Just been accepted for GCSE marking - tell me how bad it's going to be!

[IHeartKingThistle]

I'm getting 3 weeks to mark 295 papers. English Lit Higher Tier Unit 1 (WJEC).

I'm not teaching at the moment and I haven't taught Higher Tier for a few years (nice one, HOD, taking the top sets EVERY YEAR ).

Anyway, I'm not worried about the actual marking and I know there is a training day. I'd just really like some tips on how to manage the workload, what pitfalls to avoid etc. Tell it like it is please!

bump?

I've got my first time at marking; but I am just doing the one question lots of times though; luckily its after yr 11 leave when they will start coming through (epen) but I am concerned about how many I have to do by the deadlines...

On the positive side I did apply in order to apply the experience to my teaching (was hoping for CA instead of exam) and as I am doing the extended writing questions this will help to gain inside knowledge plus the pay helps!

I'm worried about the deadline and I'm not even teaching, I take my hat off to you!

I do AQA Eng Lit Higher.

My top tip is to set a daily limit which leaves you LOADS of wriggle room - eg. I have an allocation of 350, starting next Friday.

Assuming it takes till Monday to sort moderation, clearance to mark etc, I'll be aiming for 50 a day which means theoretically I'll be done in a week of pure hell.

Obviously I won't be, because there will be days when I have a life, but the idea is definitely to break the back of it over half term.

I did this last year & got offered another 150 for finishing well ahead, which was another useful pay packet.

I'm not brilliantly accurate - good enough, but grade B rather than A, but I'm very quick! Only way to make it worthwhile IME.

When you say you are not brilliantly accurate, what does that mean exactly? Is this children's important exams you are marking, that might impact the rest of their life? I'm so glad you take such pride in your work, but hey, so long as you're quick and get that extra pay packet ...

Practical tip (if WJEC is actual scripts not online):

Each morning, count out that day's scripts. Then arrange them in 5s on your work table.

Mark 5, go for a cuppa/to do the washing up/to sit in the garden. NOT anything that involves you reading anything - no FB or phone.

As you get 'worked in', your piles can be 10s rather than 5s.

If using online mark upload, make that the final job of the day - not only is it quite satisfying, & mindless enough to do with a well-deserved glass of wine, it keeps your team leader happy that you're up to date.

Hi MeDented - not brilliantly accurate means that over a run of several hundred scripts, regularly cross marked, I'm occasionally out by the odd mark on individual questions, but more than comfortably 'within tolerance'- so not mucking up anyone's results, no.

My feedback, last time I looked, had me at a B, which is good - A is better, C is still OK, D means they expect you to do additional training before you're asked to examine again.

It's not a job I take huge pride in, no, beyond doing it competently. It's a grind. I teach for the love of it, & mark exams for the extra cash.

I'm very upfront in telling my students that their papers will be marked by someone who would far rather not read yet another essay about Curley's Wife or another descriptive piece about some random teenager's dream holiday - & I teach ways to make their work stand out.

Raven, do you mind me asking how much you get paid for those 350? And how well do you have to know the texts on the paper? I'm considering it for next year. Would rather do language but literature could be done over half term.

£4 something per script, & you do need to know all the texts which come up - & you don't know which texts you're examining on until the scripts arrive on your doorstep!

Last year, for Modern Prose/Drama, most of my scripts were An Inspector Calls or The Crucible (we teach neither, but I've taught both in the past, so that was OK but needed a bit of revision on my part) - some were based on anthology stories which I obviously had to study from scratch.

For Exploring Cultures, the vast majority did OM&M but I also had To Kill A Mockingbird (again, read it, not taught it, so had to spend a wknd before marking mugging up on it).

I would honestly say, based on discussion with departmental colleagues, that Eng Lang is the easier marking option - if you aren't easily phased by online marking & being regularly stopped because your marks don't agree. Half the reason I examine Lit is because someone in the department has to keep abreast of it & no-one else is enough of a masochist to agree to do it....

My first year it took me every minute of the three weeks - I'm pretty experienced now, but 'getting it done over half term' is every year's pipe dream, tbh.

Not that I'm trying to put you off - it does really inform your teaching. Cynicism aside, worth doing for a couple of years for that.

Wjec are 3.55 per script! Damn!

That's great advice, thanks, especially the piles of 5 thing.

Now someone needs to tell me how to do this over half term with a 6 year old and a 3 year old! I've already told DH he should consider himself a single parent as far as the weekends are concerned!

I mark for AQA for a different subject at GCSE. It is a real love/hate affair. Initially it starts off well, i sail through standardisation and all is looking rosy. Seems different to others on here as all marking is done online so you never see any scripts, only clips on the computer. We are strongly advised to mark one question at a time ie i mark 750 responses to question 1 ai, then move on. This has huge advantages in terms of standardisation, and of course they occasionally throw in hidden seeds to check the quality of your marking. About 10 days in i am fed up, never going to do it again, want an evening off but there is no time to do so. Then just as i am swearing never to do it again the final hurdle comes into view, and the first part payment lands in my bank account
In terms of improving your teaching it is invaluable having a proper insight into what sort of responses actually gain marks.

I'm doing Edexcel and have the extended writing (expert marked) questions using epen. I have done the epen training and with my subject having its exam before the half term (and teenage DS who as long as there is electricity and internet don't need anything else!) so I am hoping to break the back of it during that week.

Thanks for the tip in regards to 'piles' it does sound like a plan in order to stay focused without losing the will to live! I have 1800 or so to do with staggered deadlines

"In terms of improving your teaching it is invaluable having a proper insight into what sort of responses actually gain marks" that's why I have finally taken the plunge (especially as I have had to change the qualification type for the subject I teach and have been devoid of GCSE for a number of years)

I think I just need to put the kids in storage for 3 weeks.

Like to Kingthistle post!

I can only second/third those who say set a daily quota to complete with room for leftovers. I mark all of 1 question first, then next and so on which helps consistency an helps with speed as the mark scheme becomes more familiar more quickly.

Time wise, I am a lark so found it easier to
get up early in the morning and do half of day's allocation in the morning. You will quickly get an idea of how long it takes you to do 5 papers and then you will know how much time you need to set aside each day.

I will say there is nothing better for professional development. I have picked up some vital points which I have been able to pass on to the department. I will say there is nothing worse for your sanity, halfway through you lose the will to live but it pays for my summer holiday .

ellie - tried that today with my first question; marked all of my allocation then got an email from my team leader telling me off! I am only to mark 25% so they can read and sign me off for the remaining 75% (despite my completing the qualifying set)

Even completing the qualifying set has meant more for my PD than most courses I have attended so even though I haven't even got dressed today to complete the practice/qualifying/marking of one question it has been worth it