Reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A level: summer 2024 exam series
Published 12 December 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
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This report presents data on requests for reviews of marking, reviews of moderation and administrative error reviews made to exam boards for GCSE, AS and A level qualifications for the summer 2024 exam series in England.
This report presents data between summer 2022 and summer 2024. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to the cancellation of exams in summer 2020 and summer 2021. As a result of how grades were awarded, there were no reviews of marking or moderation for summer 2020 and summer 2021. For the latest report to present data for 2019, please see Reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A levels: summer 2023 exam series. Given the changes to assessment and grading arrangements in recent years, any comparisons should be treated with caution.
Each exam board offers 3 review services for exam papers and non-exam assessment:
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an administrative error review for an individual assessment (‘Service 1’)
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a review of marking for an individual assessment (‘Service 2’ priority and non-priority). This service also includes an administrative error review
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a review of moderation of the school or college’s internal assessment using the sample of students’ work that was used in the initial moderation (‘Service 3’)
A qualification generally comprises a number of assessments (components). Reviews are submitted for each component (exam or non-exam assessment) individually. Reviews can be submitted for more than one component for the same qualification.
Key headlines
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For summer 2024, 441,355 reviews were requested for GCSE (an increase of 6.7% from summer 2023), 101,625 reviews were requested for A level (an increase of 8.0% from summer 2023), and 2,435 reviews were requested for AS qualifications (a decrease of 7.4% from summer 2023).
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For summer 2024, 63.2% of reviewed component-level marks for GCSE were not changed (compared with 63.2% for summer 2023) and 54.5% of reviewed component-level marks for AS and A level were not changed (compared with 54.4% for summer 2023).
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Of all GCSE, AS and A level grades awarded in summer 2024 (6,423,785), 5.2% were challenged and 1.2% were changed following reviews (compared with 4.9% challenged and 1.1% changed for summer 2023).
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Of all GCSE grades awarded in summer 2024 (5,552,310), 4.9% were challenged and 1.1% were changed following reviews (compared with 4.6% challenged and 1.0% changed for summer 2023).
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Of the 269,415 GCSE grades challenged for summer 2024, 60,340 (22.4%) were changed. Of all challenged grades, 22.3% were changed up and less than 0.1% were changed down. For comparison, for summer 2023 245,920 GCSE grades were challenged and 21.8% of challenged grades were changed.
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Of all AS and A level grades awarded in summer 2024 (871,475), 7.1% were challenged and 1.6% were changed following reviews (compared with 6.7% challenged and 1.5% changed for summer 2023).
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Of the 61,915 AS and A level grades challenged for summer 2024, 14,325 (23.1%) were changed. Of all challenged grades, 23.1% were changed up and less than 0.1% were changed down. For comparison, for summer 2023 57,350 AS and A level grades were challenged and 21.9% were changed.
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Number of reviews requested, grades challenged and grades changed by service type
GCSE
For GCSE, 441,355 reviews were requested for summer 2024, an increase of 6.7% from summer 2023 (413,525 reviews). This should be considered in the context of a 4.5% increase in GCSE grades awarded (from 5,315,565 in summer 2023 to 5,552,310 in summer 2024).
Table 1 and the accompanying chart show the number of GCSE reviews requested, grades challenged and grades changed by service type. Please note that for summer 2024 1,595 grades were challenged and 480 grades were changed as a result of review requests for multiple service types. To avoid these being counted more than once, this data is not included in the charts and Table 1. The figures for grades that were challenged and changed through multiple service types are reported in Table 8 of the accompanying data tables.
Table 1: Number of reviews requested, grades challenged and grades changed by service type for GCSE
| Type of review | Reviews requested, grades challenged and grades changed | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative error reviews | Reviews requested | 4,345 | 3,785 | 3,990 |
| Administrative error reviews | Grades challenged | 1,615 | 1,245 | 1,215 |
| Administrative error reviews | Grades changed | 50 | 60 | 65 |
| Reviews of marking (non-priority) | Reviews requested | 328,935 | 407,145 | 434,080 |
| Reviews of marking (non-priority) | Grades challenged | 176,110 | 227,385 | 246,700 |
| Reviews of marking (non-priority) | Grades changed | 40,735 | 50,605 | 56,545 |
| Reviews of marking (priority) | Reviews requested | 1,320 | 1,920 | 2,525 |
| Reviews of marking (priority) | Grades challenged | 670 | 910 | 1,195 |
| Reviews of marking (priority) | Grades changed | 210 | 265 | 340 |
| Reviews of moderation | Reviews requested | 475 | 675 | 760 |
| Reviews of moderation | Grades challenged | 13,970 | 15,100 | 18,705 |
| Reviews of moderation | Grades changed | 2,295 | 2,280 | 2,910 |
Note: The number of grades challenged and changed through reviews of moderation is higher than the number of reviews requested because one review usually involves multiple students. See background notes for more details.
