Union calls for GCSEs to be marked by professionals

Monday, 22 August 2005 12:00 AM

The marking of examination papers should be performed by career professionals, a major teachers' union has said.

Following an admission by exam board Edexcel that it had been using administrative staff to help mark this summer's GCSE papers, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) has called for the current set-up to be changed.

NUT assistant general secretary John Bangs said it was "not acceptable" for people who were not qualified teachers to be used. He said the importance of exams on the life chances of students should be reflected by making the post of exam marker a career.

"You have got to have the people involved in teaching and learning, working with the students throughout the year - the people who know about examinations - also marking the examination papers," he told Channel 4.

"Only they can understand the basis on which the subject has been set, the basis on which is has been taught."

Mr Bangs also warned the exam board could actually be tempted to frame the questions so that non-teachers can mark them more easily.

"The real problem - and I would like to see the examination boards, the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and particularly the government understand this - is you cannot expect teachers year-on-year to add on marking to everything else they do," he added.

"Being an examiner should be part of a career as important as being a deputy head or a head teacher."

In response Edexcel has defended its position, insisting the quality of exam-marking remains of the highest standard and pointing out that the use of non-teaching graduates in the marking process is "accepted practice" among exam boards.

"Edexcel is confident in the quality of the marking of its scripts by suitably qualified and trained markers, meeting the regulator's code of practice," the organisation said in a statement.

"On GCSE results day, students will receive the right grade for their work, marked in a professional way.

"The small number of Edexcel staff involved in marking were suitably qualified graduates, many with teaching experience."

Commenting on the issue, a spokeswoman for the exam watchdog the QCA said "overwhelming majority" of markers are teachers or people with teaching experience.

"All markers will receive proper training before they commence marking, and their work will be checked by a senior marker. If it does not reach the appropriate standard they will not be able to continue marking," she said.

Tags: