When more than one teacher marks IGCSE coursework, Cambridge requires the school to “moderate or standardise” their marking to a common standard. An internal moderator, usually the head of department, may move whole groups’ marks and must produce a rank order. External moderators then sample the work and adjust marks. Run a standardisation meeting before marking, not after.
What does Cambridge require?
Internal moderation whenever more than one teacher marks. Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses with coursework say: “If more than one teacher in your centre is marking internal assessments, you must make arrangements to moderate or standardise your teachers’ marking so that all candidates are assessed to a common standard. (If only one teacher is marking internal assessments, no internal moderation is necessary.)” (Geography 0460).
The Cambridge Handbook 2026 (section 3) adds:
| Requirement | Handbook wording |
|---|---|
| Internal moderator | ”Each centre must select one teacher per component to act as an internal moderator. This is usually the head of department, but it can be a subject teacher” |
| Adjusting groups | ”The internal moderator may move marks for some teaching groups up or down to make sure they are consistent for the whole centre” |
| Rank order | ”You must produce a list of all candidates in descending order of marks – we call this a rank order” |
| Purpose | Moderation “makes sure there is a consistent standard and rank order across all candidates in the centre” |
What happens at external moderation?
Cambridge checks a sample and can adjust everyone’s marks. Schools “must submit the marks of all candidates” and “the marked work of a sample of candidates”, which “should include examples of the marking of each teacher”. Cambridge’s samples database “explains how the sample will be selected” for each component. After results, Cambridge sends “a moderation adjustment summary report for each component”, which “highlights any adjustments we make to your candidates’ marks”.
This is why internal standardisation matters. If one teacher marks generously and the sample includes their students, the adjustment can fall on the whole centre.
What does Pearson require?
Similar principles, with published sample sizes. Pearson asks centres to mark every candidate against its criteria “and arrange candidates in order of merit”. Its moderators then review a sample. From June 2026, the sample sizes apply to “GCSE, International GCSE, A level, Entry Level Certificate and Project qualifications” (Pearson):
| Cohort size | Pearson sample size (from June 2026) |
|---|---|
| 1–15 | All |
| 16–100 | 15 |
| 101–200 | 20 |
| Over 200 | 25 |
“You must also include the highest and lowest marked students”. “Unless your centre has been demonstrably inconsistent, mark adjustments will maintain your order of merit.” Authentication matters too: if a candidate’s signed declaration is missing, “the work will receive a mark of zero”.
Why is the rank order so important?
Because moderation usually adjusts marks but keeps the order. Pearson says adjustments “maintain your order of merit” unless the centre was inconsistent, and Cambridge’s internal moderation is designed to produce “a consistent standard and rank order”. If two teachers mark to different standards, the combined rank order is wrong. No external adjustment can fix that fairly. Standardising before marking protects the order, which protects students.
How should a department run a standardisation meeting?
Our recommended method, for coursework and mocks alike:
- Before marking: all markers mark the same three scripts independently, chosen for high, middle and low quality.
- Compare marks against the mark scheme or assessment criteria, criterion by criterion.
- Agree the reasons for each mark, and record them on the scripts as reference scripts.
- Mark the cohort, referring to the reference scripts.
- Cross-mark a sample: the internal moderator re-marks a few scripts from each teacher, including top and bottom.
- Adjust groups, not individuals, where a teacher is consistently high or low, as Cambridge’s Handbook allows.
- Produce the rank order and check it makes sense against other evidence, such as mocks.
- Record everything: reference scripts, moderator decisions and adjustments.
For mock grading, see how to set grade boundaries for mocks. For evidence schools may need in a contingency, see a defensible assessment evidence base.
What goes wrong most often?
Common pitfalls, from our work with schools:
- Standardising after marking, so disagreements become arguments about finished work.
- Moderating individual scripts instead of teacher-level patterns.
- Samples without every teacher, which Cambridge’s rules require.
- Missing authentication forms, which Pearson treats as a mark of zero.
- No record of why marks moved, which weakens any later enquiry.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
Coursework must be marked by teachers, but mock and practice marking can be made consistent at source. AI Buddy marks past-paper-style questions against a single standard for every class, so department data compares like with like. Heads of department can then spot a class that performs differently on the same questions before it affects internal assessment decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Does IGCSE coursework need internal moderation?
Yes, if more than one teacher marks it. Cambridge requires schools to moderate or standardise marking so all candidates are assessed to a common standard.
Who is the internal moderator for Cambridge coursework?
One teacher per component, usually the head of department. They may move marks for teaching groups up or down for consistency across the centre.
What is Pearson’s moderation sample size?
From June 2026: all candidates for 1–15, 15 for 16–100, 20 for 101–200 and 25 for over 200, plus the highest and lowest marked students.
Does external moderation change the rank order?
Usually not. Pearson says adjustments maintain the centre’s order of merit unless the centre was demonstrably inconsistent.
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Sources
- Cambridge International, IGCSE Geography 0460 syllabus 2025–2026, internal moderation
- Cambridge International, Cambridge Handbook 2026, section 3: coursework and moderation
- Pearson, Moderation and internal assessment