Underlying figures are reported in Tables 3 to 8 in the accompanying data tables.
AS and A level
For AS and A level, 104,060 reviews were requested for summer 2024, an increase of 7.6% from summer 2023 (96,695 reviews).
For A level, 101,625 reviews were requested for summer 2024, an increase of 8.0% from summer 2023 (94,065 reviews). This should be considered in the context of a 2.4% increase in A level grades awarded (from 795,135 in summer 2023 to 814,235 in summer 2024).
For AS qualifications, 2,435 reviews were requested for summer 2024, a decrease of 7.4% from summer 2023 (2,630 reviews). There was also a 5.5% decrease in AS grades awarded (from 60,560 for summer 2023 to 57,245 for summer 2024).
Table 2 and the accompanying chart show the number of AS and A level reviews requested, grades challenged, and grades changed by service type. Please note that for summer 2024 2,465 grades were challenged and 510 grades were changed as a result of review requests for multiple service types. To avoid these being counted more than once, this data is not included in the charts and table 2. The figures for grades that were challenged and changed through multiple service types are reported in Table 9 of the accompanying data tables.
Table 2: Number of reviews requested, grades challenged and grades changed by service type for AS and A level
| Type of review | Reviews requested, grades challenged and grades changed | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative error reviews | Reviews requested | 910 | 1,140 | 1,025 |
| Administrative error reviews | Grades challenged | 355 | 365 | 385 |
| Administrative error reviews | Grades changed | 25 | 20 | 30 |
| Reviews of marking (non-priority) | Reviews requested | 47,885 | 64,785 | 72,555 |
| Reviews of marking (non-priority) | Grades challenged | 24,190 | 32,915 | 37,400 |
| Reviews of marking (non-priority) | Grades changed | 6,560 | 8,140 | 9,575 |
| Reviews of marking (priority) | Reviews requested | 23,085 | 30,055 | 29,730 |
| Reviews of marking (priority) | Grades challenged | 10,075 | 13,315 | 13,090 |
| Reviews of marking (priority) | Grades changed | 2,885 | 3,470 | 3,615 |
| Reviews of moderation | Reviews requested | 495 | 720 | 755 |
| Reviews of moderation | Grades challenged | 5,955 | 8,385 | 8,575 |
| Reviews of moderation | Grades changed | 415 | 405 | 595 |
Note: The number of grades challenged and changed through reviews of moderation is higher than the number of reviews requested because one review usually involves multiple students.
Underlying figures are reported in Tables 3 to 9 in the accompanying data tables.
Subjects with the highest percentage of grades challenged and changed
GCSE
For summer 2024, the percentage of all GCSE grades that were challenged varied by subject between 1.6% and 9.8% and the percentage of all grades that were changed following reviews varied by subject between 0.4% and 3.6%.
For summer 2024, the GCSE subject with the highest percentage of grades challenged was physical education (9.8%) and the subject with the highest percentage of all grades changed was economics (3.6%). For comparison, for summer 2023 the subject with the highest percentage of grades challenged was music (9.4%) and the subject with the highest percentage of all grades changed was economics (3.4%).
Table 3: GCSE subjects with the highest percentage of all grades challenged and changed
| Subject | Percentage of GCSE grades challenged in 2024 | Percentage of GCSE grades challenged in 2023 | Percentage of GCSE grades changed in 2024 | Percentage of GCSE grades changed in 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical education | 9.8% | 9.1% | 1.9% | 2.0% |
| Music | 9.5% | 9.4% | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Engineering | 9.3% | 5.4% | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Economics | 8.7% | 7.8% | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| English language | 8.4% | 7.4% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Drama | 8.2% | 6.4% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Classical subjects | 7.7% | 7.0% | 2.3% | 2.2% |
| Performing / expressive arts | 6.5% | 7.4% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Design and technology | 6.4% | 6.8% | 1.2% | 1.4% |
| English literature | 5.8% | 5.5% | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Business studies | 5.2% | 4.9% | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| Computing | 5.1% | 4.9% | 1.5% | 1.4% |
| Biology | 4.9% | 5.2% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| Citizenship studies | 4.4% | 3.7% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Religious studies | 3.9% | 3.8% | 1.4% | 1.2% |
Note, that the above chart and Table 3 show the 10 subjects with the highest percentage of grades challenged and the 10 subjects with the highest percentage of grades changed. Because those are not the same 10 subjects, the chart and table show more than 10 subjects. Figures for all subjects are reported in Table 10 in the accompanying data tables.
