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Original poster

Any aqa gcse English language examiner that can answer a query

120 replies

Naddd · 20/08/2026 15:31

I've just got the script back for my sons English language paper and it seems on one multiple choice paper he hasn't filled out a box but has put an x on the other side.
It looks like no marks have been awarded for this.
Would he get the marks if we put in for a re-mark?

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 15:33

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 22/08/2026 15:29

I know this thread has gone well beyond the multiple choice shading issue. But I just wanted to say that I can see how he made such a silly mistake if he was cold-ridden. In my first year at university I sat a criminal law exam with the flu, and wrote deceased rather than defendant all the way through it.

Edited

I'm sorry but that made me laugh!

I once had a student who handed in a piece of typed work for marking. She'd inexplicably written about the "cisterns" of Rome rather than the "citizens".

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 22/08/2026 15:34

Ironically, I ended up teaching criminal law, and once had a first year student hand in an essay on theories of criminal punishment, which talked about penile institutions!

MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 15:40

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 22/08/2026 15:34

Ironically, I ended up teaching criminal law, and once had a first year student hand in an essay on theories of criminal punishment, which talked about penile institutions!

Edited

Good lord. Resisting the urge to comment on stiff punishments.

Failing.

Original poster
Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:03

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 22/08/2026 15:29

I know this thread has gone well beyond the multiple choice shading issue. But I just wanted to say that I can see how he made such a silly mistake if he was cold-ridden. In my first year at university I sat a criminal law exam with the flu, and wrote deceased rather than defendant all the way through it.

Edited

I just wanted to say thank you so much for this. Because I did think am I making excuses for him? So whilst I'm not glad you went through this it's a relief to know it can and does happen.
I do hope you still achieved what you wanted

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Original poster
Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:06

LottieMary · 22/08/2026 13:43

I’ve taught English a long time / you’ll get different opinions unfortunately. I may have commented on your thread elsewhere.

The advice of a couple of marks in MY opinion doesn’t apply to English because in a review of marking you’re not checking that it’s all been added up right or a yes/no. - YOU want them to see ‘error in academic judgement’ that means it was awarded band 4 (16-20 marks in lit) rather than band 5 (21-25). If that happens it’s quite likely you’ll get more than just a mark because it’ll have to move band. Very different to maths or science for example.

I’ve had papers come back three grades higher. I know lots of colleagues who have. It’s not every paper but it’s enough for me to be deeply u confident in the marking of English. Research backs me on that too.

i can only give my opinion to students and have to warn them it can go up and down and might not change. But senior examiners review papers at this point I believe.

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Hi it seems its possibly 7 marks from the next grade. I don't think a level increase would get him those 7 marks needed.

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 21:08

Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:03

I just wanted to say thank you so much for this. Because I did think am I making excuses for him? So whilst I'm not glad you went through this it's a relief to know it can and does happen.
I do hope you still achieved what you wanted

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More than 2 decades in the classroom and I can tell you that even the best prepared student can do mad stuff in the heat of the moment.

I'm sure I'll ever recover from the level candidate who came out and blithely told me that he'd answered on a text he'd read rather than the one we'd studied because "I liked the question better, Miss."

Little sod had me on tenterhooks - still got his A (in the pre A* days)

Original poster
Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:08

AGlessandahalf · 22/08/2026 12:27

Just a quick point about school making an error with the results slip.
Results are imported directly from the exam boards, so the numbers they have are those that the board has given them. That is why you can also request a clerical recheck to make sure the boards added them up correctly, which it appears they haven’t done here.

Apologies if I've already replied but we have the scripts and the marks on there are lower so it seems it's the school that have made the error

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Original poster
Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:11

MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 13:29

Examiners are not allowed to advertise themselves so it's not that easy to find a reliable one.

Can you hang on for the language teacher to have a look?

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Arghhhh! We've had feedback from one language paper and they feel that should go for a re-mark!
At this rate I'm going to be forking out £200 and sod's law grades will go down!

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MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 21:13

Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:11

Arghhhh! We've had feedback from one language paper and they feel that should go for a re-mark!
At this rate I'm going to be forking out £200 and sod's law grades will go down!

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What have they told you about it? Can they point to where the mark scheme hasn't been applied reasonably?

It's not my money or my candidate, but if I were advising someone in my class, I'd say focus on the one which really matters - which is the language. But only if there's a good chance of a change of marks resulting in a grade change.

Original poster
Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:14

MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 21:08

More than 2 decades in the classroom and I can tell you that even the best prepared student can do mad stuff in the heat of the moment.

I'm sure I'll ever recover from the level candidate who came out and blithely told me that he'd answered on a text he'd read rather than the one we'd studied because "I liked the question better, Miss."

Little sod had me on tenterhooks - still got his A (in the pre A* days)

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That did make me smile.
Whilst stories are amusing it's also reassuring to know I'm not making excuses.

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Original poster
Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:19

MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 21:13

What have they told you about it? Can they point to where the mark scheme hasn't been applied reasonably?

It's not my money or my candidate, but if I were advising someone in my class, I'd say focus on the one which really matters - which is the language. But only if there's a good chance of a change of marks resulting in a grade change.

