Understanding exam results and post results

1. Understanding exam resultsand post results Summer 2014

2. Raw marks versus UMS marks Raw marks UMS marks Consistent from year to year Reported on results paperwork Used to calculate overall grades • Used in mark schemes • Given for each question on exam papers • Can change for the same unit from year to year • Are used to calculate grade boundaries

3. Check the marks on the results slip

4. The GCE spreadsheet shows how many UMS marks are available

5. Look at the back of the results slip to work out grade boundaries

6. Post results – retake or remark? Retakes Remarks Expensive Risky – if mark goes down, it stays down If successful, fee is refunded, and revision can be concentrated on remaining units • Relatively cheap • No risk – highest mark counts • Can lead to a very full exam timetable • Now only available in the following Summer

7. Advice • For unit results, UMS scores are more important than grades – remarks are only really useful if there is a chance of improving the subject grade. • Before requesting a remark, order a priority script first and seek advice from subject staff to see if it is worthwhile. • Remember that it is very unusual to improve by more than one grade between AS and A2, particularly if your UMS total at AS shows you are at the lower end of a grade band. In this case you may want to consider retaking one or more units. • However, resits are now only available a full year later, and there is anecdotal evidence that resitting AS units alongside A2 units can affect the results in both. Again, seek advice from subject staff.

8. Contact the Exams Office • By ‘ phone 01582 716242/716272 • By e-mail examsoffice@stgeorges.herts.sch.uk This presentation is also available on the school website www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk by clicking on the exams link on the left hand side of the home page