AS and A level
For summer 2024, the percentage of AS and A level grades that were challenged following reviews varied by subject between 2.8% and 14.4% and the percentage of grades that were changed following reviews varied by subject between 0.5% and 3.4%.
For summer 2024, the AS and A level subject with the highest percentage of grades challenged was physical education (14.4%) and the subject with the highest percentage of grades changed was economics (3.4%). For comparison, for summer 2023 the subject with the highest percentage of grades challenged was also physical education (16.6%) and the subject with the highest percentage of grades changed was music (3.3%).
Table 4: AS and A level subjects with the highest percentage of grades challenged and changed
| Subject | Percentage of AS and A level grades challenged in 2024 | Percentage of AS and A level grades challenged in 2023 | Percentage of AS and A level grades changed in 2024 | Percentage of AS and A level grades changed in 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical education | 14.4% | 16.6% | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| History | 13.9% | 12.1% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| Music | 13.4% | 13.2% | 3.0% | 3.3% |
| Performing / expressive arts | 13.4% | 12.8% | 1.0% | 1.9% |
| Drama | 13.3% | 12.9% | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Design and technology | 11.5% | 11.4% | 2.5% | 2.3% |
| English literature | 11.3% | 10.8% | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| French | 10.1% | 8.2% | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| Economics | 10.0% | 8.8% | 3.4% | 2.8% |
| Political studies | 9.5% | 9.2% | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Geography | 9.0% | 7.9% | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| All other subjects | 8.4% | 8.1% | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Biology | 6.7% | 6.1% | 2.1% | 1.5% |
Note, that the above chart and Table 4 show the 10 subjects with the highest percentage of grades challenged and the 10 subjects with the highest percentage of grades changed. Because those are not the same 10 subjects, the chart and table show more than 10 subjects. Figures for all subjects are reported in Table 11 in the accompanying data tables.
Original qualification grades challenged
GCSE
For GCSE, the most commonly challenged grade was a grade 3 (58,400 or 23.9% of all grades challenged). This is likely a reflection of the importance of attaining a grade 4 or above for progression to further study, training and skilled employment.
GCSE combined science has a 17-point grading scale from 9-9 to 1-1. The most commonly challenged grade was grade 4-3 (1,995 or 16.0% of all grades challenged), likely reflecting the importance of grade 4-4.
AS and A level
For AS and A level, the most commonly challenged grade was grade B (21,305 or 34.4% of all grades challenged).
Underlying figures are reported in Table 12 in the accompanying data tables.
Changes to component-level marks following reviews
Mark changes described in this section relate to the difference in a student’s mark in a single component before and after review.
GCSE
For GCSE, the majority of reviewed component-level marks were not changed (63.2%). Of the reviewed component-level marks, 15.8% had a mark increase or decrease of 1 mark. Only 3.1% of the reviewed component-level marks had a mark increase of 5 marks or more and only 2.1% had a mark decrease of 5 marks or more. Of the component-level marks that were changed after review, 64.3% were for an increase in marks.
To note, for summer 2024 at the point at which data was collected, some reviews were still in progress. As a result, less than 0.1% of GCSE component-level marks for which a review was requested had mark changes still to be determined.
