It’s Time To Confront A-level Marking’s Dirty Little Secret
In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, there exists a troubling disparity related to exam results, one which no one seems quite sure how to fix. However, there may be a solution that can help address the problem. The issue lies in the process of appealing exam results, which is disproportionately available to those in private schools due to a higher level of financial freedom. Essentially, if a student in a private school receives an exam result they believe is incorrect, their school has the ability to have the exam paper remarked independently, with the cost of £50 being only a minor deterrent due to their greater financial freedom. In contrast, state schools receive fewer top grades, have limited financial resources, and are more cautious about making use of the appeals process due to the financial risk. This means that the likelihood of exam papers being independently marked is higher among students in private schools than those in state schools.
Exam boards have attempted to combat this disparity by ordering the re-marking process to be less generous, resulting in score changes becoming less likely and making the £50 fee less valuable. However, this solution is insufficient because it negatively impacts those who are most risk-averse and cannot afford to gamble on a re-mark. Ultimately, as long as appeals carry a price tag, private schools will always hold an advantage over state schools.
A potential solution would involve making the appeals process free for all schools and students while introducing an independent assessment. Independent assessors, who could be teachers or examiners working as self-employed consultants, would be asked by schools or students to check over a paper, and only if the assessor agrees that a re-mark is justified would the paper be forwarded to an exam board. However, the assessor would have to pay the initial £50, and if the exam mark is not changed, they would lose out. If their hunch is correct and the mark is changed, though, they would be paid £150 by the exam body. This system would be easy to arrange electronically, as exam papers are already uploaded and marked online, and one of the largest exam boards, Pearson, will soon share marked exam papers with students on result day. Examiners could then commence re-marking immediately, expediting the process and reducing the wait time for students.
From the student and school’s viewpoint, this solution is beneficial because it is free, thereby promoting social equity. It also offers equal access to the opportunity for a re-mark, and those who initially marked the exam paper correctly are incentivized to do so because they would lose money if they marked it incorrectly. Additionally, it would penalize exam boards that repeatedly make errors. Overall, this solution gives everyone the same opportunity and ensures fairness in the appeals process.
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