Careers OCR Appeals Committee Members

Appeals Committee Members carry out an independent review of individual cases about:

• the accuracy and procedures in determining grades
• malpractice sanctions
• how students with special circumstances, such as disabilities, illness and injury, are supported through assessments to minimise any disadvantage

These cases can involve complex, sensitive issues that have a serious effect on people's lives and futures.

Appeal hearings are held in Cambridge, Coventry and online, made up of a panel of three committee members, including a panel chair and at least one independent member. They are supported by a secretary drawn from OCR staff. Further details of the appeals process can be found in the JCQ guide to the awarding bodies' appeal processes.

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The Role

You will be a member of OCR's Appeals Committee and form part of the panel for appeal hearings, reading case papers in advance. You will attend appeal hearings, listen to the cases made by OCR and the people appealing, question them and decide whether to uphold or not uphold appeals in full, or in part, based on JCQ regulations and the available evidence. When upholding appeals you may recommend or direct that OCR:

• carries out further work, such as:

• reviewing the marking of an examination, or moderation of non-examined assessment
• re-investigating a malpractice allegation
• re-considering a special consideration or access arrangement decision

• changing a malpractice sanction
• removing a malpractice sanction or finding of malpractice

Training is supplied and needed to carry out the role. It usually occurs annually, but this can be more frequent if needed.

We ask for your availability for hearing dates in advance and pay a fee for each meeting to cover preparation and attendance. Most hearings are conducted remotely via MS Teams, however we do offer appellants the option of in person meetings at our Cambridge Office, and may extend this to our Coventry Office as well. You can expect to be involved in approximately five to eleven hearings a year, with the busiest period between November and January. Hearings usually last for around three hours including a panel pre-meeting and post hearing deliberation. They are typically scheduled Tuesday to Thursday.

We will also pay travel and subsistence allowances at the current rate for in person meetings. The current fee is £86.43 per session, with a preparation fee ranging from £57.62 to £144.05 depending on complexity of the case.