Table 5: Distribution of mark changes to component-level marks for GCSE following reviews
| Magnitude of mark change | Number of marks 2023 | Percentage of marks 2023 | Number of marks 2024 | Percentage of marks 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 or more | 13,030 | 3.0% | 14,365 | 3.1% |
| 4 | 7,925 | 1.8% | 9,300 | 2.0% |
| 3 | 13,030 | 3.0% | 14,530 | 3.1% |
| 2 | 23,405 | 5.4% | 26,250 | 5.7% |
| 1 | 42,875 | 10.0% | 44,765 | 9.7% |
| 0 | 271,705 | 63.2% | 291,320 | 63.2% |
| -1 | 28,460 | 6.6% | 28,160 | 6.1% |
| -2 | 12,475 | 2.9% | 13,215 | 2.9% |
| -3 | 5,650 | 1.3% | 6,045 | 1.3% |
| -4 | 2,930 | 0.7% | 3,305 | 0.7% |
| -5 or more | 7,995 | 1.9% | 9,800 | 2.1% |
AS and A level
For AS and A level, the majority of reviewed component-level marks were not changed (54.5%). Of the reviewed component-level marks, 17.9% had a mark increase or decrease of 1 mark. Only 4.9% of the reviewed component-level marks had a mark increase of 5 marks or more and only 3.1% had a mark decrease of 5 marks or more. Of the component-level marks that were changed after review, 62.5% were for an increase in marks.
To note, for summer 2024 at the point at which data was collected, some reviews were still in progress. As a result, less than 0.1% of AS and A level component-level marks for which a review was requested had mark changes still to be determined.
Table 6: Distribution of mark changes to component-level marks for AS and A level following reviews
| Magnitude of mark change | Number of marks 2023 | Percentage of marks 2023 | Number of marks 2024 | Percentage of marks 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 or more | 5,480 | 5.2% | 5,575 | 4.9% |
| 4 | 2,565 | 2.4% | 3,020 | 2.7% |
| 3 | 4,155 | 3.9% | 4,545 | 4.0% |
| 2 | 6,745 | 6.4% | 7,410 | 6.5% |
| 1 | 10,545 | 9.9% | 11,720 | 10.3% |
| 0 | 57,705 | 54.4% | 61,715 | 54.5% |
| -1 | 7,685 | 7.2% | 8,515 | 7.5% |
| -2 | 3,875 | 3.6% | 4,080 | 3.6% |
| -3 | 1,920 | 1.8% | 2,025 | 1.8% |
| -4 | 1,270 | 1.2% | 1,185 | 1.0% |
| -5 or more | 4,035 | 3.8% | 3,535 | 3.1% |
Average absolute component-level mark change by subject
As described in the previous section, mark changes relate to the difference in a student’s mark in a single component before and after review. The absolute mark change is the mark change expressed as a positive value and the average is calculated using all absolute mark changes, including mark changes of zero.
GCSE
Table 7 and the accompanying chart show the average absolute mark change for the 10 GCSE subjects with the highest number of grades challenged. Subjects are shown in order of number of grades challenged. The largest average absolute mark change for the 10 GCSE subjects with the highest number of grades challenged for summer 2024 was 3.8 marks for art and design subjects.
Table 7: Average absolute mark change for the 10 GCSE subjects with the highest number of grades challenged
| Subject | Average absolute mark change 2023 | Average absolute mark change 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| English language | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| English literature | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| Science: double award | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Mathematics | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| History | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Geography | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Biology | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Religious studies | 1.0 | 1.1 |
| Art and design subjects | 4.7 | 3.8 |
| Physics | 1.2 | 1.2 |
AS and A level
Table 8 and the accompanying chart show the average absolute mark change for the 10 AS and A level subjects with the highest number of grades challenged. The largest average absolute mark change for the 10 AS and A level subjects with the highest number of grades challenged for summer 2024 was 1.7 marks for economics.
Table 8: Average absolute mark change for the 10 AS and A level subjects with the highest number of grades challenged
| Subject | Average absolute mark change 2023 | Average absolute mark change 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| History | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Biology | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Psychology | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Mathematics | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| English literature | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Economics | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| Geography | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| Chemistry | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Business studies | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Physics | 0.9 | 1.0 |
Grade changes following review
GCSE
Following review, the majority of GCSE grades that were challenged were not changed (77.5%), 22.3% of challenged grades were increased and less than 0.1% of challenged grades were decreased. When challenged grades were changed, they were most commonly changed by 1 grade (98.5% of changed grades).
To note, for summer 2024 at the point at which data was collected, some reviews were still in progress. As a result, less than 0.1% of GCSE challenged grades had final grades still to be determined.
