I write in frustration over the marking of the Year 7 progress tests. Having spent my half-term and ensuing weeks marking 300 sets of papers - about 900 exam papers, I then spent at least eight hours simply recording the marks but worse was to come.
Rather than return the heavy sacks of papers to school for collection, I decided to take them to the main sorting office in Bath. So, on a steaming summer’s afternoon I made three journeys loading my car from my flat and then drove to the sorting office. I made three trips with the sacks only to be told on the last journey that they did not accept Parcel Force collections. I then drove to a nearby post office, where the same trips in and out were made. I drove to another post office and in and out I went with the sacks and was finally told: “You’ve come too late - we only accept these before 3pm”! You can imagine my rage. Fortunately, I was able to leave the sacks there.
With the crisis in recruiting markers, why can’t exam boards assist their loyal markers instead of providing them with this bureaucratic nightmare? The only good to have come out of it is that my biceps are looking pretty good.
Louise Loxton 6 Cleveland Place West Bath
