KS2 SATS marking - advice please!

[Clara1970]

Hi everyone,

After being out of the classroom for a few years and marking optional tests for NFER from 2008 - 2018 I applied to mark KS2 sats because I really enjoyed doing that, found working from home suited me greatly and was sad when they stopped the optional marking programme. Capita have emailed and I have just been offered a role for 2025 SATs.

However, in spite of requesting to mark Mathematics papers (I was Numeracy Coordinator at my last school and have taught primary maths privately for the last eighteen years to strugglers) they've offered me English Reading. I've emailed to ask if there is an opportunity to switch in the light of my application but if there isn't, I might well give the Reading a try. While I wait though, might I ask the following of you Mumsnetters?

Firstly, do the children's papers get delivered to our house (they did for NFER so I'm assuming they do)? Is the process for returning these fairly straightforward? Secondly, how active do we have to be during the e-training days with regards to verbal participation, as in, will I have to speak?! (I have a fear of being the only one not having a clue what's going on and making a right wally of myself in front of hundreds of people!)

Lastly is the amount of work involved - e-learning and the actual marking - worth it (I know it's not great pay but I really enjoyed NFER marking and think I might enjoy SATs marking - but I don't want to sign up for unnecessary stress!)

Are there any lessons learned that you could pass on to a Newbie? I'd be really grateful for any advice from anyone who can help.

Thanks so much! Sending you all a virtual cup of tea and a biscuit

Clara xx

This doesn’t answer all your questions as I’m not 100% sure on some of them, but my boyfriend did it last year and it’s all online now, they didn’t send tne papers to him at home, the questions appeared on screen. That was maths but I’m sure it’s the same for all of them now!

Oh thank you - that's really helpful, I had heard it was all online now but was unsure, the clarity is really useful. Best wishes x

There were lots of threads on Reddit last year about exam marking including SATS and I'm afraid to say it sounded fairly awful - lots of issues around papers being slow to load online and just really low pay for how long it takes, with a lack of transparency around the pay rate per question. I do hope it's better for you but it might be worth searching old threads so you're going into it aware of potential pitfalls.

I didn't sign up as I couldn't find a straight answer regarding pay besides a vague promise to meet minimum wage. Lots of threads disputed it does meet minimum wage.
I received several reminders to sign up so I wonder if they're short of people.

I did it last year, but can't this year. It's entirely online - no physical papers. You don't mark a whole paper, just set questions which are anonymously posted - I had 7 different ones last year. So I'd usually mark 50 answers of the same question, then switch to the next one and repeat ad infinitum. I found that the work dried up before the end of the exam session, so I couldn't complete my allocated amount. If you want to maximise money made, you need to go hell for leather over the first week or so and exceed the allocation targets. It was tedious, and not well paid. However, I would do it again, as it's useful extra cash.

Oh and with regard to the training. Yes, if they call on you you will be expected to answer verbally. It's not that complicated though, and no cameras are on so it's very anonymous.

Pay rate per question wasn't confirmed before we started, so you just have to do it and accept what they decide to pay, basically.

Oh and the training is only done in groups of 30 or so, a s you can't see anyone's face.

I have marked Reading papers for the last few years including doing a Lead Marker role last year. I am not taking part this year as I found that it takes up the whole of the May half term and I was working every free hour I got. I don’t think the pay reflected how long it takes to mark the Reading paper compared to the workload of other papers. I think they’re struggling to recruit for the Reading paper as I keep getting emails asking to apply for the role.

That's all really incredibly useful information, thank you all so much xxx

I applied to mark the SATS as I did it last year and was accepted. I filled everything in and uploaded it in march. I’ve now had an email to say I’ve been withdrawn as I didn’t upload the required information. No reminders- even though I know I did fill everything in on time. I have emailed back and sent screenshots as proof that everything was sent to them. I receive generic emails back simply confirming I have been withdrawn. Anyone else received this? How do I fight this? Do I fight this or see it as a lucky escape as last year, while going through it, I promised I’d never put myself through it again!! Thank you!

I too used to be a maths marker for many years. After a few years off, I stupidly accepted the reading contract I was offered this year.

I didn't know the pay rate before I signed up. The pay rate was buried in a document somewhere that you got, once you were granted access to the online systems. But it wasn't easy to translate at all.

I was paid yesterday and got my pay slip.

£106 for a 8.30am-4pm day on Teams.

£0.04p to mark 3 questions in some segments. Other segments paid £0.12 for tables/in-depth answers.

Every segment wasn't straight forward and needed checking and rechecking for the nuance of the answers.

You had to print a mountain of paperwork at your own cost in order to efficiently mark.

I earned £512 for about 45 hours of work. I'm a quick worker. But this means I was paid under minimum wage.

Absolutely awful.

I am never marking reading again.

Did any of you take this up too?

Globules, I am the original poster and I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your post. I'm so sorry that you had a negative experience.

In the end I thought that this might all seem more stress than it was worth, to begin with I didn't feel much confidence in them because I'd made it clear that I wanted to mark maths, not reading, but I was tempted to give it a go for a short time. Then I considered how others had listed only negative experiences and binned the idea but then worried subsequently that perhaps I should have given it a go.

I am so sorry that you had a negative experience but thank you SO much for adding to this thread.

I hope you spend the money on something nice for yourself and I send you a virtual bouquet of flowers.

Best wishes,

Clara xx

Thanks Clara. The flowers are beautiful!

Currently on a train to London for a fun weekend. Lots of treats abound.

I'm glad my experience has assured you that you made the right decision. One positive to come from it.

Like you, I was in two minds. I enjoyed marking the maths papers and never found them to be a chore. So I decided to give it a go.

This online work was awful. The cut up segments meant you never got to "know" the child in the same way to did if you marked their whole paper.

For the first time ever, I know my marker grade will not be "excellent"

AND I DON'T CARE!!!!

Pearson have been awarded the contract for next year, so I wonder if they'll take all our feedback on board? Maybe next year is your year? I just know I'll be carefully examining all the info and asking far more questions before signing up again.

Shall we meet here again next year? 😉

I hope you have a lovely weekend, stay safe.

I think I will give up on marking from now on (I still keep eagerly checking NFER website even though you can hear the tumbleweed on that page!) and from what I've just read markers will probably be replaced by an AI bot in the not too distant future!

That said... hopefully see you again next year!

Sending you best wishes with a virtual cup of posh cafetiere coffee and slice of cake,

Clara xx

@Globules
That's awful! Glad I decided not to do it.
Thanks for the confirmation not to be tempted!