Table 9: Grade changes to GCSE challenged grades made following reviews
| Magnitude of grade change | Number of grades 2023 | Percentage of grades 2023 | Number of grades 2024 | Percentage of grades 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decreased by 2 grades or more | fewer than 5 | less than 0.1% | fewer than 5 | less than 0.1% |
| Decreased by 1 grade | 180 | 0.1% | 270 | 0.1% |
| No grade change | 192,035 | 78.1% | 208,880 | 77.5% |
| Increased by 1 grade | 52,575 | 21.4% | 59,165 | 22.0% |
| Increased by 2 grades or more | 780 | 0.3% | 900 | 0.3% |
Underlying figures are reported in Table 17 in the accompanying data tables.
AS and A level
Following review, the majority of AS and A level grades that were challenged were not changed (76.9%), 23.1% of challenged grades were increased and less than 0.1% of challenged grades were decreased. When grades were changed for AS and A level, they were most commonly changed by 1 grade (99.5% of changed grades).
To note, for summer 2024 at the point at which data was collected, some reviews were still in progress. As a result, less than 0.1% of AS and A level challenged grades had final grades still to be determined.
Table 10: Grade changes to AS and A level challenged grades made following reviews
| Magnitude of grade change | Number of grades June 2023 | Percentage of grades June 2023 | Number of grades June 2024 | Percentage of grades June 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decreased by 2 grades or more | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% |
| Decreased by 1 grade | 35 | 0.1% | 30 | 0.1% |
| No grade change | 44,630 | 77.8% | 47,585 | 76.9% |
| Increased by 1 grade | 12,465 | 21.7% | 14,220 | 23.0% |
| Increased by 2 grades or more | 55 | 0.1% | 75 | 0.1% |
Underlying figures are reported in Table 18 in the accompanying data tables.
Grade changes of 2 or more grades by subject
Table 11 shows the number of grade changes of 2 or more grades by subject for summer 2024.
For GCSE, there were 905 changes of 2 or more grades which accounts for 1.5% of all GCSE grades changed for summer 2024. English literature and English language (2 subjects with some of the largest entry numbers accounted for the highest number of changes of 2 or more grades.
For AS and A level, there were 75 changes of 2 or more grades which accounts for 0.5% of all AS and A level grades changed for summer 2024. Art and design subjects and English literature accounted for the highest number of changes of 2 or more grades.
Table 11: Number of grade changes of 2 or more grades following reviews by subject for GCSE, AS and A level for summer 2024
| Subject | GCSE | AS and A level |
|---|---|---|
| English literature | 335 | 15 |
| English language | 260 | 0 |
| Art and design subjects | 185 | 45 |
| Science: double award | 35 | 0 |
| Drama | 15 | fewer than 5 |
| Business studies | 15 | fewer than 5 |
| Religious studies | 15 | fewer than 5 |
| French | 10 | fewer than 5 |
| Spanish | 5 | 0 |
| History | 5 | fewer than 5 |
| All other subjects | 15 | 10 |
Components with the highest proportion of reviews of marking
GCSE
Table 12 and the accompanying chart show the 10 GCSE components with the highest proportion of reviews of marking (‘service 2’) relative to the number of entries for summer 2024. Please note, only components with over 1,000 entries were included in this analysis.
Table 12: The 10 GCSE components with the highest proportion of reviews of marking relative to the number of entries for summer 2024
| Title | Number of reviews | Percentage of entries reviewed | Number of reviews resulting in a mark change | Percentage of reviews resulting in a mark change | Percentage of entries with reviews resulting in a mark change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCR J351 02 English language | 855 | 11.1% | 255 | 29.7% | 3.3% |
| OCR J351 01 English language | 830 | 10.8% | 275 | 33% | 3.6% |
| Pearson 1EN2/01 English language 2.0 | 5,055 | 9.8% | 1,755 | 34.7% | 3.4% |
| Pearson 1EN2/02 English language 2.0 | 4,960 | 9.6% | 1,895 | 38.2% | 3.7% |
| OCR J199 21 Classical civilisation | 195 | 8.8% | 110 | 58% | 5.1% |
| OCR J199 22 Classical civilisation | 145 | 8% | 90 | 63.6% | 5.1% |
| AQA 8700/1 English language paper 1 | 43,835 | 7.4% | 7,165 | 16.3% | 1.2% |
| OCR J199 11 Classical civilisation | 305 | 7% | 215 | 69.8% | 4.9% |
| OCR J205 01 Economics | 350 | 7% | 245 | 69% | 4.8% |
| Pearson 1EN0/02 English language | 3,210 | 7% | 965 | 30% | 2.1% |
Note, that in 2024 Pearson offered free reviews of marking for GCSE English Language 2.0.
