GCSE English Lit and Language review of marking

[SomersetBrie]

There is lots of chat about review of marking on the GCSEs threads but I am interested specifically in anyone who is reviewing English (Lang or Lit) and whether the review provides an increase in grade.
DS, predicted a 7, got a 6 in both. He is not very close to the grade boundary (4 marks away) but the difference in marks between Paper 1 and Paper 2 have encouraged me to request access to the papers and see if it's worth a review.

Is anyone else asking for a review? I am curious to know how many marks people go up/down and if it results in a change of grade for many people.
(DS does not need a 7 but he was expecting a 7 out of 1 or other at least.)
This is AQA.

My DC’s offer was a conditional offer, based on whether they achieved their grades.

So school have now said both AQA English language papers are being reviewed and have status as ‘in progress’. None of this is good for my nerves!

Really feel for those facing resits when so close to the boundary. Hope it all goes v smoothly this time

Yes so was mine but the point I was trying to make (badly) was that if his predicted grade provided by his school had been a 5, which was what he originally got, he would probably not have got an offer from his preferred college.
His predicted was 6 which he missed by 1 mark but was allowed to enroll anyway BUT his remark gave him his 6

So what grade did he need to get in? He was admitted with a 5? Even before the re-mark was successful? So if it hadn’t been successful, he still would have had a place with a 5? Yet he wouldn’t have been given a conditional offer with a predicted 5? This is where I’m confused.

I think our admissions were a bit different—the entry requirements are listed, pupils apply based on that, and are all given conditional offers, and only those who actually got the grades got places. Nothing to do with predicted grades—they didn’t play a part in the admissions process.

We have just had another subject go up a grade following a review of marking (AQA) as 8 extra marks awarded.
Is it because the reviews are done by more experienced markers or is it just down to subjective marking? Something should be done to improve the quality of marking all round but not sure what can be done. I feel so sorry for those dc that don’t put in a review (cost usually being a factor) but also the percentage of reviewed subjects that increase in grades is approx 22% so imagine what it would be if more were sent in for review!

He needed a 6
He was predicted a 6
He got a 5, 1 mark off a 6
College agreed to enroll him with the 5 while waiting for the remark that school had strongly advised BUT said there was a chance he wouldn't be allowed to start or would be given catch up work . (I was unofficially told this wouldn't happen)
Remark went up by 8 maarks and he got his 6 on the same day he started at College
IF his predicted had been a 5 he would not have had an offer from The College at all

We had the opposite. DC also needed a 6, just missed it, and was not allowed to enrol. Started at their backup school, where entry requirements are slightly lower, and was only allowed to enrol once the re-mark was successful, after spending nearly a week at the other school.

Predicted grades were not requested during the application process.

Did they need a 6 in both English language and English literature, or in either? If these exams are somewhat unpredictable around the 5,6,7 grade, perhaps the Sixth Forms should accept a 6 in either of them?

@Wishingitwasover that’s good news, which subject?

Mrs Hamlet (long time examiner) said its only experienced examiners who do reviews so better judgement & knowledge of how to apply the mark scheme probably applies.

I also read a thread on here by examiners talking about the low pay, unrealistic targets & putting a box set on while marking to get through it! So it doesn’t fill you with confidence that with hundreds of scripts sitting in front of them they will get scrutinised, some are going to get a cursory look at them.

DS needed a 6 in both English and also in Maths as well as a 6 in a subject he was studying and at least 2 4's
As I said it all turned out ok but while his mates were celebrating at school we were in a big queue at the College!!!
The REAL irony is that if he had been 8 marks off his 6, which is what he gained, we probably wouldn't have done the remark

Religious Studies (AQA)
😊

Great news, DS also went up grade in RS AQA (5 marks)

Mine needed a 6 or above in both.

If I had my way, examiners who are lazy would all be sacked immediately! I know a lot (unsurprisingly!) and we all take it very seriously.

I used to work for a head who told new staff to treat our students as if they were our own children. I apply that to examining - I would want my kids' exams marked by someone who was giving it their full attention. Box sets are for August.

Does anyone know how the refund of AQA review fees works? DC submitted paper 1 first which had no change. Then paper 2 which went up and resulted in the grade going up. Do we get a refund of paper 2 fees only, or both fees? The school haven’t mentioned anything (we had to pay them in advance of the review, but all the forms etc had to be submitted by DC so we’ve not had any direct interaction with anyone from the school).

Please ignore my post above, I found a different page on the AQA site which clearly outlines different scenarios. In our case, only the paper 2 review cost is refunded. If both papers are submitted at the same time, or if you submit them separately but before you receive either review result, you will get both fees refunded (even if only one paper results in the grade change).

No change for us following a STEM paper review but but I found all the experiences and advice on this thread very helpful when deciding whether or not to review @mojobrojo @MrsHamlet

No change to AQA Eng Lang here. DS got 2 grades below predicted, was 2 marks off boundary, school advised paper 1 harshly marked. Sent in 15th Sept.

Just adding for reference in case useful. Lucky for us doesn’t change anything for DS.

From the review copy of the STEM paper we got reviewed, we can see that there were around 40 questions and almost as many different original markers, but far fewer different reviewers.

Although extra marks were awarded at review, an equal number were taken away, so no overall change.

Just baffled at how many times the marking scheme was misapplied, both in our favour and against, in a STEM subject.

Still waiting AQA Eng language!! Anyone else???

My DS got grade 5 in English and Literature. 3 marks from grade 6 in English. Teacher said - marking is honest, do not need to re-mark . Tutor recommended to apply for re-marking. After two weeks of waiting, result arrived. Son got grade 6. Not perfect, expected grade 7 but better than 5.

That is good news.

English language back no change. So we’re done.

Spanish was 1 off a 7 review moved it up
English language 1 mark off a 7 no change
History 3 marks off school decided against submitting

It’s a shame, DC was predicted 8 in Eng lang, but he felt the exams went v badly so in a way I was relieved he got a 6 which was required for his A levels. Had a tiny fear the review could lead to a 5 which would be a problem for his courses.

It was a disappointing set of results for him but he is v happy in his new sixth form and appears to be taking things much more seriously. I think he might just have learnt a hard lesson.

All the best everyone, especially those grappling with resits 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Absolutely fuming.

Looks like there was a unilateral decision not to send the papers in for review. Only just found out.

@OhCrumbsWhereNow - did you DD sign a form and send it in and your countersigned to pay any fees and they just ignored it? How can they? It is not allowed if clearly instructed and consented and signed for by the student.