It is important that returns are carefully managed in the new system. This can be done with a combination of suitable naming conventions and business processes.
A Return for Each Attempt
Within the Student Record System, a record is kept of each student's attempt at a class.
- There may only be one attempt if it is a passing mark.
- It may be that the student fails at the first attempt but passes at a subsequent resit (second attempt, third attempt, etc).
Each return sent to the student record system provides a mark for an attempt.
- If only one mark is being returned for each student, only one class return should be sent.
- Before the resit exam boards, a new return will need to be created to hold a second attempt mark for those students who have performed a resit.
- The second return (or resit return) is extremely unlikely to contain marks for all students - it should only hold marks for those who are resitting.
- Any return can be edited and the changes returned to the student record system as many times as is necessary before the exam board.
Manage Returns - naming conventions and checking for existing returns
Each return 'belongs' to the class - not to the person who created it. So anyone who has permission to return marks for a class, can see all its returns and start new ones.
As set out in our Preparation for a Return article, it is vital that you check whether a return has been started for a class before starting a new one (see instructions below), otherwise you run the risk of accidentally returning additional marks for the students. This is also why the naming convention discussed in Preparation for a Return is so important - so that every staff member who can see the return is clear which Board it relates to.