SV Academy External Assessment, Reviews of Marking and Post-Results Services Policy

1. Statement of Intent

SV Academy is committed to ensuring that all assessment, marking, moderation, results and post-results processes are administered fairly, consistently, transparently and in accordance with current awarding organisation, JCQ and regulatory requirements.

This policy covers reviews of centre-assessed marks before submission and post-results services for externally assessed work after results have been issued.

2. Scope

This policy applies, where relevant, to GCSE, GCE AS and A level, Project qualifications, vocational and technical qualifications, and other regulated qualifications delivered or entered through SV Academy. Awarding organisation rules take precedence where qualification-specific requirements apply.

3. Regulatory Framework

• JCQ General Regulations for Approved Centres

• JCQ Instructions for Conducting Non-Examination Assessments

• JCQ Notice to Centres - Informing candidates of their centre-assessed marks

• JCQ Post-Results Services guidance and awarding organisation deadlines

• JCQ appeals guidance

• Ofqual qualification-level conditions and the Ofqual Handbook

• published procedures of each awarding organisation used by SV Academy

4. Key Definitions

5. Roles and Responsibilities

Directors / Proprietor

• Provide governance oversight and appropriate resources for compliant assessment and examination arrangements.

Executive Headteacher

• Provides strategic oversight of assessment integrity and regulatory compliance.

• Ensures significant examination or assessment risks are escalated and addressed.

Headteacher

• Leads day-to-day implementation of Academy assessment procedures.

• Ensures staff and candidates understand local procedures and entitlements.

Head of Centre

• Retains the accountability assigned by JCQ and awarding organisations.

• Ensures required internal appeals and post-results procedures are available.

• Receives outcomes of centre mark reviews and submits awarding organisation appeals for internal candidates where required.

Examinations Officer

• Publishes centre deadlines and candidate information.

• Coordinates Access to Scripts, clerical re-checks, reviews of marking, reviews of moderation and appeals.

• Obtains and retains written candidate consent where required.

• Maintains secure records.

Subject Teachers / Assessors / QA Staff

• Apply assessment criteria accurately and consistently.

• Participate in standardisation.

• Retain work, mark sheets, annotations and evidence.

• Do not alter candidate work after a centre mark has been communicated.

6. Internal Review of Centre-Assessed Marks Before Submission

Candidates must be informed of their centre-assessed marks before submission where the qualification rules require this, so they can request a review of the centre marking.

6.1 Informing Candidates

• SV Academy will publish internal review deadlines before the awarding organisation deadline.

• Candidates will be told that centre marks are provisional and may later change through moderation.

6.2 Access to Materials

• Candidates may request the marked assessment material and relevant mark scheme or assessment criteria.

• Materials will be provided promptly. Original secure material will only be viewed under supervision where necessary.

• Candidates will normally receive at least five working days to consider the materials where the awarding organisation timetable allows.

6.3 Making a Review Request

• Requests must be in writing by the published deadline.

• The candidate must explain the grounds for the review by reference to the assessment criteria or marking applied.

• The review is of the work already submitted; no additional or improved work may be added.

6.4 Conducting the Review

• The reviewer must be appropriately competent, must not have previously assessed the candidate for the component and must have no conflict of interest.

• The reviewer will consider the work, mark sheet, annotations and internal standardisation evidence.

• The reviewer will decide whether the mark is consistent with the centre standard and whether a marking error occurred.

• The reviewer must record reasons for upholding or changing the mark.

6.5 Outcome

• The candidate will receive the outcome in writing before the awarding organisation submission deadline.

• The outcome will be logged and reported to the Head of Centre.

• The written record will be retained and supplied to the awarding organisation on request.

7. Awarding Organisation Moderation

Awarding organisation moderation may change centre-assessed marks upwards or downwards. The internal review does not prevent later moderation and the mark submitted by the centre remains provisional until the awarding process is complete.

8. Post-Results Services for Externally Assessed Work

Candidates will be informed of post-results arrangements and centre deadlines before results are issued.

8.1 Access to Scripts

• Where available, scripts or assessment materials may be requested to help decide whether a review should be sought.

• Required candidate permission will be obtained where applicable.

8.2 Clerical Re-check

This checks that all parts were marked and that marks were correctly totalled and recorded. Written candidate consent is required where the rules require it because the result may go down as well as up.

8.3 Review of Marking

This reviews the original marking for marking errors; it is not a fresh re-mark. Written candidate consent is required because the mark or grade may go down, stay the same or go up.

8.4 Priority Review of Marking

Where available, a priority service may be used for time-critical progression decisions, subject to the awarding organisation rules and deadlines.

8.5 Review of Moderation

• This concerns the awarding organisation moderation of centre-assessed work, not an individual candidate review.

• It normally uses the original moderation sample and may not be available where centre marks were accepted without change.

• Candidate consent is not normally required, but component marks may be lowered and candidates must be informed of possible future certification effects.

9. Candidate Consent and Fees

• Written candidate consent will be obtained for clerical re-checks and reviews of marking where required.

• Candidates will be told that results may go down as well as up before consent is given.

• Any applicable fees will be explained before a request is submitted.

10. Centre Decisions Not to Request a Post-Results Service

Where SV Academy decides not to support an internal candidate request for a post-results service, the candidate may use the Academy internal appeal route within the published deadline.

11. Appeals to Awarding Organisations

• An awarding organisation appeal usually follows completion of the relevant review-of-results service.

• For internal candidates, the Head of Centre submits the appeal where permitted grounds exist.

• Current awarding organisation grounds and deadlines will always be checked.

12. Vocational and Technical Qualifications

For BTEC and other vocational or technical qualifications, SV Academy will follow the specific awarding organisation rules for internal assessment complaints, quality assurance, results services and appeals.

13. Private Candidates

Where SV Academy accepts private candidates, their review and appeal rights will be administered under the current JCQ and awarding organisation rules.

14. Equality, SEND and Accessibility

Review and post-results information will be made accessible where reasonably required. Reasonable adjustments will support access to the process without changing the assessment standard or the substance of the review.

15. Confidentiality, Data Protection and Records

• Candidate work, scripts, marks and review records will be handled securely.

• External reviewers must comply with data protection requirements.

• An audit trail of review and post-results activity will be retained.

16. Candidate Procedure - Review of a Centre-Assessed Mark

1. Receive your provisional centre mark and review deadline.

2. Request the marked work and criteria if needed.

3. Study the materials; normally at least five working days will be provided where the timetable allows.

4. Submit a written request by the deadline explaining your grounds.

5. An independent competent reviewer will consider the work and centre standard.

6. Receive the written outcome before marks are submitted.

7. Remember that later awarding organisation moderation may still change the mark.

17. Candidate Procedure - After Results

1. Speak to the Examinations Officer promptly after results are issued.

2. Check the centre and awarding organisation deadlines.

3. Where useful, request access to the marked script.

4. Give written consent for services that can reduce marks or grades.

5. Use the Academy internal appeal route if the centre declines to submit a requested service.

6. Ask about awarding organisation appeals only after the relevant review service has been completed.

18. Monitoring and Review

This policy will be reviewed annually and sooner where JCQ, Ofqual, awarding organisation requirements or Academy arrangements change.

19. Related Policies

• NEA, Controlled Assessment and Coursework Policy

• Access to Fair Assessment Policy

• Assessment Appeals and Procedures Policy

• Cheating, Malpractice and Plagiarism Policy

• Examinations Policy

• Data Protection, Privacy and Use of Images Policy

Appendix A - Review of Centre-Assessed Mark Request