GCSE Remark Questions: Answered

If you’re disappointed with just missing out on an important grade boundary in one or more of your GCSE exams, you might be thinking about getting it reviewed (this is often called a remark). I’m sorry that you are in this position. In order to provide assistance, in this article I will explain how this process works and whether it is the right thing for you. 

In some circumstances, remarks may cost a lot of money, and so you need to make sure you are fully informed in order to allow you to make the correct decision and not waste your money and be left disappointed!

What Is a GCSE Remark?

A GCSE remark, officially called a review of marking, is when a senior examiner checks your script after results day to make sure the published mark scheme was applied correctly and consistently. This service must be requested and paid for by the student or parents (although in some cases the school may pay depending on the circumstances). 

After the remark, your marks awarded for the paper may stay the same, go up, or go down. If the change puts you over a grade boundary, your overall GCSE grade for that subject will also change.

Remarks are just one type of post-results service. If you’d like to understand how appeals work, and how they differ from remarks, see our guide: How to Appeal GCSE Results.

Types of GCSE Remark

Clerical checks

This is not an official ‘remark’ because the content of the paper is not checked or changed. A clerical check is when the paper is checked to make sure there was no clerical error in how the marks were added up after the marking had taken place. 

The following things are checked:

• That all the pages were marked

• That all the marks from every page were added up correctly

• That the marks on your paper were correctly recorded and transferred to the system

There is a very low chance that this would result in a change in your marks because this is not a subjective process and the chance of errors are very low.

Review of marking

A review of marking goes further than a clerical check. A senior examiner reviews your script to make sure the published mark scheme has been applied correctly and consistently. 

This isn’t the same as your paper being re-marked from scratch. Instead, it’s a careful review to ensure that all marking decisions were fair and reasonable according to the rules. If an error is found, your marks will be adjusted.

Priority remark

This is the same process as a standard review of marking, but it’s carried out more quickly. It’s designed for situations where you urgently need to know your final grade, for example, if you’re waiting to confirm a sixth form or college place. 

This service is available with some exam boards, but not for GCSE with AQA or OCR. Edexcel does offer it for GCSE, so always check if it applies to your subject.

When to Consider a GCSE Remark

When you are very close to a grade boundary

A very common circumstance in which someone would request a remark is when they are very close to a grade boundary for a subject. For example, if the grade boundary states that a score of 80 out of 100 is needed for a grade 8 and the student scored 79, pushing them down to a grade 7. In this circumstance it can be difficult to accept the lower grade and you may feel like you deserve the higher one. 

In cases like this, it can sometimes be worth requesting a remark. In the best case scenario, your grade could increase. In many cases the outcome is that your grade stays the same, and there is also a risk it could go down. Most changes are only by one or two marks, so being very close to the next grade boundary is the situation where a remark is most likely to be worthwhile. 

When you need a certain grade to be accepted onto an A-Level course

Many schools with sixth forms and sixth form colleges require certain grades in order to be accepted onto an A-Level course. For example, you may be asked to score a minimum of a grade 6 in GCSE Biology to take A-Level Biology. If you scored a grade 5 and your dream is to study A-Level Biology then in this circumstance you may want to request a remark in the hope of increasing your grade to meet the requirement. Just be aware that changes are not common, and your grade could stay the same or even go down.

It is also worth considering whether you have chosen the correct A-Level options to suit your skills. If you have scored higher in other GCSEs, think about whether switching your A Level choices could play more to your strengths.

When you fail your GCSE

At GCSE level, a grade 4 is considered a “standard pass” and a grade 5 is a “strong pass”. If you have scored a grade 3 or below then you sit underneath the threshold for a passing grade.

This is particularly important if you have failed your English or Maths GCSE because if you are under 18 you are required by law in the UK to resit these courses until you get a grade 4 or above. If you are close to that grade 4 threshold it may be worth trying for a remark in these circumstances. 

