GCSE Specification A GEOGRAPHY

TEACHERS’ BULLETIN February 2012

Marking and annotation of controlled assessmenttasks

Dear colleagues,

The time for getting your sample of controlled assessment tasks is fast approaching. With that in mind I have uploaded some examples of candidate work to the secure part of the WJEC website. So far I have uploaded:

  • Both pieces of work from a candidate who just about got a C grade from his/her Unit 3.
  • A rivers fieldwork enquiry from a very good A grade candidate
  • A coastal fieldwork enquiry from a very good A grade candidate.

I hope to upload some more over the next week or so.

The documents are saved as pdf files. You will be able to see the teacher’s annotation. Geraint Williams and I have read these samples of work carefully and have written an assessment commentary. Our comments can be read by clicking on the symbol of a yellow post-it note that is ‘stuck’ to the document. Geraint and I hope that you will find these comments helpful when you come to apply the mark scheme to the work of your own candidates.

Below are the answers to a few commonly asked questions and my replies:

What kinds of annotation do I need to add and how much should there be?

I recommend that you use the mark grids available on WJEC website and mark what your candidates have achieved with a highlighter pen. Ideally, you then need to annotate the candidate’s work with phrases like 'partial evidence of AO3 working at level 3' or 'AO2 level 4' at relevant places. If you have used the mark grids then, on average, you may only need to make 1, 2 or 3 such comments per page.

Please remember that candidates must write their controlled assessment tasks under levels of high control. You must not give them any feedback about their work during this phase or provide them with any formative comments that would allow them to improve their work by redrafting. Your annotation must be written after the candidate has finished their work and your comments are there to help the moderator – not the candidate.

How do I show that we have internally standardised the moderated sample?
Of course, as with any centre where the cohort has been taught by more than one teacher, we do expect you to have done your own internal standardisation before the marks are uploaded.

If one teacher has already marked the work and done the annotation - then there is no need for a second teacher to annotate it again as part of an internal standardisation process. However, I would recommend that the second teacher signs or initials the front page along with the annotation 'mark agreed'. If you disagree with the original mark that has been awarded then you should show your own breakdown of marks for each assessment objective. Once all the work is marked and internally standardised you will then need to review your decisions with other members of the department and indicate which of the two different marks you (as a centre) have agreed. Then transfer this mark to the correct WJEC cover sheet (CAA2 or CAA3).

Will the new on-line system require me to send the work of extra candidates this year?

There is no difference to previous years in terms of the sample selection formula. The only difference is that the system is now automated.

What about bi-lingual centres? How will the sample be chosen?

The new, automated system requires centres to upload the marks of all candidates from all English and Welsh classes. The system will then apply the sample to the overall rank order – irrespective of language.If, by chance, the sample selected turns out to be wholly English, or wholly Welsh, we won’t ask you to supplement it any way. In practice, of course, it’s likely to be a mixture of the two. The name and contact of your moderator will be given on the secure website at the time that you upload your marks. For bilingual centres the moderator will, of course, be a Welsh speaker.

Could I be asked to send an additional sample of work for any reason?

Moderators will, as always, make a judgement about the standard of marking both within the centre and across centres. If the sample sent by the centre indicates that insufficient internal standardisation has been applied to the cohort, then the moderator might ask for a further sample of work. This procedure is also the same as in previous years.

What if I think I can’t meet the deadline at the end of March?

If you know you will struggle to meet the deadline, and you have a legitimate reason, then please contact Steve James or Andy Owen and ask whether an extension to the deadline is possible. We would rather tell your moderator that the work is late and will be completed by an agreed date than not know why you haven’t sent your work.

Key Dates (Summer 2012 Series)

WJEC’s online system for collecting marks for controlled assessment goes live. You will be able to enter marks to our secure site from this date onwards. / Saturday 10th March
Final date for submission of Controlled Assessment to moderators / Friday 30th March
Unit 1 (Core Geography) / Thursday 14th June (am)
Unit 2 (Optional Themes) / Monday 18th June (am)

Contacts

Please contact us with any queries.

Andy Owen

Subject Officer: GCSE Geography

Telephone (029) 20265114

Fax (029) 20575994

Steve James

Subject Support Officer

Telephone (029) 20265029

Fax (029) 20575994

Rob Bisatt

GCSE section (for examiner applications)

Telephone (029) 20265151

Website

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YMWADIAD

Nid yw cyfathrebiadau rhyngrwyd yn ddiogel ac felly nid yw CBAC yn derbyn cyfrifoldeb

cyfreithiol am gynnwys y neges hon. Safbwyntiau neu farn yr awdur yn unig yw'r rhai a fynegir yn y neges hon ac nid ydynt o angenrhaid yn adlewyrchu safbwyntiau neu farn CBAC, oni nodir

hynny'n benodol. Gofynnir i chi nodi y gall CBAC atal cyfathrebiadau e-bost mewnol neu allanol.

SJ/LG/W2(12)