Assessment FAQs

It involves marking candidates' examination scripts against a mark scheme.

You will either specialist mark on-screen using the scoris® marking system or mark the candidates’ paper scripts.

Moderating involves looking at samples of candidates' work to ensure accuracy and consistency of a centre's marking. There is electronic, postal and visiting moderation. 

This depends on the qualification. For GCSE and GCE specialist marking and moderating is seasonal and takes place in January, March, June and November, but for other qualifications, specialist marking and moderating is 'on demand' throughout the year.

A teaching and/or training qualification is not essential for specialist marking.

The application process takes approximately six weeks from receipt of your application.

Yes, you will have to fill in an OCR assessment opportunities form.

Yes, you can specify any units or topics that you are interested in on the OCR assessment opportunities form.

This depends on the qualification that you have been approved to assess. For GCSE and GCE qualifications, invitations are sent in October for the following January examination series, and December for the following June examination series. For all other qualifications, invitations are sent 'on demand' as and when assessors are required.

Please contact the Customer Contact Centre on 01223 553998 or email general.qualifications@ocr.org.uk.

Please email your new contact details to permanentaddress@ocr.org.uk.

Please email preferredaddress@ocr.org.uk with your preferred address details.

You can find out more in the Assessment Task Training FAQs section. You can also contact the team by email assessor.managementtraining@ocr.org.uk.

Please contact the OCR Customer Contact Centre in the first instance on 01223 553998, or the Assessor Payments department by email examiner.pmts@cambridgeassessment.org.uk.

Marking foundation level examination responses on-screen using scoris®, following a mark scheme.

Marking is seasonal and takes place in January, March June and November.

Marking can be done from home on your own PC, or in a marking centre in Coventry.

You will need to be in higher education or hold a level 4 qualification or above.

Yes, an experienced marker undertaking the task of team leading will monitor your marking. You will be able to contact them with any queries that you have during the examination series. Support is available from OCR and technical assistance is also provided.

It depends on the paper being marked, but typically a period of around two to three weeks is given. Specific marking start and end dates for each paper are provided in advance.

scoris®assessor is a marking application that allows assessors to mark candidates' responses to examination questions on-screen.

scoris® is the brand name for a suite of marking applications used by OCR.

Once you have been invited to mark, you will be sent instructions on how to access scoris®.

scoris® is used to mark examination answers in a wide range of subjects, but not all.

Candidate responses are marked on-screen rather than on paper. scoris® allows candidate responses to be annotated and the use of marking tools aids your marking.

There are several other benefits to marking on-screen:

• Marks are returned to OCR automatically.
• No paper scripts need to be stored at home.
• There is no need to wait for deliveries or collections of scripts.
• No script checking is required.

When applying to undertake specialist marking or general marking you will be asked to validate the specification of your computer before accepting the invitation to mark. A web-based hardware validation tool is available for this purpose and clearly indicates if your computer can run the software.

You will need to make the necessary changes to your computer's hardware or software specification if it does not meet the minimum requirements. This might include installing a newer version of software already on your computer or adding additional memory. Results of the hardware validation test will be available immediately and will explain the steps necessary to upgrade your computer.

OCR is unable to meet the cost of any upgrades required.

At the moment only PCs running Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 can run scoris®.

The faster the connection, the better scoris® will perform. A minimum speed of 2MB is recommended. Most internet service providers offer connection speeds in excess of this and they can advise you of the highest likely speed you can achieve in your area.

External verifying involves visiting centres to confirm and ensure that a centre's quality assurance processes and quality management systems are appropriate and robust enough to produce valid and nationally consistent assessment decisions.

You must have appropriate subject expertise and have relevant experience of assessment, including competence-based assessment.

The application process takes approximately six weeks from receipt of your application.

External verification requires visiting centres 'on demand' throughout the year. Most centres will require 2 visits per year.

Yes, you will have to fill in an OCR assessment opportunities form.

You will be required to undertake external verifying induction training.  Once completed you will accompany experienced assessors that undertake the task of external verifying for two visits before being allocated any centres.

You will be required to hold an award to qualify you to undertake external verification or a willingness to complete one within twelve months.

Please contact the QAP team in the first instance who will be able to talk you through the process. Email ocrqapt@ocr.org.uk.

In the first instance please contact your Chief Verifier to discuss any assessment issues. If your Chief Verifier is not available then contact the appropriate OCR Qualification Manager/Leader.

Please email your new contact details to permanentaddress@ocr.org.uk.

Please contact the OCR Customer Contact Centre in the first instance on 01223 553998 or the Assessor Payments department by email examiner.pmts@cambridgeassessment.org.uk.

The term assessor refers to the person providing the assessment service.

Depending on the assessment task you have been invited to undertake you will be required to complete a training activity.

Training is delivered in various ways, according to the assessment task. It may be on-line, face to face or by post.

This will depend on your assessment task.  If you are new to the assessment task you will complete introductory training, and you will be asked to complete training relating to subject specific marking or moderation.

Following training, all assessors undertaking marking, moderating or verifying are required to participate in and satisfactorily complete standardisation activities.

Most face to face training events take place in the Midlands, at venues with good rail and road links. Events are typically scheduled to start at 9.30am and finish at 4.30pm, although there may be occasions when an event falls outside these times. Refreshments are provided, as is overnight accommodation if you would need to leave home before 6.30am or would not arrive home until after 11.30 pm. All attendees can claim travel expenses. In addition, either an attendance fee or teacher release fee is paid, but not both.

Remote training is completed in your own time. Requests for you to undertake remote training will be sent via email. There is a two week period within which this training must be completed. There is no fee paid for undertaking remote training.

If there are any issues with completing the training please email assessor.managementtraining@ocr.org.uk.