Wanted: a-level history tutor to give 2nd opinion on Y13 coursework (already submitted and marked)

[buffbuff2020]

My son has just completed Y13 and is awaiting his results (next week, eek!). He's starting to get really worried that he's not going to get the grades he needs for uni - him and the rest of Y13 i imagine!

I was surprised by the mark he got for his coursework and given my experience with this school, I'm not 100% confident that it was marked impartially. I don't want to say what mark it was, or whether the experience I mention has been favourable or unfavourable. What I would like is for an a-level history teacher to cast their eye over his essay (4000 words) and tell me what mark they think it deserves.

I am happy to pay someone to do this. If anyone has a recommendation it would be much appreciated.

I know there is little to be gained from doing this now, its for my own peace of mind and curiosity if anything.

Thanks !

You're way past the time to appeal the mark so why bother?

My son was not made aware of the appeal process/deadline and did not tell me his mark until last night. Like I said, its more for my own sake to know whether or not his work has been marked impartially

You might be crossing a bridge you don’t need to cross - wait until Thursday, see what his grade is like and then decide what you want to do.

I'm assuming you think his coursework has been graded too low. There is literally no incentive for school to do this. None whatsoever.

I'm sure you're right. The problem I have is that my son needed to be predicted an A in History to get an offer on the course he really wanted to do, only offered at one university. His teacher predicted him a B, would not budge even after my son explained that he understood this would be an aspirational grade but needed it to at least get the offer. I also spoke to the teacher, who continued to refuse to predict the A. I then wrote to the Head of 6th form saying that I didn't understand the lack of leeway they were giving, considering all his other uni choices had lower grades and this would be an aspirational. Head said he completely understood and subsequently predicted the A.

I'm now concerned that the teacher who marked the work wanted to make a point and marked unfairly. His history tutor indicated to my son that she felt the coursework would have achieved a higher mark. I just want someone impartial to give their opinion.

You're completely right, if he gets the grades he needs for top choice uni then none of this will matter. I'll try and keep it together for another week!

How did he get on?

Thanks for the reminded of why I got out of teaching. You don't like the coursework mark - so you are prepared to pay a random stranger to do what? Challenge the teacher for nothing as the grade cannot be altered. You don't like the predicted grade so go over the head of the teacher to force an upgrade.

It is not in the teacher's interest to deliberately mark coursework down. They need to get good grades too. In addition, coursework is moderated through a random sample - this might be one of the piees chosen. No teacher wants to have their marks moved up or down, so highly unlikely that they would deliberately sabotage your child and themselves in this way.

Anyway, I do hope you child got the grades they needed.

When the coursework was marked and your son told the mark, the school will have made clear to your son the appeal process to go through if he felt that the mark scheme had not been accurately applied to his work. This is a JCQ requirement: he should have been given two weeks to appeal this before the internal marks were submitted for moderation.

If this did not happen, you need to take it up with the school in the first instance and then escalate your complaint if necessary.

Your son’s teacher will not have marked the work unfairly - not only is this pointless as NEAs are both internally and externally moderated, but it would also undermine the school’s reputation with the exam board and believe me, in the nicest possible way, no teacher is so bothered by one student that they’ll risk doing that.

Was your son’s history tutor one employed by you independent of the school?

Do some parents pay a private tutor to help with their child's NEA?