A review isn’t always the end of the road. Here’s the appeals process - and what it actually examines.
If you’ve had a review of marking and still think something’s wrong, your school or college can appeal to the exam board. An appeal looks at whether the board followed the correct procedures or made an unreasonable decision - not simply whether you’d prefer a different mark. If you’ve exhausted the board’s appeal and still have concerns about the process, the centre can ask Ofqual’s Exam Procedures Review Service (EPRS).
An appeal isn’t another re-mark. It examines whether the process was followed properly and the decision was reasonable - not whether a different examiner might have a different opinion.
For internal candidates, appeals are made by the school or college (through the head of centre), not by the student or parent directly. Source: JCQ ↗
Yes. A typical deadline is 30 calendar days from the outcome of the review of marking, though you should check the board’s exact date each year. Source: JCQ ↗
Stage 1 is a preliminary review by the board; Stage 2 is an appeal hearing that includes at least one independent person who was not involved in the original decision. Source: JCQ ↗
Yes - as with a review, a grade can go up, stay the same or go down, so the centre must have your consent before proceeding. Source: JCQ ↗
Broadly, an appeal can argue that a marking or moderation error remains - including an unreasonable exercise of academic judgement - or that the awarding organisation did not apply its procedures consistently, properly or fairly. Source: JCQ ↗
Ofqual’s Exam Procedures Review Service checks whether the correct procedures were followed after the board’s final appeal. There is no fee. Source: Ofqual ↗
Start with understanding reviews and Access to Scripts.
How reviews work →Access to Scripts →Last checked August 2026. This is a plain-English summary of official guidance; always check the linked Ofqual, JCQ and exam-board pages for the definitive rules, which can change.
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