College Co-ordinator Conference
26 August 2014
Results Services
Neil MacGowan - Head of Operations
Results Services
 Now operational.
 Two parts
- Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service
- Post-result Services (Clerical Check / Marking Review).
 On-line service via the SQA Connect Portal.
Communication
 Announced January 2012
 Generic Information leaflet.
 Letter and leaflet sent to every candidate.
 ‘Beyond the Exam’ DVD.
 Your Exam Guide.
Exceptional Circumstances
Consideration Service
 Service opened on 22 April 2014. Colleges are
using the service and the new software system
successfully.
 Estimates are required to use the service.
 2015 Service will open on 14 April 2015.
 Request must be approved by the Principal.
 Use for exceptional Personal or Examination
circumstances.
 Evidence to support the request must be
retained by the college as post examination diet
colleges who used the service may be audited.
Hold evidence until end November 2014.
Exceptional Circumstances – General Principles
 Subject Specialist review of all evidence.
 No longer a post-certification Appeals Service.
 Generic advice for centres.
 Predictive value of all the evidence against the
requirements of the Course Assessment.
 Candidates awarded appropriate grade – evidence
not rejected based on a ‘technical flaw’.
 3,710 requests resulted in 2014.
Types of evidence
 Class Tests
 Coursework
 Mock Test
 Unit Assessments
Review Process
For each candidate, the Examiner will review:
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All Alternative Evidence
Any completed or partially completed Question Paper
Any non-Question Paper components
Statistical information (Estimates vs Results)
Once completed, the Examiner will then award the
appropriate grade
Summary
 The reason for the request is exceptional.
 The reason for the request falls into one of
the approved categories.
 The candidate’s performance has been
potentially affected by the circumstances.
 Appropriate documentation is held to support
the reason.
 The Principal has approved the request.
 The request is made within 10 working days
of the examination.
 In 2015 the System will close 19 June 2015.
Exceptional Circumstances – Key Dates 2015
14 April
System Opens
Closing date for all requests is 10 working days after the
examination for which the request is being made.
Receipt of evidence – 3 working days after the qualification request
closing date
July (TBA)
Results advised to centres under embargo.
August (TBA)
- Candidates receive their results and certificates
- Feedback for unsuccessful requests available online
at SQA Connect (Grade 8 / 9 candidates only).
25 September
Closing date for return of evidence requests.
7 December
Evidence returned.
Example – Higher French
Date
Process
14 April 2015
Results Services system opens for requests
• A request for Higher French can be submitted on SQA from
this date (Estimate must be in SQA system!)
• Evidence for Higher French can be posted to SQA from this
date.
22 May 2015
Date of Higher French exam
5 June 2015
Date by which a request for Higher French must be made.
(10 working days after the examination).
10 June 2015
Date by which evidence in support of the request for
Higher French must be received at SQA (3 working days
after the request window closes).
Post-result Services
 A significant change from previous arrangements!
 Open to all candidates
 No consideration of alternative evidence.
 Grades can go up and down.
 Charges will be applied to all unsuccessful requests.
 Two services available - Clerical Check
- Marking Review
 Only applicable to certificated Grades , not Bands.
Clerical Check
 SQA will check that
- All parts of the script have been marked
- The marks given for each answer on the script have
been totalled correctly.
- The correct total / result was entered onto the computer
system and evaluated to produce the correct grade.
 E-marked subjects not eligible for Clerical Check.
 A charge will be made for every unsuccessful request.
Marking Review
 A review of the candidate’s examination script, includes
- a Clerical Check
- A review by a senior member of the subject examining
team to confirm that the marks the candidate was given
for each externally assessed component was in line with
the national standard.
 Only requests from Principals via SQA Connect will be
accepted. Requests cannot be accepted from candidates.
 A charge will be made for every unsuccessful request
where no change is made to a candidate’s grade.
Using Post-result Services
 Colleges must exercise professional judgement
- Sense check estimates in light of actual results.
- Failure to achieve higher grade by a few marks?
 Building confidence in consistency of marking.
 Enhanced quality assurance procedures pre-certification.
 The college should have clear and compelling
evidence that there is a reasonable possibility that
an error may have occurred with the marking or
totalling of marks in a candidate’s script. Where the
candidate’s final grade is markedly at odds with the
totality of assessment evidence gathered during the
year and out of line with the performance of other
candidates with similar profiles.
Timelines 2014
Date
Process
5 August
Post-result Services opens online at SQA Connect.
20 August
Closing date for Priority requests for candidates
with a conditional University / College place.
27 August
Closing date for all Post-result Services.
System closes and no late requests considered.
29 August
Priority request decisions notified to UCAS.
30 September
Results advised to colleges via SQA Connect.
w/b 17 November
Revised certificates issued.
Still unhappy with the academic decision of SQA?
- There is no appeal available and the decision
made is final.
Summary:
Before submitting a Clerical Check or Marking
Review request, colleges must ensure that:
 The candidate has given permission for a request
to be made on their behalf.
 The candidate is aware that their grade could go up
or down.
 The request is being submitted within the published
time frame (late requests will not normally be
considered).
 They know a charge will be applicable to all
unsuccessful requests.
 The Principal has approved the request.
Charges 2014
Charge per each request:
 Clerical Check
-
£10.00
 Marking Review
-
£29.75
 Priority Marking Review -
£39.75
Support
 Helplines available to offer guidance and
support
 Webinars
 User Guides published including user guide
to online system
 Local CfE Support Manager
Questions