Richer Pupils Remark Papers

Less financially advantaged pupils cannot afford or struggle to pay remark fees for A-level papers.

17:50 02 April 2015

A teacher's union warn that colleges are potentially discriminating against poorer pupils, by asking them to pay for the exam remark fee, which can be up to £48.60.

 

Schools have been asking parents to meet the cost for their child's appeal as a result of the tens of thousands of pounds fees they themselves face for appeals.

 

According to Ofqual, last year there was almost a 50% increase in appeals of GCSEs and A-levels, a tenth of which resulted in altered exam grades.

 

Dr Bousted said that the exam marking quality is an issue and this is reflected in the number of appeals.  One instance she gave was a paper, which when remarked, was increased from an unclassified grade, to an "A".

 

She said that she found the schools' need to ask parents for money, "regrettable."

 

She also stated that achieving good grades first time, is increasingly important, due to the constraints on resits and the move to linear qualifications.

 

Research has been voted to be carried out on the remark fees schools face.