AS and A level
Table 13 and the accompanying chart show the 10 AS and A level components with the highest proportion of reviews of marking (‘service 2’) relative to the number of entries for summer 2024. Please note, only components with over 1,000 entries were included in this analysis.
Table 13: The 10 AS and A level components with the highest proportion of reviews of marking relative to the number of entries for summer 2024
| Title | Number of reviews | Percentage of entries reviewed | Number of reviews resulting in a mark change | Percentage of reviews resulting in a mark change | Percentage of entries with reviews resulting in a mark change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AQA 7262/W Drama and theatre adv written | 270 | 10.7% | 110 | 39.7% | 4.2% |
| OCR H472 01 English literature | 865 | 9.2% | 185 | 21.2% | 2% |
| AQA 7042/1J History adv paper 1 option j | 190 | 9% | 40 | 21.5% | 1.9% |
| AQA 7042/1H History adv paper 1 option h | 290 | 8.8% | 45 | 15.5% | 1.4% |
| AQA 7652/2 French adv paper 2 writing | 465 | 8.8% | 100 | 21.8% | 1.9% |
| OCR H472 02 English literature | 815 | 8.7% | 205 | 25.3% | 2.2% |
| AQA 7042/2S History adv paper 2 option s | 295 | 8.5% | 95 | 32.4% | 2.8% |
| AQA 7172/1 Philosophy adv paper 1 | 315 | 8.3% | 150 | 47.3% | 3.9% |
| AQA 7172/2 Philosophy adv paper 2 | 315 | 8.3% | 115 | 36.7% | 3% |
| Pearson 9MU0/03 Music | 110 | 8.2% | 65 | 59.8% | 4.9% |
Average review response times
In this section, the average time taken in days to respond to reviews is presented by service type. The exam boards collectively decide their own deadlines for completing reviews and reporting the outcome, outlined in the Joint Council for Qualifications guidelines. These are:
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10 days for an administrative error review
-
20 days for a review of marking (non-priority) review
-
15 days for a review of marking (priority) review
-
35 days for a review of moderation
For summer 2024, 99.9% of GCSE reviews and 99.9% of AS and A level reviews were completed within the deadlines.
Table 14: Average time taken to complete review in days
| Type of review | GCSE 2023 | GCSE 2024 | AS and A level 2023 | AS and A level 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| time | Average time taken to complete review in days | Average time taken to complete review in days | Average time taken to complete review in days | Average time taken to complete review in days |
| Administrative error reviews | 2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Reviews of marking (non-priority) | 9 | 7.3 | 6.2 | 4.5 |
| Reviews of marking (priority) | 2.3 | 2.2 | 4.5 | 3.7 |
| Reviews of moderation | 20.4 | 21.3 | 17.5 | 17.8 |
Contextual information
For summer 2022, exams and other formal assessments went ahead with some planned adaptations intended to recognise the disruption to education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and grading was at a midpoint between summer 2021 and 2019. The usual post-results services including reviews were available. For summer 2023, assessment arrangements largely returned to normal and results were broadly similar to summer 2019, reflecting a return to pre-pandemic grading. Given the changes to assessment and grading arrangements in recent years, any comparisons should be treated with caution.
AS and A level reviews are presented together in this report, but caution should be taken in making comparisons across time as the number of AS entries has declined considerably compared with earlier years.
In some cases, multiple reviews are requested for the same assessment (for example an administrative error review may be requested and then a review of marking). Therefore, the total number of requests for reviews of marking and administrative error reviews tends to be higher than the total number of qualification grades challenged. This is not the case for reviews of moderation, as one review usually involves multiple students. The vast majority of reviews requested are reviews of marking and so, overall, the number of grades challenged is lower than the number of reviews requested.
Please note that a small number of reviews were still outstanding at the point data was submitted by awarding organisations (12 November 2024). These are included in figures where possible (for example, in the number of reviews requested and grades challenged). They are not, however, included in figures pertaining to grade or mark changes as the resulting mark or grade is not yet known.
Subjects are grouped using the subject groupings established by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).
To ensure confidentiality, the accompanying data in this report has been rounded in line with Ofqual’s rounding policy.
Further information is provided in the background notes accompanying this report.
Head of profession: Ben Cuff