How does the school mark the papers?

[inzell]

Hello all, my DD just took the exam on 29/Sep. We are in catchment. She normally scores above 90% on all three subjects (Maths, English, VR) while doing GL and Bond.

She did feel she's performed similarly as what she normally performs.

Results will be informed by 17th Oct. The wait is dragging and I can't stop thinking a lot of what ifs, such as:

What if the papers were marked with mistakes? How do they mark? Using a machine?
Can I request to see the papers and answers?

Thanks for your advice in advance!

[Sally-Anne]

The answer will depend on which area you are in, but:

1. The tests are almost all marked using an optical reader.

2. If your DD's answers are unclear, the machine will spit out the paper and it will be marked manually.

3. It is highly unlikely that you will be allowed to see the answer sheet, let alone the question paper. Instead, you may be able to request a re-mark (usually for a fee) that might give you more insight into any problem areas.

[inzell]

Thank you Sally-Anne for the info!

[Wildfuture]

Sally-Anne please elaborate on point 2 - you seem to speak like you're in the know. What is classed as 'unclear'? How do you know the optical reader spits the paper out and it is hand marked?

Also point 3, what info do you have on the fees? What area are you referring to that charges a fee for a remark?

[Daogroupie]

It is unlikely that your dd will be able to reproduce the scores obtained in the home environment in the exam environment.

Under pressure it is very easy for candidates to misread questions and it is quite difficult for candidates to really judge how well they did.

Many schools do not offer remarks, some schools do not give out ranks or total score, just an indication of overall level.

Are you able to focus on your alternatives rather than on the result? DG

[Sally-Anne]

Sally-Anne please elaborate on point 2 - you seem to speak like you're in the know. What is classed as 'unclear'? How do you know the optical reader spits the paper out and it is hand marked?

The OMR can be set for different levels of sensitivity. For example, it can be set to reject any paper with two answers marked for one question (where there are no questions that have that option), where an answer is unclear or crosses two boxes, etc.

It is worth pointing out that the papers for virtually every school are set by, and marked by, GL or CEM who have enormous experience in this field. We have never known a child's score change after a re-mark, so accurate are the readers.

Also point 3, what info do you have on the fees? What area are you referring to that charges a fee for a remark?

In Bucks the charge is around £20.00. The option of a re-mark is generally not publicised by schools/LAs because they really don't want the hassle of it, especially given the accuracy of the OMRs.

[inzell]

Thanks for your reply. However I would disagree with you. My DD is a very calm child and she knows what she's doing. When she did her Grade 1 & 3 Violin exam, she said she's done OK and she got both Distinction. She's always the top girl in her class. So for theory, I know she should pass without doubt. But just as a mum, I'm unnecessarily worried about it - being her papers are marked incorrectly. Sounds daft isn't it? Sally-Anne already said it's unlikely to mark the papers wrong, so I'm a little relieved.

I'll make myself busy in a few other things.

It is unlikely that your dd will be able to reproduce the scores obtained in the home environment in the exam environment.

Under pressure it is very easy for candidates to misread questions and it is quite difficult for candidates to really judge how well they did.

Many schools do not offer remarks, some schools do not give out ranks or total score, just an indication of overall level.

Are you able to focus on your alternatives rather than on the result? DG

[Daogroupie]

It is not to do with being calm, though that will certainly help. It is the reality of the exam environment rather than the home environment.

Being able to play chosen pieces well is quite different from sitting an exam paper.

Which school did she sit for?

Was the format multiple choice or standard format where you write in the answers?

It sounds like she has done well so you don't need to be worried. But perhaps do not expect quite such high scores. DG

[inzell]

Hello DG, thanks and I know what you mean.
When I said she's very calm, she plays at orchestra and different concerts in big venues, so I know she's calm and not scared of being in a new/ big environment, like the exam hall.
It's CRGS in Lancashire, and multiple choices format.
Husband kept saying not to worry, and it's already done, nothing we can do. I don't know how to describe my current state, very strange.

On another note, there're a few elements in the music exams, not just chosen pieces, but others like sight reading which requires the candidate to read and perform of a piece of music that the performer has not seen before.

[Daogroupie]

It is a very hard time but get used to it as there is a long road ahead of feeling like this for GCSE results, A Level results and then university applications and possibly interviews.

It sounds like she has all the ingredients of success. Being in big venues before will certainly have helped her and both my dds have commented that years of playing with orchestras in big venues and doing music exams was helpful when it came to all the exams they have had to do from 11 plus to university entrance tests.

However it is generally considered that there will be at least a 10% drop in scores from mocks to the real thing.

I look forward to hearing about your dd's success on 17th October. DG