Choosing a type of markbook

GO 4 Schools offers four types of markbook, designed to support the different assessment schemes used by qualifications. Warning - You cannot change the type of markbook without discarding all marks/grades collected within it and rebuilding the markbook from scratch. However, the marks/grades are available as a download at the bottom of the subject page, and then can be re-uploaded to a re-built markbook.

Type	Suitability	Description
Standard	Primary, KS3, GCSE, AS/A-level	Each sheet within the markbook contributes, via its weighting, to the overall current working grade/level for a student. Sheets can be used to collect grades, marks, and notes, as well as checkboxes to record completion of work. Various rules can be used to control how marks/grades are combined within each sheet.
Vocational type 1	BTECs, Cambridge technical and NCFE VCert	Each sheet within the markbook can be marked as core, mandatory, or other and represents a unit that is worth credits (or guided learning hours). Internal assessment sheets typically contain an assessment per learning outcome within the unit. External assessment sheets can record the result of one or more attempts at an externally assessed unit. When the student has accrued enough credits by passing units they pass the qualification. Credits are then converted into points, and the points are used to calculate the student's overall grade. The calculation will also check that a result has been recorded for all core and mandatory units (a U is an accepted outcome), and that sufficient points have been scored across the core units.
Vocational type 2	NVQs	Each sheet within the markbook can be mandatory or optional and represents a unit that is worth credits. Each assessment within a sheet typically represents an element of the unit. All assessments in a unit must be passed to pass the unit. When the student has accrued enough credits from one or more units they pass the qualification.
OCR National	OCR Nationals	Each sheet within the markbook can be mandatory or optional and represents a unit that is worth Guided Learning Hours (GLH). Each assessment within a sheet typically represent and assessment objective. A best fit grade is calculated for each unit, but the student must pass all assessments in a unit to pass the unit. When the student has accrued enough GLHs by passing units, they pass the qualification. GLH are then converted into points, and the points are used to calculate the overall grade.

The vocational and OCR National style markbooks have been added to simplify tracking for these subjects. Many vocational qualifications have complicated rules for converting assessments into grades. We have followed the rules laid down by the awarding bodies and you should be familiar with the grading calculations used for your subject before setting up your markbook. For BTECs, you should be familiar with the notions of pass threshold and credits/guided learning hours, and the way in which credits/GLHs are converted into points to calculate the student's final grade. For OCR Nationals, you should be familiar with the notions of pass threshold, guided learning hours and the conversion of GLHs into points to the student's final grade.