How do you calculate my mark for the paper that you have discounted?
When a paper is discounted, we calculate assessed marks based on how the candidate’s marks for the papers they sat compare to the marks scored by all candidates for those papers. This calculation allows us to award candidates an overall syllabus grade and to produce a PUM. You can find full details of how we calculate assessed marks on our Calculating assessed marks webpage.
Are assessed marks reliable?
Assessed marks are reliable and the grade that we will issue using an assessed mark can be trusted. The calculation of assessed marks is a well-established method of awarding a mark to a candidate for a particular component. In every exam series we have a number of candidates who cannot complete a component assessment and apply to us for ‘special consideration – absent for an acceptable reason’. In these cases, we calculate an assessed mark so that the candidate can receive a syllabus grade and progress with their education or next life steps. We have used this assessed marks method in previous instances where we have had evidence that question paper content was shared in advance of the exam, or where large groups of students have been unable to take an exam.
Without calculating an assessed mark, we are unable to award an overall syllabus grade. The calculation of assessed marks is a well-established method of awarding a mark to a candidate for a particular component. Universities accept and trust results which use this process.
How do calculated marks make sure that students are not disadvantaged?
Our approach to calculating assessed marks makes sure candidates with assessed marks have no systematic advantage or disadvantage compared to other candidates. The assessed mark they receive reflects their hard work and their performance in the other components. Candidates can still get 100% of the marks and have access to top grades.
The calculated assessment methodology looks at the pattern of the performance of all candidates across different components and replicates this pattern for candidates who have a calculated mark. The methodology makes sure that candidates are not disadvantaged if their calculated mark is for the paper that candidates usually find easier. For example, if the candidates who took all the components had a mean mark of 60% on Paper 1 and a mean mark of 45% on Paper 2, then we know that it is harder to score marks on Paper 2 than on Paper 1. If a candidate has not taken Paper 1, then we will produce a mark for Paper 1 that places them in the same percentile position for the component(s) they did not sit as their position for the components they did sit.
You can see an example of this on our Calculating assessed marks webpage.
We use this methodology for individual candidates who have been absent from an exam for an acceptable reason and have applied successfully for special consideration. However, the methodology works equally well with larger groups of students, and we have used it in previous instances where we have had evidence that question paper content was shared in advance of the exam, and where large groups of students have been unable to take an exam.
My candidates usually do better in the paper that you have discounted. Will they be disadvantaged?
We understand your concern that an individual candidate may have performed better in the paper that has been discounted than in the paper they sat. For example, many AS candidates find it easier to score marks on the pure mathematics paper 9709/13, which has been discounted, than they do on papers 9709/43 or 9709/53, which are the papers which will be used to produce their assessed mark.
The calculated assessment methodology makes sure that candidates are not disadvantaged. The calculation reflects the fact that candidates often find one paper harder or easier than another. The calculated assessment methodology looks at the pattern of performance by all candidates across different components and replicates this pattern for candidates who have a calculated mark. This means that if all candidates find paper 9709/13 easier and score higher marks on this paper, then this will be reflected in the assessed mark that candidates are awarded for 9709/13.
What is the sample size for the calculated assessed paper?
In our explanation about how assessed marks are calculated, we say: We calculate assessed marks based on how the marks the candidate scored in the components they sat compare to the marks scored by all candidates for those components.
The number of all candidates varies across the affected components. However, for the components that have been discounted in China, there were candidates in other countries who took these components and the other components in the syllabus. We will use the distributions of the marks for these candidates to calculate the marks for the discounted components.
This process means a candidate who was unable to take an exam is placed in the same percentile position for the component(s) they did not sit as their position for the components they did sit. Calculating marks in this way makes sure that candidates with assessed marks are not given a systematic advantage or a disadvantage compared to the candidates who sat the component.
Will you use predicted grades?
The results that we issue to candidates will be based on examination evidence. We will not be issuing candidates with their forecast grades, or any other kind of predicted grade from the centre.