Edexcel recruits trainee teachers to mark exams

An examination board has angered parents' and headteachers' leaders by hiring trainee teachers to mark GCSE scripts this summer.

The Edexcel board – criticised earlier this year over a series of blunders – has taken on 30 postgraduate students to mark history papers. If the experiment is successful, it might be extended to other subjects that could have a shortage of markers.

Headteachers and parents warned that it would lead to a loss of confidence in the marking system on a day when a poll of teachers said one in three was already concerned at the quality of marking.

One headteachers' leader said it showed the exam board was in "dire straits" over recruiting enough markers to cope with this summer's GCSE, A- and AS-level exams.

A spokeswoman for Edexcel said papers marked by the students would face a triple check on their marking standards. They had also done three days of training, which had led to some being weeded out before the 30 were appointed.

"Parents can rest assured there will be no loss of quality," she said. "For some subjects, we have a shortage of markers and we're always looking to recruit more than we need in case some drop out."

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the Government's exams watchdog, said it was viewing the scheme with interest. "We have encouraged an innovative approach to this issue," a spokeswoman said. "This is a small pilot with 30 students where work will be triple-marked by senior examiners. It should be noted that these are postgraduate students. The important thing is that they are properly trained and supervised in their role. QCA are closely observing the results of this project."

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, remained unconvinced. He said: "It is conceivable that students in their final year might be able to mark but I have my doubts as to whether they've got the appropriate experience. The important message it sends is that Edexcel must be desperate to recruit examiners. They must be in dire straits."

Margaret Morrissey, a spokeswoman for the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, added: "I just don't think they've got the experience and one would worry about that."

Concerns over exam marking standards surfaced last year with the introduction of new AS-level exams placing an increasing burden on the board. Edexcel estimates it will award 10 million marks this year compared with slightly more than 4 million two years ago. It now has to employ 48,000 markers to cope.

Gwen Evans, the deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: "This is a bit of a desperate measure. It would be smarter to aim for teachers who are in their second or third years and set up a scheme whereby they could be released for a week to do marking."

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education and Skills said: "Every examiner recruited has to satisfy stringent standards. The QCA ensures markers have degrees and meet criteria."

? Hundreds of pupils at Bognor Regis Community College in West Sussex are to be kept off school because a chronic teacher shortage has left it almost 10 per cent short of staff.

The school has been forced to put all pupils aged 11, 12 or 13 on a four-day week after struggling to fill 10 teacher vacancies or find supply teachers. Overall, 900 children have missed lessons and disruption could last another month.

West Sussex County Council has agreed to pay the accommodation costs of any supply teachers prepared to move to Bognor to cover vacancies at the school.