External Examiners Staff Development October 2010

1. External Examiners Staff Development October 2010 Quality Standards, Review and Enhancement Registrar and Secretary’s Office

2. External Examiners • Welcome • Introduction • Roles and responsibilities of External Examiners/Advisers • The assessment cycle • Remit of Boards and Committees • Progression and Awards

3. Roles of external examiners • The primary role is to confirm that the awards made to students are comparable in standard with awards in UK higher education generally • A second important role is to ensure fairness and equity to students • The third role is to assist the University and the course team to maintain and enhance the quality of its courses

4. Roles of external advisers & mentors Subject advisers • Appointed for their subject expertise and primarily confirm that the awards made to students are comparable in standard with awards in UK higher education generally Mentors • Appointed for one year to support an inexperienced external examiner in ensuring that the proper processes of assessment take place

5. Rights & responsibilities ofexternal examiners (1) The external examiner must: • be able to judge each student impartially • confirm the standards for the awards are appropriate by referencing • relevant national subject benchmark statements • framework for higher education qualifications • university approval documentation • any appropriate professional/statutory body requirements • compare the performance of students

6. Rights & responsibilities ofexternal examiners (2) The external examiner must: • be consulted about and agree to any major proposed changes to the approved assessment regulations • attend examiners meetings – have right of access to all assessed work • approve the form and content of proposed examination papers, coursework and other assessment that count towards the award • see a sample of the work of all students proposed for the highest available award and for failure

7. Rights & responsibilities ofexternal examiners (3) The external examiner must: • have the right to moderate the marks awarded by internal examiners • have the right to conduct a viva voce examination of any candidate • attend the meetings of the relevant examination committee / board of examiners • report to the university on the effectiveness of the student assessment Please see Regulations C11.3.3 and C13.6

8. Powers of external examiners • No recommendation for the conferment of an award above the level of Certificate of Higher Education can be made without the written consent of the external. • Matters of principle. • Disagreements between external examiner(s) and Boards of Examiners. • Disagreements between external examiners.

9. External examiners’ reports (1) Need to include: • the overall performance of the students in relation to their peers; • the strengths and weaknesses of students; • the structure, organisation, design & marking of all assessments; • the quality of teaching as indicated by student performance; • comments on the curriculum, learning/teaching methods & resourcing.

10. External examiners’ reports (2) Should directly address the issues listed on the report form • … Must not identify individual students • … Should be submitted electronically • … Can be rejected for being too short • … Are read within faculties and within the Registrar and Secretary’s Office • … Form the basis for internal university reports • … Will be anonymized and printed on our web pages

11. Response to External Examiner Reports • Written response is required from the course leader within 60 working days. • The response is submitted to Faculty by course leader for distribution to the External Examiner and QSRE Team.

12. Administration Appointment • Examiners are proposed by the Faculty, and approved by the Univesrity External Examiners Sub Committee • After approval, a letter and appropriate documents are sent from the QSRE office • Thereafter, the Faculty/College will communicate key dates to the Examiner and liaise regarding specific duties

13. Administration Fees and Expenses • A claim form should be submitted for all expenses and your examining fee • Expenses can be claimed at any time during the year, but you must submit your annual report before claiming your examining fee • Receipts are required for ALL expenses claimed • For more information on expenses claims allowances, please refer to the guidance on our website

14. Administration • Please try to fill in all parts of the claim form • We will fill in the ‘Payroll No.’, ‘SBC’ and ‘Project Code’ sections of the form • Please ensure you sign the form, otherwise payment could be delayed

15. EXTERNAL EXAMINER FEES AND EXPENSES You will be sent from the QSRE team via e-mail after Easter • a report template, an expenses and fees claim form and a P46 to fill out when you have completed your duties • You may claim your reasonable expenses for visits to the university prior to claiming your examining fee • You are required to submit receipts for any expenses claims i.e taxi, train, plane, bus and subsistence • You are required to fill out a risk assessment and insurance declaration for EACH year of your tenure for any car journeys that you make during your duties

16. Contact Details Carol Blackall, QSRE, 0113 8123919 c.blackall@leedsmet.ac.uk Or Louise Ward, QSRE, 0113 8123970 L.M.Ward@leedsmet.ac.uk

17. The assessment cycle (1) • Assessments approved by External Examiner(s) • Coursework and deadlines • Late submission penalties, not Bank Hols or weekend • Full Time-5% per day, Part Time-5% per 2 days • 0% if more than 10 days late • Written examinations • Invigilators’ reports • Marking and Internal Moderation • Unfair Practice investigations and Panel • Mitigation Panel

18. Principles Assessment • Fairness and equity to all students • Comparability/consistency across the whole student body • Assurance of national standards (Role of external examiners)

19. The assessment cycle(2) • Examination Committee • Board of Examiners pre-meeting • Board of Examiners • Publication of results (5 working days) • Re-assessment • Reconvened board of examiners • Appeal panel of Academic Board

20. Unfair Practice Boards for Proven cases • Requirement to undertake the assessment again at the next available opportunity • Each case considered and on the basis of: • the gravity of the case • the circumstances of the case • the level at which the offence took place • whether the offence was a repeat offence • Penalties in practice • Full range of marks, 20%, 40%, Requirement to Withdraw

