In accordance with the Code of Practice for the conduct of external qualifications produced by QCA, Earlsheaton Technology College is committed to ensuring that:
Internal/controlled assessments
- Internal assessments are conducted by staff who have the appropriate knowledge, understanding and skills;
- Giving overall advice and information to departments and senior management. Keeping all informed of any changes in regulations. – Exams Officer
- Decisions on timetable for production and completion of controlled assessments. – Subject Leaders consult with Exams Officer
- Ensuring that controlled assessments are not timetabled to overload pupils. – Exams Officer
- Deciding when controlled assessments should be submitted to the examination boards – Subject Leaders
- Application of the correct security level for individual sections of the controlled assessments. – Subject Leaders consult with Exams Officer
- Responsibility for secure storage of, and access to, the controlled assessments while they are being completed. – Subject Leaders to consult with Exams Officer
- Arranging access to ICT facilities when needed for completion of controlled assessments – Subject Leaders, Subject Leader for ICT and Exams Officer to consult
- Responsibility for attending standardisation meetings organised by the examination boards. – Subject Leaders and Inset Co ordinator
- Responsibility for internal standardisation of controlled assessment marking. – Subject Leaders
- Access arrangements to be put in place for pupils where needed. – Subject Leader, SENCO and Exams Officer to consult
- Dispatch of the controlled assessments to the moderators for individual boards – Exams officer
- Dealing with specific problems for individual pupils eg. Illness. – Exams Officer
- Assessment evidence provided by candidates has been produced and authenticated according to the requirements of the specification; – Subject Teacher
- The consistency of the internal assessment is secured through internal standardisation as necessary; – Subject Teacher and Exams Officer
- Staff responsible for internal standardisation attend any compulsory training sessions. – Exams Officer and Subject Leader
Written appeals procedure
Each awarding body publishes its arrangements for appeals against its decisions. In addition, an appeal can be made to the school concerning internal assessment: (coursework)
- The appeal applies only to the procedures used in arriving at internal assessments decisions and does not apply to the judgement themselves; you cannot appeal against the mark or grade only the procedures used
- The parent or guardian may make an appeal in writing to the School’s Examinations Officer by the deadline. This deadline may be extended in exceptional circumstances in situations where the coursework marking and moderation schedule extends beyond this time.
- The enquiry into the internal process will normally be led by the Examinations Officer provided that he has not played any part in the original internal assessment process;
- The teacher making the assessment will be able to respond to the appeal in writing, and a copy will be sent to the student.
- The enquiry will consider whether the procedures used for the internal assessment were in conformity with the published requirements of the Awarding Body and the ‘Code of Practice’.
The Student will be informed in writing of the outcome of the appeal, including:
- Relevant communications with the Awarding Body;
- Any steps taken to further protect the interest of the candidates i.e. videoing.
If the student is unhappy about the response in writing, he/she can ask for a personal hearing, where the panel will consist of two persons not previously involved, normally the Head Teacher and a member of the Governing body.
Enquiries About Results (Re-marks)
In cases of Enquiries About Results, where the school does not uphold a request for such an enquiry, the student may normally pay to have an enquiry carried out . Where the student wishes to challenge the decision not to hold an enquiry or consequent appeal, a similar procedure to that mentioned above will be carried out.
External Examinations
If a student’s final mark is within 3% of a grade that was forecast by the Head of faculty, Earlsheaton Technology College may finance an appeal by individual faculties. If the student is without of this criteria then the appeal must be financed by a parent/carer.
*Note:
Each awarding body specifies detailed criteria for the internal assessment of work. In addition, the awarding body must moderate the assessment and the final judgement on marks awarded is that of the awarding body. Appeals against matters outside the School’s control will not be considered in the School’s appeals procedure.
