Appeals Process

Key Stage 2 Moderation Appeals Procedure 2024

Moderation of Key Stage 2 is a statutory requirement carried out on behalf of the STA (Standards and Testing Agency) to establish the accuracy of practitioner judgements. LAs must moderate a minimum of 25% of schools within their area.

The LA external moderator role is to scrutinise the evidence presented and validate each judgement within the sample against the standards for writing, within the STA TA frameworks" and the national exemplification materials.  The minimum sample size should be 15%+ across the cohort. Where the LA external moderator judges that there is insufficient evidence for the standard awarded for a pupil (or pupils) they will detail, within the visit note, the revised judgement and the reason for it.

The school will then be authorised and required by the moderator to re-submit the result, using the moderator's decision on the TA outcome. If a school wishes to question the outcome of moderation, the can then commence the appeal procedure. This appeal procedure adheres to STA's statutory guidance and the KS2 assessment and reporting arrangements.

Stages of appeal process:

  1. The moderator explains the reasons for the change to the teacher and headteacher, supplementing the visit note explanation if required for clarification.
  2. If the school still does not agree then the headteacher to contact the Moderation Manager (Mike Thompson) on 01772531555 to explain concerns and reasons for challenge of moderator judgement. The headteacher may request further clarification, further support or training. They may also formally request the appeal against the moderator's judgements is taken to the next stage (stage 3).
  3. At this point, the Moderation Manager would arrange for another moderator to visit the school and review the evidence. This moderator would not discuss the evidence with the first moderator, to avoid tainting of judgement. Schools must have evidence to support any appeal claim and the evidence can only be based on that validated during the LA moderation visit.
  4. If the second moderator agrees with school, the results of the school stand; if the second moderator agrees with the original moderator, those results stand and the headteacher is informed. If the headteacher disagrees and still wishes to challenge the outcome, the evidence would then go to a formal appeal panel. The appeal panel will consist of representatives from one or more local authorities, with all members of the panel very experienced in Key Stage 2 assessment and moderation at county level. A representative from Lancashire would not form part of the panel. The panel would review the evidence and form a final judgement which would be reported to the school, to the LA Moderation Manager, and to the STA (Standards and Testing Agency).