This policy sets out the University’s approach to the verification of assessment and the standardisation and moderation of marking. The policy should be read in full, for further detail.
Changes in sector regulation have allowed universities to review their current processes and there is sector encouragement to assure ourselves that the processes we use are ‘risk based’ and proportionate. This policy will be implemented from September 2025.
Policy Statements
Assessment Verification
Only wholly new assessment methods require internal verification. There will not be external examiners to provide external verification however the design and modification of assessments will be a topic for ‘deep dives’ by School/Institute External Advisors.
Standardisation and Internal Moderation
Course teams may opt out of Standardisation and Internal Moderation where they can evidence that the constituent modules are operating as intended and without cause for concern. This needs the explicit agreement of the School/Institute and Schools/Institutes may wish to make this decision across all of their provision rather than requests by specific course teams.
An exception would be where a module is substantively or wholly new, where there should be moderation by sample in the first year of operation.
Students can also request that Standardisation and Internal Moderation takes place, not for individual student marks but where the whole cohort can evidence that there are issues with the marks. The Student Union (SU) Course Rep would need to convince the College SU rep and then they would need to have sufficient evidence for the Hallam’s Director of Registry Services, Director of Academic Quality & Standards (AQS) and the relevant Associate Deans LTSS, before this was agreed.
It is envisaged that the default position with regards to internal moderation is that courses will be "opted out", unless one of the explicit conditions where moderation must take place, such as the introduction of a new assessment method, occurs.
External Moderation
External moderation will largely be removed as the relevant course/module examiner is removed. Exceptions to this are External Advisors reviewing Higher Degree Apprenticeship end point assessments and all courses where Professional, Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements dictate the continuance of External Examiners and also the continuance of external moderation.
Moderation of assessed work at Collaborative Partners
Moderation will be based a higher level in the first three years of a course delivered by a partner falling back to ‘business as usual’ steady state.
Mark Scaling
In exceptional circumstances, mark scaling can be requested. Any such requests must be agreed by the Head / Director of School / Institute before being considered by the relevant Associate Dean, the Director of Registry Services and the Director of Academic Quality and Standards.
