GCSE and GCE Art & Design qualifications are Internally Assessed and Externally Moderated.

This means that submissions (works presented for GCSE/GCE) are initially marked by teachers or tutors and these marks are then sent to the awarding organisation prior to moderation. Next moderators who are trained by the awarding organisation visit the school or college and moderate the submissions to ensure that the internal assessment is fair, accurate and reliable, and that standards align to the national standard (standardisation). Both internal assessment and external moderation for GCSE and GCE Art & Design take place in the summer; usually in Year 11 for GCSE, Year 12 for Advanced Subsidiary and Year 13 for Advanced Level A2 submissions. Teachers or tutors annually complete and send their internally assessed marks to WJEC electronically via the secure website by May 15th. Moderation visits usually take place in June, on a convenient date agreed between the centre and WJEC.

The length of the moderation is dependent upon the amount of options and candidate entries at the centre. As part of the preparation for moderation schools and colleges present submissions using a range of suitable formats, from onscreen digital displays or portfolios, to gallery type exhibitions; all of which are acceptable, providing the format facilitates the moderator’s ease of access and viewing of the work.
During the visit the moderators compare work at a range of internally assessed marks to examples provided by the WJEC reflecting the standards set by the Chief or Principal Examiner.

At the conclusion of the external moderation visit the moderator conveys verbal feedback to the Head of Department or centre representative and completes a Centre Report which positively outlines the strengths and/or any constructive observations relating to shortcomings in the submissions presented.
The moderated marks are submitted to WJEC and if any adjustments to centre marks are recommended by the moderator we carefully examine the moderator’s profile and a range of other evidence to support the decision-making process. There is also a section of the report that is completed at the WJEC office which highlights accurate, harsh or generous internal marking and informs the centre if it has been necessary to adjust the marks.

Centre reports are available on the secure website on the results dates for GCE and GCSE respectively.