Notes on marking.
Writing about the mechanics of checking papers — marking schemes, turnaround, question design — and about where software belongs in any of it. Published when there is something worth saying rather than on a schedule.
Error carried forward — what it means, and how to apply it consistently
Error carried forward stops one arithmetic slip costing a student a whole question. What it is, where it applies, and why it is so hard to apply consistently.
14 September 2026
Setting a test that is worth checking
Most papers tell you who scored well and little about why. Five changes to how a test is set that make the marks diagnostic instead of just ranked.
14 September 2026
The ten-day gap — why a late paper teaches nothing
A test returned ten days later is not slower feedback. It is a different and much weaker teaching event. Why turnaround matters more than marking accuracy.
14 September 2026
Try it on one of your own papers.
The first one is free, on your students’ own handwriting.