CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT
Ramsden Hall School fully recognizes its responsibilities for controlled assessments as part of some GCSE specifications, and realizes that it is necessary to ensure that the planning and management of the assessments are conducted efficiently and in the best interests of the candidates and to ensure there are clear guidelines for all relevant staff It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the centre’s exam process to read, understand and implement this policy. 1. Senior leadership team · Accountable for the safe and secure conduct of controlled assessments. · Ensure assessments comply with JCQ guidelines and awarding bodies’ subject-specific instructions. · In the summer term prior to the start of each academic year, begin co-coordinating with heads of department/subject to schedule controlled assessments. · Map overall resource management requirements for the year. As part of this resolve: * Clashes/ problems over the timing or operation of controlled assessments. * Issues arising from the need for particular facilities (rooms, IT networks, time out of school etc.) · Ensure that all staff involved have a calendar of events 2. Subject Leaders · Decide on the awarding body and specification for a particular GCSE. · Ensure that at least 40% of overall assessment (controlled and/or external assessment) is taken in the exam series in which the qualification is certificated, to satisfy the terminal assessment requirement in accordance with the awarding body specification. · Standardize internally the marking of all teachers involved in assessing an internally assessed component. · Ensure that individual teachers understand their responsibilities with regard to controlled assessment. · Ensure that individual teachers understand the requirements of the awarding body's specification and are familiar with the relevant teachers' notes, and any other subject specific instructions. · Where appropriate, develop new assessment tasks or contextualize sample awarding body assessment tasks to meet local circumstances, in line with awarding body specifications and control requirements. 3. Teaching Staff · Understand and comply with the general guidelines contained in the JCQ publication Instructions for conducting controlled assessments. · Understand and comply with the awarding body specification for conducting controlled assessments, including any subject-specific instructions, teachers’ notes or additional information on the awarding body’s website. · Supply to the exams office details of all unit codes for controlled assessments. · Obtain confidential materials/tasks set by awarding bodies in sufficient time to prepare for the assessment(s) and ensure that such materials are stored securely at all times. · Supervise assessments (at the specified level of control). Undertake the tasks required under the regulations, only permitting assistance to students as the specification allows. · Ensure that students and supervising teachers sign authentication forms on completion of an assessment. · Mark internally assessed components using the mark schemes provided by the awarding body. Submit marks through the exams office to the awarding body when required, keeping a record of the marks awarded. · Retain candidates’ work securely between assessment sessions (if more than one). · Post-completion, retain candidates’ work securely until the closing date for enquiries about results. In the event that an enquiry is submitted, retain candidates work securely until the outcome of the enquiry and any subsequent appeal has been conveyed to the centre. · Be aware of the internal appeals procedure. See appendix · Ask the appropriate special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) for any assistance required for the administration and management of access arrangements. 4. Exams office staff · Enter students for individual units, whether assessed by controlled assessment, external exam or on-screen test, before the deadline for final entries. · Enter students' 'cash-in' codes for the terminal exam series. · Where confidential materials are directly received by the exams office, to be responsible for receipt, safe storage and safe transmission, whether in CD or hard copy format. · Download and distribute mark sheets for teaching staff to use, and collect and send mark sheets to awarding bodies before deadlines. · On the few occasions where controlled assessment cannot be conducted in the classroom arrange suitable accommodation where controlled assessment can be carried out, at the direction of the senior leadership team. · Ensure access arrangements have been applied for. · Work with teaching staff to ensure requirements for support staff are met. · Write to parents informing them of the procedure for appeals. |
CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT – INTERNAL APPEALS PROCEDURE
If a student is unhappy about the procedures involved in arriving at a coursework mark that a department has awarded, the procedure is as follows. Stage 1 1. The student should ask the subject teacher to explain how the mark has been awarded. 2. If the student is not satisfied with this explanation they should raise the matter with the Curriculum Manager. Stage 2 If the student still does not understand, or does not accept the mark that has been awarded, an appeals panel will be set up. It is expected that an appeals panel will only be used in exceptional circumstances. The procedure will be as follows: 1. A request in writing for an appeal should be made to the Head Teacher stating the reasons for the complaint. 2. The teacher who has marked the work will respond in writing to the Head Teacher within two days of notification. A copy will be given to the student at this time. 3. If the student is not happy with the response they have received, the student can request a personal hearing from the Head Teacher. This request must be made within two days of the written reply. 4.The student will be given at least two days notice of the hearing date. 5. The Appeal Panel will consist of the Head of Year, Head of Department, Deputy Headteacher. The teacher involved will be present at the hearing. If the teacher who has marked the work is also the Head of Department or Head of Year, their line manager will take their place on the Appeal Panel. The student may bring a parent / guardian / carer to support them in presenting their case. 6. The candidate will be given a breakdown of marks awarded at least two days before the Appeal Panel takes place. 7. The Deputy Head Teacher will write to the student within two days of the hearing to explain the outcome. |