21. Mitigation Panel: remit • Established at scheme, school or faculty level • Student claims and provides evidence • Considers the extenuating circumstances category to be presented to Boards of Examiners • Determines: • Assessments affected • Category of seriousness: • A: very serious, range of options open to Board • B: sufficient to warrant deferral • C: not sufficiently serious to warrant deferral

22. Examination committee: remit • Determine the standard of student module assessment outcomes • Consider amendment of cohort’s marks as appropriate (not individual students) • Record credit where the student is not presented for progression or award • Part time, postgraduate etc. • Notes cases of cheating, plagiarism and unfair practice and mitigation (spent?) • Determine student progression (level 4 only) • Publication of results – 5 working days

23. Board of examiners: remit • Assess students in accordance with the regulations • Determine student progression • Determine student awards • Consider mitigation outcomes Category A only • Implement outcomes of Unfair Practice Boards • Determine the outcomes of re-assessment (where relevant)

24. Reassessment – failed modules • Student’s decision • Maximum of 50% of the credit points of a level • Opportunity given once only • Cannot be used to increase mark if 40% achieved in the module overall • Component reassessment possible • Maximum mark 40% for reassessment

25. Progression • Undergraduate • Levels 4 to 5 • Levels 5 to 6 • Depends on • Level • Professional, statutory or regulatory body requirements (PSRB) • Prerequisites

26. From level 4 to level 5 At Level 4 Completed study of 120 credit points and submitted work for all assessments no non submissions (NS) Achieved an average of 40% or more across all modules Achieved 40% or more in 90 credit points Achieved between 20% and 39% in no more than 30 credit points Satisfied all pre-requisite requirements Discretion to compensate up to 10% in 30 credits of reassessed modules From level 5 to level 6 At level 5 Completed study of 120 credit points and submitted work for all assessments no non submissions (NS) Achieved an average of 40% or more across all modules Achieved 40% or more in 105 credit points Achieved between 20% and 39% in no more than 15 credit points Satisfied all pre-requisite requirements Discretion to compensate up to 10% in 15 credits of reassessed modules Progression - Undergraduate

27. Foundation Degree – Level 5 Completed study of 120 credit points at level 5 and submitted work for all assessments no non submissions (NS) Achieved an average of 40% or more across all modules Achieved 40% or more in 105 credit points Achieved between 20% and 39% in no more than 15 credit points Satisfied all PSRB requirements if appropriate Honours Degree - Level 6 Achieved the requirements for level progression from level 5 to level 6 or has been admitted directly to level 6, i.e. via AP(E)L or Top-up Completed study of 120 credit points at level 6 and submitted work for all assessments no non submissions (NS) Achieved an average of 40% or more across all modules studied at this level Achieved 40% or more in modules equivalent to 105 credit points at level 6 Achieved between 20% and 39% in no more than 15 credit points at level 6 Satisfied all PSRB requirements if appropriate Achievement of award at final level

28. Foundation Degree – Merit, Distinction • Available dependant on particular course regulations • Merit – An average of level 5 module marks between 60% and 69% • Distinction – An average of level 5 module marks 70% or more

29. Determination of Classification of Honours Should take account of which is the better of: • a profile of achievement producing the relevant classification • the average performance in relation to numerical conventions Considering • 100% of Level 5 work at 25% weighting • 100% of Level 6 work at 75% weighting. Top Ups • consider 100% of Level 6 only

30. Classification Profiles • The profile is comprised 25% level 5 and 75% Level 6 • Level 5 modules count at 0.25 x the number of 15 credit modules in the classification • Level 6 modules at 0.75 x the number of 15 credit modules in the classification • Making a total of 8 overall • The profile is established where more than 50% of the credit points fall within one classification band. • The model is predicated on 16 x 15-credit modules, double modules count as the equivalent of two 15-credit modules.

32. More than 4 in the classification total column are required. • The outcome from this example is a profile at 2:2 because less than 4 (less than 50%) of the classification total falls into the 2:1 or higher classification categories.

33. Success at Masters Level • Studied 180 credit points at Level M or above, or has been accredited with no more than 90 credit points on admission; • Achieved an average of 40% or more across all modules studied at this level and submitted work for all assessments • Achieved 40% or more in modules equivalent to 160 credit points at Level M or above • Achieved between 20% and 39% in no more than 20 credit points

34. Outcome of Board of Examiners • Decision codes • PA Pass Award • PP Pass Proceed • DE Deferred not allowed to proceed • DP Deferred – allowed to proceed • FW Fail withdraw (little evidence of engagement NS) • CP Components Pending – unable to progress to next level • To recover from failure • FR Fail Repeat (failed less than 50% of level - repeat failed modules only) • FL Fail Level (more than 50% of modules failed – repeat the level) • Final level only required to repeat failed modules • Credit given for failed modules if progressing but no change in marks

35. Contained Awards Undergraduate Certificate 60 credits Level 4 Certificate of HE 120 credits Level 4 Diploma 120 credits Level 4 + 60 credits level 5 Diploma of HE 120 credits Level 4 + 120 credits level 5 Bachelor Degree without honours 60 credits at Level 6

36. Contained Awards Postgraduate Postgraduate Certificate 60 credits at Level M Postgraduate Diploma 120 credits at Level M

37. Questions??? QUESTIONS ???