1. Centre Standardisation Training
Jan 2017

2. Objectives
To understand and apply NCC Education guidance and best practice in centre marking and standardisation
To develop a good understanding of Learning Outcomes, Grade Descriptors and use of the Marking Scheme to improve accuracy of centre marking
To understand, detect and prevent malpractice in candidate work
To put that learning into practice for a Business unit
To take back to your centre a model and materials to train others and undertake centre standardisation, for any NCC Education qualification, with confidence

3. Centre Standardisation – your experiences
How Do You Mark at Your Centre?
What is marking? What is moderation?
What procedures do you follow for marking & moderation?
What do you consider to be best practice in marking & moderation? Is this different to what you actually do at work?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your current marking & moderation practice?
How do you train new members of staff to carry out marking?

4. How are assessments created?
An assessment (examination paper or assignment) is designed to test achievement using design principles:
Learning Outcomes (LOs)
Assessment Criteria
Grade Descriptors
The Qualification Specification provides these by Unit

5. How are assessments created?
Learning Outcome
Identifies the desired learning objectives of the Unit. Describes the value added to a candidate’s knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities through successful completion of the Unit. A candidate who passes the Unit will have demonstrated evidence of meeting all the Learning Objectives identified for the Unit.
Assessment Criteria
For each Learning Outcome, a description of the specific knowledge, skills and abilities that will be assessed in the Unit.
Grade Descriptor
For each Learning Outcome, a description at each grade awardable for a Unit, of the candidate’s achievement in the assessment(s)

6. What is the role of the Marking Scheme?
The mark scheme confirms the LOs being tested
The mark scheme provides acceptable responses for which marks are awarded that demonstrate LOs, Assessment Criteria and Grade Descriptors
The mark scheme makes it possible to differentiate between levels of achievement

7. Objectives of Centre Standardisation
Check reliability, authenticity and accuracy of assessment decisions across tutors/sites/cohorts delivering the unit/qualification
Improve consistency in tutor’s marking judgements
Identify tutor development/training needs – action plans
Share good marking practice
Compare marking quality over time
Vital component of centre’s quality assurance system – must include all tutors
Evidence of centre standardisation should be available for centre monitoring
Ideally happens in every assessment cycle

8. Centre Standardisation Model
First Marking
Second Marking
Standardisation Meeting
Moderation
Agree marks
Tutor development action plans
Records
Sample selection (where relevant)
There should be a standardization meeting after the release of each cycle of results and moderation reports to analyse the results and feedback. This needs to be face to face and have sufficient time set aside for it in the centre timetable.

9. First Marking
First marker marks candidate’s work, second marker checks marking of the first marker.
First marker must make marking decisions clear :
Ticks and comments indicate where and why the marks were awarded. Second marker can interpret marking, NCC Education moderators have evidence to confirm centre marking is useful for candidate feedback
Add summary of mark for each task and overall mark on the front page of the candidate’s assessment submission.
Link to Learning Outcomes (LOs) and Grade Descriptors - Review marking of whole assessment

10. Second Marking
Check the consistency and accuracy of first marking - challenge marks that cannot be justified.
When marking is challenged, indicate clearly where and why – supports centre standardisation meeting and NCC Education moderators understand final mark awarded by centre.
Second marker must be familiar with Learning Outcomes and Grade Descriptors and the Marking Scheme.

11. Standardisation Meeting
First and second markers meet
Review example NCC Education materials where available
Agree marking standards at each Grade Descriptor – what you expect to see
Review candidate work (a sample)
Agree final centre marks
Record justifications for final decisions - ensure it is clear to NCC Education moderators why marks are awarded.
Use a third marker to moderate sample of the agreed marking – for large cohorts, multiple tutors/sites
Plagiarism reports (Turnitin) also reviewed as part of agreeing final centre marks (authenticity check)

12. General Guidelines
The following should be included for the final submission to NCC Education:
A Turnitin report.
A statement of students having done their own work.
The documentation of the assignment
Marking Sheet/Scheme with explanations and actions
taken if plagiarism is discovered
Copies of all work sent for moderation should be kept at the centre

13. This could be for one of the following reasons:
Results not issued
This could be for one of the following reasons:
Students not registered, enrolled and paid for
Moderators are not happy with marking and centre is requested to remark and if remark not done in time for result release. Remark could be requested for one of the following:
Inconsistent or very lenient marking
Incorrect adding up
Not enough samples sent
Suspected plagiarism, or originality score too high and marker has taken no action
Assessment board halt release of results as have queries on plagiarism, malpractice etc.
Work sent to the incorrect address
Work sent too late

14. Activity – centre standardisation in practice
You will now have the opportunity to practice using Mark Schemes along with the information in the Qualification Specification to carry out and discuss the following:
First Marking
Second Marking
Standardisation Meeting

15. Activity – centre standardisation in practice
What have you learnt?
What will you now change in your centre?
Questions?

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