A-level remarks and appeals go through a formal "review of marking" process run by the exam board, requested by the school (not the student directly) after results day. Parents can ask for a priority review if a university place depends on the outcome, which is returned faster — usually before UCAS confirmation deadlines. Grades can go up, down, or stay the same.
How the review process actually works
Unlike GCSE grade boundaries, which are a separate topic about how raw marks convert to grades, an A-level remark is a specific administrative process: a formal challenge to how a particular script was marked. Only the school or college can submit the request on the student's behalf — individual candidates and parents cannot apply directly to AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel or WJEC/Eduqas.
There are two main stages:
- Clerical re-check — confirms all pages were marked, marks were totalled correctly, and no marking guidance was missed. Rarely changes a grade on its own.
- Review of marking — a senior examiner re-marks the script against the same mark scheme used originally, checking that marking was reasonable and consistent. This is what most people mean by "a remark."
Since 2016, exam boards operate under Ofqual's common rules: a review of marking can result in the mark going up, down, or staying the same. There is no "marks can only improve" safety net any more — this makes the decision to request a review one worth discussing carefully with the school and, ideally, the subject teacher who knows the script's strengths and risk areas.
Priority review: the results-day route
If a grade affects a firm or insurance university offer, schools can request a priority review of marking on results day itself. Exam boards guarantee these outcomes are returned to schools before the UCAS confirmation deadline (typically mid-to-late August), so a missed offer can potentially still be secured.
Key points on priority reviews:
- The school, not the parent, submits the request — usually within hours of results being published.
- Priority applies to subjects where a grade change could affect a conditional university offer.
- Results are typically returned within a few working days, well ahead of standard reviews.
- If the priority review changes the grade, the school or student can ask UCAS/the university to reconsider the place, though the university retains discretion.
Because the window is so tight, it is worth agreeing the plan with the school before results day: which subjects and papers are borderline, and whether a priority review will be requested automatically if the grade falls short of the offer.
Typical process and timeline
| Stage | Who acts | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Results published | Student/school | Mid-August |
| Priority review request (if needed) | School | Results day, same day |
| Priority review outcome | Exam board | Within days, before UCAS deadline |
| Standard review of marking request | School | Usually within 30 days of results (per-board deadline) |
| Standard review outcome | Exam board | A few weeks |
| Appeal against the review outcome | School, via exam board's appeals process | After review outcome, set deadline |
Deadlines are set by each exam board each year (AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel, WJEC/Eduqas) and published alongside results-day guidance — schools hold the authoritative dates, so always confirm directly with the school's exams officer rather than relying on a generic date.
What a review of marking can and cannot achieve
A review of marking can:
- Correct genuine marking errors (misapplied mark scheme, missed pages, arithmetic mistakes)
- Result in a grade change up or down
- Be requested alongside access to the marked script (a "copy of script" service, sometimes ordered first to help decide whether a review is worthwhile)
A review of marking cannot:
- Change the mark scheme itself or argue that the specification content was unfair
- Guarantee an improved grade — it can lower a grade if the original mark was too generous
- Be requested by a student independently of their school or college
Should you order a copy of the script first?
Many exams officers recommend requesting a copy of the marked script before committing to a full review, especially for borderline cases. It costs less than a review and lets the subject teacher assess whether there's a credible case (an under-marked essay response, a misapplied rubric) before risking a grade going down. This is optional — some schools go straight to review for genuinely urgent, offer-critical subjects.
Costs and who pays
Exam boards charge a fee for reviews of marking and copies of scripts, refunded if the grade changes as a result of the review. Schools typically pay the fee upfront and may or may not pass the cost on to families — policies vary by school, so ask the exams officer directly. Because refunds are conditional on a grade change, a review that confirms the original mark is a real (non-refundable) cost, which is another reason to have the subject teacher sanity-check the script first.
Frequently asked questions
Can a parent request an A-level remark directly?
No. Only the school or college can submit a review of marking request to the exam board — individual students and parents cannot apply directly. Parents should raise the request with the exams officer or subject teacher as soon as possible after results, ideally on results day if a university place is at stake.
Can a grade go down after a review of marking?
Yes. Since Ofqual's 2016 reforms, a review of marking can result in the grade moving up, down, or staying the same, because the mark is re-checked against the mark scheme rather than simply nudged upward. This is why schools usually recommend discussing the script's strengths with the subject teacher before requesting a review.
How fast is a priority review of A-level results?
Priority reviews, requested by the school on results day when a university offer is at risk, are returned by exam boards within a few working days — before the UCAS confirmation deadline in most years. Standard (non-priority) reviews of marking take longer, typically a few weeks, and follow a separate, later deadline.
What happens if the review of marking outcome is still disputed?
If the school believes the review of marking process itself was not followed correctly, it can lodge a formal appeal directly with the exam board under that board's appeals procedure, separate from the original review request. If unresolved at that stage, Ofqual's Exam Procedures Review Service can, in limited circumstances, examine whether the exam board followed its own procedures correctly — though it does not re-mark the script itself.
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