Dear All
I have been asked to look into the question below. The request is from a
third party who is seeking advice. Whilst not obliged to do so (I act for
the atuhority, not the enquirer), I am interested in your views re that
below. Please note I have not modified the note below save redacting
personal details. Any thoughts/views would be most appreciated, on or off
list.
Thanks
Paul
Re: question on exam mark access by school pupils. I wonder if you might be
able to offer any information on a very specific interpretation of the
application / remit of the Data Protection Act?
I have confirmed with the exam boards – AQA WJEC – that they are happy for
unmoderated marks for assessed coursework for public examinations to be
released to students as soon as teachers have marked the work. They
therefore treat this very differently to access to examination marks for
formal exams, (the latter subject to a right of access exemption under Data
Protection). This means the raw score from the teacher can be given out
for such school based work, even though it may be subject to change before
the final issue of a formal GCSE or A Level grade by the board for
candidates in August.
I am clear that as a parent, under the Education Act, I have right of
access to data concerning my child, (with exceptions such as child
protection issues). Separately, my child has right of access to
information about themselves, (especially at 17 years old where it is clear
they are capable of understanding the information).
The vast majority of schools do not hesitate to offer students access to
unmoderated assessed coursework marks. However, in the instance of such
access being obstructed, does the student have their right of access to
their mark held on the school data base by virtue of the Data Protection
Act?
Clearly, if schools are able to sustain their choice to withhold the data,
students will face anomalies both between schools and within schools, as to
the level to which they may benefit from such feedback information in
preparation for their formal exams. It becomes possible for students at
one school to sit an exam having benefited from adjusting their approach
because they were offered their coursework mark, whereas other students
sitting exactly the same public exam may do so denied such benefit.
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