Edited
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What I've been advised after looking at the papers I'd get it remarked, question 4 seems low.
Should I ask for further clarification?

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MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 21:31

Naddd · 22/08/2026 21:19

What I've been advised after looking at the papers I'd get it remarked, question 4 seems low.
Should I ask for further clarification?

Edited
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How many marks does he need for the next grade? Because a review isn't looking for more, it's looking for unreasonable.

And - worst case scenario - how many above the grade below are you?

Original poster
Naddd · 22/08/2026 22:04

MrsHamlet · 22/08/2026 21:31

How many marks does he need for the next grade? Because a review isn't looking for more, it's looking for unreasonable.

And - worst case scenario - how many above the grade below are you?

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Looking for 4 marks. And 6 away from the band down. I think on aqa there are ten marks between the grades.

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oustedbymymate · 22/08/2026 22:16

It’s not a remark. It’s a review of marking. So they will look to make sure the marking is accurate and within the tolerance. Moving 7 marks is highly unlikely.

Original poster
Naddd · 23/08/2026 00:02

oustedbymymate · 22/08/2026 22:16

It’s not a remark. It’s a review of marking. So they will look to make sure the marking is accurate and within the tolerance. Moving 7 marks is highly unlikely.

Hope you don't mind my asking but are you a teacher?
Tbh I was inclined to agree with you. It was only after receiving the feedback from his head of literature that we even thought of having it re-marked.

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MrsHamlet · 23/08/2026 18:47

Naddd · 22/08/2026 22:04

Looking for 4 marks. And 6 away from the band down. I think on aqa there are ten marks between the grades.

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In the top part of the mark range, yes, more or less.

Stowickthevast · 23/08/2026 19:06

Can I ask the English Language markers what they mean by "Low in Level" or "High in level"?

in dd's paper 1 q2, she's been given L3 for 4 things (clear understanding of language, clear explanation of effects, range of relevant textual detail, clear/accurate use of subject terminology) but then it says low in level and she's only been given 4/8.

Also what kind of things are you looking for in the creative writing?

ETA she only needs 1 mark so trying to find where that could be.

Original poster
Naddd · 23/08/2026 19:08

MrsHamlet · 23/08/2026 18:47

In the top part of the mark range, yes, more or less.

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Sorry for being a nuisance. We asked the language teacher for further feedback as what we were given was quite basic. And it seems he'd only pick up 3 marks on paper 1. I don't actually understand the way English is marked. But it doesn't seem to be this would actually be enough to increase the grade.

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MrsHamlet · 23/08/2026 19:15

Naddd · 23/08/2026 19:08

Sorry for being a nuisance. We asked the language teacher for further feedback as what we were given was quite basic. And it seems he'd only pick up 3 marks on paper 1. I don't actually understand the way English is marked. But it doesn't seem to be this would actually be enough to increase the grade.

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How it's marked is less important now than what is allowed at review.

Small mark changes are not allowed for any subject under the ofqual rules UNLESS there is a clear marking error - so the answer was 7, they wrote 7 and the examiner marked it incorrect. That only applies on Q1 in English.

Original poster
Naddd · 23/08/2026 19:23

MrsHamlet · 23/08/2026 19:15

How it's marked is less important now than what is allowed at review.

Small mark changes are not allowed for any subject under the ofqual rules UNLESS there is a clear marking error - so the answer was 7, they wrote 7 and the examiner marked it incorrect. That only applies on Q1 in English.

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This is feedback for the essay style questions on the language papers.
I'm quite confused by the whole thing and the more I question the more confused I'm getting.
Abd newspapers reporting on undermarking in gcse English certainly doesn't help

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MrsHamlet · 23/08/2026 19:31

Naddd · 23/08/2026 19:23

This is feedback for the essay style questions on the language papers.
I'm quite confused by the whole thing and the more I question the more confused I'm getting.
Abd newspapers reporting on undermarking in gcse English certainly doesn't help

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Do you trust the teacher's judgement?

If you need 4 marks and the teacher thinks there are three to be had, then you'll have to review both.

Tooupset · 23/08/2026 19:45

Three years ago both my son’s English exams went up two grades!

Original poster
Naddd · 23/08/2026 19:46

MrsHamlet · 23/08/2026 19:31

Do you trust the teacher's judgement?

If you need 4 marks and the teacher thinks there are three to be had, then you'll have to review both.

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Can I ask why both papers?
I am querying because for literature the head said one paper was fine and the other was marked harshly

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MrsHamlet · 23/08/2026 19:52

Naddd · 23/08/2026 19:46

Can I ask why both papers?
I am querying because for literature the head said one paper was fine and the other was marked harshly

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I thought we were talking about needing 4 marks on lang but the teacher having said they could see 3.

It's been a long day though...

Original poster
Naddd · 23/08/2026 19:59

MrsHamlet · 23/08/2026 19:52

I thought we were talking about needing 4 marks on lang but the teacher having said they could see 3.

It's been a long day though...

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We are! Lol! Omg! It's probably me with all my questions!
The language papers the teacher has said 3 marks on one paper and 4 on the other.

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