Understanding mark schemes: how they’re created and used
10 August 2026
Joanne Malpass, Assessment Standards Manager
Every year, after GCSE, A Level and vocational qualification examinations have taken place, we publish the mark scheme for each question paper. These documents are valuable resources for teachers and students. You may wonder how mark schemes are created, when they are written and how examiners use them to mark thousands of examination scripts consistently and fairly.
In this blog, I’ll explain how a mark scheme evolves from the draft version written by the question paper author, through to the post-standardisation version used by examiners and why mark schemes play such an important role in ensuring every candidate is assessed accurately and fairly.
What is a mark scheme?
A mark scheme is a document that sets out how marks should be awarded for each question in an examination. Its purpose is to support consistent marking across all candidates by providing examiners with clear guidance on what should be rewarded.
Mark schemes help ensure that the same standards are applied, regardless of which examiner marks a candidate’s script. Some questions have simple right or wrong answers. However, for many questions (especially those involving analysis, evaluation or extended writing) there is often no single ‘correct’ answer and there may be more than one way for candidates to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding or skills. Mark schemes for these questions are therefore designed to reward what candidates know, understand and can do, rather than simply identifying whether particular words or phrases have been included.
This approach allows candidates to be rewarded for different yet equally valid responses where appropriate. A mark scheme provides the framework that enables different valid responses to be recognised and rewarded appropriately. The mark scheme guidance will often provide examples of the most common candidate responses, but some professional judgement from examiners, who are subject specialists, can also be required.
When is a mark scheme written?
A common misconception is that mark schemes are finalised before candidates have taken the examination. In fact, the final mark scheme is only completed after the exam is sat.
Each mark scheme begins as a draft mark scheme written at the same time as the question paper. As questions are written and reviewed, experienced assessment specialists also prepare the draft marking criteria and guidance that will support marking. This ensures that every question has a clear assessment purpose and that the draft mark scheme aligns with the knowledge, skills and assessment objectives being assessed.
After the exam is sat, the senior examining team meet to review the draft mark scheme and prepare the final mark scheme; a process known as standardisation. During standardisation, the principal examiner and other senior examiners review a wide range of real candidate responses to each exam question. This is an essential part of the assessment process.
Although the draft mark scheme has been carefully prepared in advance, candidates often produce responses that demonstrate valid thinking in ways that cannot always be fully anticipated. By reviewing real candidate answers after the exam, the senior examining team can:
- recognise additional valid approaches or answers
- clarify wording where necessary
- ensure the mark scheme reflects the range of responses seen
- provide clear guidance for examiners before live marking begins.
This process strengthens the mark scheme while maintaining the assessment standards established during the development of the qualification. The finalised mark scheme is then used consistently by all examiners throughout the marking period.
How do we ensure examiners use the mark scheme consistently?
Every examiner receives comprehensive training before marking live examination scripts to ensure they are all marking consistently to the standard set by the principal examiner during the standardisation meeting.
Standardisation activities for examiners can vary by qualification and even by component, but will involve examiners studying the final mark scheme in detail and practising applying it to a range of candidate responses that have already been definitively marked by the principal examiner.
Once examiners have completed this ‘learning phase’, they then move into the ‘testing phase’ where their marking is reviewed against the agreed standard established by the principal examiner, with feedback and guidance given by their team leader. Only after successfully completing the ‘testing phase’ are examiners approved to begin marking live scripts.
Quality assurance continues throughout the marking period. Team leaders provide ongoing support and make sure that the agreed standard is applied consistently across the examining team.
How can mark schemes be used by teachers?
Mark schemes are valuable teaching and learning resources. Teachers may use them when marking students’ responses to past question papers that are being used as mock exams or classroom assessments. They can also help students understand how marks were awarded in a particular examination series. However, it is important to remember that mark schemes are designed for a specific question paper and the responses seen in that series; they should not be viewed as a blueprint for how future examination questions will be marked.
Each question paper is unique and every examination series brings new candidate responses. As a result, every draft mark scheme is reviewed and refined during standardisation to reflect the evidence from that year’s cohort. While the underlying assessment principles remain consistent, the final mark scheme for each series is developed specifically for that examination. Mark schemes are available to download from Teach Cambridge on results day each series.
Supporting confidence in the assessment process
The development and application of mark schemes is one part of a wider quality assurance process designed to ensure that all candidates are assessed fairly. From drafting the mark scheme alongside the question paper, through its refinement during standardisation, to the extensive training and monitoring of examiners, every stage is designed to promote consistency, accuracy and fairness.
Publishing mark schemes also supports transparency by helping teachers, students and parents better understand how marks were awarded in each examination series.
Become an examiner with Cambridge OCR
If you’re a teacher with subject expertise, becoming an examiner is an excellent opportunity for professional development while contributing to the delivery of national qualifications. As an examiner, you’ll receive expert training, gain valuable insight into how candidates respond to examination questions and develop a deeper understanding of assessment that can directly benefit your classroom practice.
You can find out about examining opportunities on our Assess Cambridge website.
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About the author
Joanne was an A Level Psychology teacher for 17 years in Further Education colleges in the north of England and marked as an examiner on various Cambridge OCR and Cambridge International qualifications for over 12 years. She left the classroom to bring her experience in education and assessment to Cambridge OCR in May 2023.
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