes?

OP posts:
Sadtimes1 · 15/09/2023 17:03

@MrsHamlet thank you. We have the papers, I am going to take another look although the marking didn’t make a lot of sense to me. The school are not really interested and leave it all up to the parents. It’s surprising as very high achieving school but maybe that is why.

MrsHamlet · 15/09/2023 17:08

The vast vast majority of marks do not change, and changes like the previous poster mentions are usually because something went awry in the admin (pages mis-scanned) for example. It's always worth looking though.

Sadtimes1 · 15/09/2023 17:52

@MrsHamlet thank you. I have taken another look at the paper and it still seems strange. DS normally scoring at least mid twenties out of 30 on questions only got 16/30 and 18/30. He was predicted an 8. I’ve emailed the teacher to ask if it’s possible for them to take a look. In the scheme of things it won’t make a difference but DS worked hard and was a quite disheartened to see the scores.
Is level 4 the highest or does level 6 exist on this paper?

MrsHamlet · 15/09/2023 17:55

If we're talking about AQA, there are 6 levels in the mark scheme.

Sadtimes1 · 15/09/2023 18:00

@MrsHamlet yes, AQA English Lit. DS seemed to think in English Lit paper 1 it only went up to L4 but probably mistaken.

MrsHamlet · 15/09/2023 18:01

Lit paper 2 - the final question only goes up to level 4 because there are only 8 marks

HereSheComesInTheFall · 15/09/2023 18:02

The only ones from AQA we have had back were put in on results day, still waiting on everything else.
Priority review of marking were only available for A level papers - all GCSE ROM are not priority. The SLA with AQA is 20 days so unfortunately we just have to wait.

Sadtimes1 · 15/09/2023 18:08

@MrsHamlet thank you so much. I can only see L4 on my DS paper 1, that could explain the lower mark. I will see what the teacher comes back with.

MrsHamlet · 15/09/2023 18:09

Both 16 and 18 are in level 4, so that makes sense

GrammarTeacher · 17/09/2023 14:00

@MrsHamlet unfortunately, the ones I've seen go up significantly this time have not been down to missed questions/admin errors. It was really bad marking. We had some more come back this weekend which have gone up as well. I have never known anything like it and I qualified in 2002. We will be writing a letter to the board to ask for reassurances in terms of their quality assurance going forward.

MrsHamlet · 17/09/2023 14:13

@GrammarTeacher There's been bad marking in many subjects for many years. It's not a one board or spec problem.
My question about missed questions remains valid though. If we'd put in for a review based on the question level marks of zero, without first looking at the scripts, we'd have wasted our money. In my experience, that does happen.

Original poster
Cubic · 18/09/2023 11:28

Had one back and ds has gone up a grade, they added 6 extra marks. Going to put in for the third paper/ Subject that ds wasn't concerned with with the refund. Still waiting on another paper too.

OP posts:
Sadtimes1 · 18/09/2023 17:28

Just had one paper back and it went up 3 marks so DS is really happy to have gone up a grade. It came back in less than a week! Still waiting on another paper for a different subject and also for advice from the school about English Lit.
@Cubic well done to your DS!

Original poster
Cubic · 18/09/2023 18:11

Well done to your son too @Sadtimes1 . That came back really quickly I hope you get the other one soon too and fingers crossed for another grade increase.

We're going to go through all his results tonight and see if there are any other subjects that are more than one mark out but relatively close to the grade boundary to see if we should request the papers.

OP posts:
Wolvesart · 18/09/2023 22:44

Glad to hear that some of these re marks are proving to be worthwhile

Soundofshuna · 19/09/2023 08:49

1 paper I went up 5 marks. Have submitted another paper as. Now only 1 mark short of the next grade.
further maths which went in earlier is still awaited.

7forwardorsplit · 19/09/2023 16:41

Can anyone advise what to do if school is refusing to request access to scripts to help decide whether or not to go for a review of marking?
They've said their policy is only to request scripts in advance if the mark is within one or two from the upper grade boundary, if not we just have to go in blind and pay for a review, very frustrating!
Dd got a lowish 5 in aqa eng lit (mark 76) - predicted a 7 and from what she said no obvious screw up, I did lots of revision with her and she knew her stuff I think but feels high risk to request a review without checking she hadn't fluffed a question or two....
Can I insist if they're refusing and on what grounds? Any advice welcome....

Sadtimes1 · 19/09/2023 17:09

@7forwardorsplit That is strange, one of my DS’s requested all his scripts as he wanted to look at them to see what went right/wrong. The school provided access to all of them. At our school the deadline for requesting scripts has passed. Could you possibly check with the exam board as I think the student should be allowed access to their papers?
English Lit seems to have been a weird one this year. Grades can go down as well as up something to be aware of if you are nearer the lower boundary. Requesting a review of one paper at a time seems to be a good option.

7forwardorsplit · 19/09/2023 17:16

Thanks sadtimes, apparently we can't request direct, only through school. It's very annoying I made first request from school the first day back of term and have been going round the houses since....!

Sadtimes1 · 19/09/2023 17:45

@7forwardorsplit that is really annoying. Were you given a post results services form? Ours was included in the envelope that contained the exam results.

7forwardorsplit · 19/09/2023 17:58

Yes I was but school (after a bit of back and forth) have said that access to scripts is only available if student is very close to upper grade boundary or as part of a review of marking.
Once you've requested the review of marking you can't revoke that if you look at the paper and see they've screwed up a question they thought they'd done well in (which is what I want to check) so no point at all to that really!!

Sadtimes1 · 19/09/2023 19:17

@7forwardorsplit must be very frustrating. Are you dealing with the exams officer? Did you fill in and email the form in? I am not sure if they are allowed to deny you access to scripts. Maybe one of the more knowledgeable posters on here would know. I’ve had a look on Student Room, there is someone with a similar problem on there and there are links to an AQA form which the poster seems to have had success with, good luck!

7forwardorsplit · 19/09/2023 20:38

Thanks sadtimes, I'll have a look on there and see if I can get anywhere!

MrsHamlet · 19/09/2023 22:10

The script belongs to the candidate.
The issue you have now is that the date for priority scripts has passed so they might be hesitant because once you've got original scripts back, there's no further recourse.
You cannot apply directly to the board for scripts but you might be able to get them to clarify the rules.

Digimoor · 20/09/2023 18:24

I'm still debating what to do and school aren't being very helpful
For Eng Lang we are 6 marks above the grade boundary and 3 below the next one
I don't want to risk the grade going down

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