Raw Marks is an NSEAD survey report which aims to identify the impact on teachers and learners of giving centre-assessed raw marks to GCSE, AS and A level art and design candidates.
NSEAD members have year on year, expressed their increasing concerns about the process. Despite teachers best efforts to organise and share raw marks with their candidates, this report concludes that an independent subject-specific review of the process is urgently needed, and given our findings, that the process ends as soon as possible.
This report includes a timeline to map how the procedure of giving raw marks to students was initially rolled out, together with examples of the online guidance that is available. We have included feedback from NSEAD’s member forum and qualitative and quantitative data from our Raw Marks teacher survey.
The survey was conducted 22 May and 7 July 2024. Over 300 teachers took part. The report was written by Sophie Leach, deputy general secretary of NSEAD.
Download and read Raw Marks here
Report findings include:
The process of giving raw marks to students is causing undue stress on students
274 art and design teacher respondents (92%) indicated that the process is causing undue stress on students.
The process of giving raw marks to students is causing undue stress on teachers
There were 284 (95%) art and design teacher respondents said that the process is causing teachers undue stress.
NSEAD recommends:
JCQ and Ofqual undertake an urgent independent consultation and impact study of the requirement that teachers give raw marks to art and design candidates. Given the evidence and findings in this report, NSEAD recommends that the process ends as soon as possible.
The proposed impact study would consult with art and design teachers from across the sector. It would examine relevant subject-specific data to identify if the process is meeting the needs of all young people regardless of school or background. it would also identify how the process, guidance, training and the procedure itself impacts on teachers and learners.
Michele Gregson, CEO and general secretary of NSEAD, says:
The Raw Marks Survey Report has identified a number of unintended consequences – with the process and giving all marks to art and design students impacting most on teachers and learners. The report reflects the overwhelming need for subject-specific review of the procedure. Art and design teachers are calling for change.
We believe that the well-intended initiative to increase the transparency of the assessment process, is now having a detrimental impact on the very people it wished to help, our learners. Time and time again, year on year, and now in this survey, we have learned of candidates receiving their marks, comparing their ‘final’ grade to others, and experiencing high levels of anxiety. And this can be before or even during their examinations in other subjects. Our survey also shows the impact on teacher workload and wellbeing, and that the process can detrimentally impact on teacher professionalism. All this, just when our subject is facing a teacher recruitment and a retention crisis.
Together with our members, we must also ask is the procedure fair? Meaning which socio-economic groups are more likely to question their marks, and which groups have their marks and favourably changed? Until our questions are answered, we call for the process of giving raw marks to students to end. Should it continue at all, an urgent subject-specific review of the process cannot come soon enough.