Edexcel today reached the landmark total of 10 million examination scripts scanned and digitised for onscreen marking. 

Treasury Minister, John Healey, the local MP (Wentworth), visited Edexcel's secure processing centre in Rotherham on the morning of Friday 8 June 2007 to select the 10 millionth paper.

John Healey MP said:  “This Edexcel facility in Hellaby is at the cutting edge of educational technology world-wide. It is a credit to the trained and professional local workforce that they have now scanned ten million exam papers for online marking.

“This use of technology in education is opening up new possibilities, as marking exams in this way provides schools and students with personalised information about their exam performance that can be used to drive up standards.

“I am delighted to have drawn the ten millionth exam paper and hope that the student who completed it achieves the grade they were hoping for”.

The 10 millionth script was a GCE Applied Business paper, belonging to a year 12 student at Codsall Community High School in Wolverhampton.  The student has been contacted and will be invited to Hellaby for an informal prizegiving.

The revolutionary scanning technology was introduced in 2003. This year, Edexcel will scan and digitise around 90% of its papers.  Examiners mark the papers, not by traditional pen and paper, but on screen with a mouse, through the pioneering ePen – a web-based marking system that enables them to access scanned images of candidates’ questions. 

Jerry Jarvis, Edexcel’s Managing Director, said: “ePen has brought dramatic benefits, including improved marking quality, earlier results delivery, increased security, reduced marker and administrative errors and fewer lost scripts.  Crucially, we are now able to provide schools and colleges with the most comprehensive analysis of their students’ exam results – right down to individual question and individual student level.”

Edexcel’s unparalleled results analysis feedback will be available to schools and colleges as a new, free service called ResultsPlus.  As well as information for schools and colleges, ResultsPlus will also enable all Edexcel GCSE and A Level students to receive their summer exam results online.

Edexcel’s secure processing centre is located on the Hellaby Industrial Estate near Rotherham.  One of the largest employers in the area, it employs up to 550 staff at peak times.  More information about the scanning, digitising and online marking process is available from this short DVD: Inside the e-Revolution.

Ends/..