Quality and standards in English higher education

Assessment and awards

Higher education providers should ensure that students are assessed effectively and that their degrees are relevant and credible.

Assessments should be challenging and comprehensive, testing the students’ relevant skills in line with the level of the course.

Techniques and processes to ensure assessments are marked consistently, for example, marking teams meeting in advance to compare samples, or independent marking by two or more examiners.
Development of approaches involving a range of assessment types across the whole course.
Well planned or staggered assessments, allowing students enough time to digest feedback on one assessment before starting the next one.
Assessment feedback being provided in a variety of formats, including in writing, voice notes and videos.

Assessing students at different stages of a course in the same way, without differentiation in the marking criteria.
Only assessing a limited range of the subject matter, or a limited range of the students’ knowledge and skills.
Not providing feedback on a student’s work in a useful format, or in time for them to learn from it before the next assessment.
Assessments that allow students to gain marks for work that is not their own.
An inappropriate number of assessment attempts allowed.
High volumes of non-technical assignments for a technical subject.
Too much focus on preparing students for assessments as opposed to teaching.
Sharing exam questions in advance, raising concerns about academic integrity.

The classification of the degree awarded should accurately reflect students’ knowledge and skills.

Appropriate academic regulations and degree algorithms that result in accurate classifications of degrees.

An increase in the number or proportion of first class or 2.1 degrees awarded over time, without evidence to account for the increase.
Changes to academic regulations or degree algorithms that result in students receiving a higher classification than previous students, without an increase in their level of achievement.

For more details, see 'condition B4: assessment and awards' of our conditions of registration with the OfS.

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