When your grade is very different to what you expect

During the two to three years of studying a GCSE subject you may complete a lot of practice exam papers and mock exams. Through this experience you may gain a ‘feel’ for how exams go and you may be able to anticipate an approximate grade from your experience and how you think the exam went. 

If your grade comes back significantly lower than expected, it’s natural to wonder if an error occurred. Sometimes this could be an administration error, such as the total mark being added up incorrectly, in which case a clerical check may be useful. If you think the mark scheme may not have been applied correctly, a review of marking might be the better option.

How to Request a Remark

1. Contact your school

In most schools there are members of staff that are dedicated to exam administration. If you feel you would like to pursue a remark it is always the best option to start by contacting these staff members as they will be able to offer advice based on your specific circumstances. 

If you then decide to go forward with the remark then the school may take on the responsibility of completing the application and liaising with the exam board. In some cases, the school may even offer to cover the cost of the remark so it is always worth contacting them as soon as possible after results day. 

2. Contact the exam board directly

If you entered for your exams through a private exam centre, you’ll need to request a remark through that centre. If you entered directly with an exam board, you can contact the board itself using the instructions on their website (look for “post-results services”).

How Long Does a GCSE Remark Take?

On average an exam remark takes around 20 days, however this varies depending on the service you requested and the board. You can see the estimated time broken down per board and service for three of the biggest boards here:

How Much Does a GCSE Remark Cost?

On average an exam remark costs around £45 per paper, however this varies depending on the service you requested and the board. You can see the estimated cost broken down per board and service for three of the biggest boards here:

Note that these prices may change year on year so may not be up to date at the time of reading the article. 

Possible Outcomes of a Remark

Your mark increases

This is the best case scenario as this may lift your score up beyond the grade boundary to get a better GCSE result. Note that if this were to happen it is unlikely that the score will increase by more than one or two marks, although it is not impossible for it to be more.

Your mark stays the same

This is the most likely outcome for a remark as the chance of an error occurring during the marking process is very low. Every time a GCSE paper is marked for every exam board, the marking process is thoroughly reviewed and moderated to make sure the mark scheme was applied correctly and consistently for all candidates. As a result, there are rarely any errors in this process. 

Your mark decreases

This would be an unfortunate outcome, but it is very important you keep this in mind if your score sits very close to the grade boundary for the grade below your current grade. It would be a huge shame to pay a lot of money only to end up disappointed with the outcome. If you still disagree with the result, your school can help you appeal to the exam board for a further review of the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Worth Getting a GCSE Remark?

Unless your score is very close to the grade above, and the grade in that course is very important to you, it is generally not recommended to get a remark due to the very slim likelihood that the grade will increase. 

Most reviews confirm the original result, and there is also a risk your grade could go down. To see how often marks actually change, take a look at our guide: GCSE Remark Success Rate.

What Is The Deadline for Requesting a GCSE Remark?

This varies between exam boards however generally you have until mid-September to apply for a clerical check or a remark. Check your exam board website for the exact dates. 

What Happens If My Grade Goes Down After a Remark?

You can appeal the outcome of a remark, but appeals usually focus on whether the review process was carried out correctly rather than changing your grade. If you still disagree with the outcome, your school can help you appeal to the exam board for a further review of the process.

The likelihood of your grade changing after the appeal is low. Make sure you are fully aware that this is a possibility before applying for a remark.

Ace Your GCSEs with Save My Exams

In order to avoid getting into this tricky situation in the first place I’d recommend using Save My Exams resources to make the most efficient and beneficial use of your revision time. This will maximise the chance of you reaching your full potential in your exams to get the grades you deserve. 

Save My Exams has a huge variety of resources to help you ace your GCSE exams, such as revision notes, flashcards, exam questions and tutorial videos. 

Check out Save My Exams GCSE resources here!

References

AQA post-results services (opens in a new tab)

OCR post-results services (opens in a new tab)

Edexcel post-results services (opens in a new tab)