Jasmine Birtles
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Exam Marking – Use your Knowledge to Make money
Reading Time: 3 minutesMany teachers and lecturers – both active and retired – boost their income by marking GCSE and other exam papers. It’s a useful way of squeezing extra cash out of something you already know how to do. If you’d like to mark exams for some extra income then read on…
- What’s involved in exam marking?
- How much can I make?
- What costs will there be?
- What training and qualifications will I need?
- Pros
- Cons
What’s Involved in Exam Marking?
Exam boards generally recruit throughout the year with the bulk of examiners employed for the summer. Most exam marking is done in June and then a bit more in January, leaving you free for the rest of the year.
You might get one other batch of exam marking if you’re lucky. However, you are unlikely to get four contracts in twelve months.
Exam marking usually takes three or four weeks for which the examiner will be paid something in the range of £500 to £1,000. The number of scripts involved varies from subject to subject, as does the payment per script. Some subjects are tougher to mark so examiners are paid more for each one and given fewer of them.
Training is provided for new examiners. In addition to this, you have to attend a standardisation meeting for each contract to ensure consistency.
How much can I make?
You can expect to earn between £500 and £1,000 over three or four weeks, more than enough to pay for a week or two in the sun!
What costs will there be?
Nothing except your time, although you will need your own computer for online exam marking. This is because most scripts are now marked through an online system.
Training days are free and most exam boards will bear the replacement costs if you have to miss a day of teaching. To reimburse these costs, exam boards will often give you a teacher release voucher. As well as this, you should get travel expenses too.
What training and qualifications will I need?
You must be fully qualified in the subject you’re examining and ideally have teaching experience in it. Computer literacy is just as important, as you’ll most likely be required to work online as an examiner.
There will be training days where new examiners learn the secrets of standardised exam marking. Here you’ll be monitored throughout the exam marking process.
Pros
- You can work alongside your current role.
- Three or four weeks will earn you enough to take a holiday!
- Being an examiner will look good on your CV.
- It will improve your teaching. There’s nothing like marking 300 scripts to help you realise what examiners like and dislike.
- The training sessions provide valuable networking opportunities.
- Oh yes, and you can work at home where the coffee is probably better than at work.
- There even may be an opportunity to become a senior examiner too.
Cons
- The work comes in short, sharp, concentrated bursts.
- 500 pieces of work are a lot to get through in three or four weeks.
- Self-discipline and effective time management are a must. You can’t leave it all to the last minute, plus you owe the students a clear mind.
Useful contacts
- Assessment Qualifications Alliance (AQA)
- Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations
- Edexcel (an awarding body that provides academic and vocational qualifications)
- Welsh Joint Education Committee
- Council For The Curriculum Examination Assessment (Northern Ireland)
I am a Mathematics online examiner. I want to join as a online paper examiner. Please let me know if you have some opportunity for me.
Hi, I have just completed my PGCE in Geography, how do I become an examiner?
Thanks,
Nicole
Hi I am a Drama and Music teacher. I have experience in secondary and primary. How do I become an examiner? Thank you
Hello,
I have been a tutor in English and Drama for many years now. I have a degree in Eng+Drama from the University of Birmingham and am going to be doing a Masters in Voice Studies at Central School of Speech and Drama in October. I am looking to make some money this summer marking English or Drama exam papers, but am not sure if I have the correct qualifications to do so.
Many thanks,
Jessica
Hi I’m looking for an English GCSE Exam paper marker for my tution centre. Please get in touch on 07754299865. Thanks Ganesh
My name is Clement Anslem. I have taught ACCA (UK) professional qualification in Malaysia , Uganda and recently in China. I have taught paper F6 which is UK taxation. In Malaysia I was an internal examiner for CIMA and ACCA examination papers. I have also taught AAT courses as well as set examination papers for the Taxation subject in this course.
I have been teaching in the above courses for more than 20 years.
I would like to take up some exam papers marking assignment if it is available.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
Hi,
Would you be able to mark KS2 SATS?
Please reply so that I can discuss it further.
Kind regards
Hi Clement,
Would you be able to mark KS2 SATS or know someone who can?
Are you based in the UK?
Regards,
If you are looking for someone to mark SATs English papers – I am a fully qualified teacher on maternity and I’d be interested in this. Please contact me if you are still looking for someone.
I am a German and French teacher verging on early retirement and would like to know how b apply to become an exam marker
Kind regards,
Corinna Hedges
I think the best thing is to get in touch directly with the exam boards. There’s a list of them here https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate/who-to-contact so start with that one. There could be a form on their websites or just email/call them direct.
I’m a housewife. I would like to work from home as an examiner.
I am a native Urdu speaker I have done a BA degree in Advanced Urdu from Punjab University. I have been teaching in a private school for three and a half years. I taught Urdu language classes from KS1-A levels and gained very good results and have marked A level and GCSE exam papers at the school . I have also worked as an administrator and a translator for a news paper(Daily Jang) company. I am interisted in marking Urdu GCSE and A level exam papers. I am willing to gain any traing required to become an exam marker. I… Read more »
To whom it may concern
I have BSc(hons) degree in chemistry and I have teaching experience of 12-years at a private School. I have taught A level chemistry and KS3 and KS4 science. I have also worked as an invigilater/examiner at the school. I took the full responsiblity of teaching and assessing A level chemistry course and I have a clear understanding of the A level chemistry course and have gained good experience of how the exam papers are marked according to the markschemes provided by the exam board
I am very interested in making some extra money by marking work. Can you please give me some advice as to how i proceed with this?
Regards
Andrew Jackson