Rm Regulatory News (RM.)

2 May 2007 07:00

RM PLC02 May 2007 2nd May 2007 RM enters into £21m on-screen marking partnership agreement with Europe's largest assessment agency RM has signed a managed service contract under which it will provide on-screenmarking services to Cambridge Assessment, Europe's largest assessment agency.The five-year contract, which will deliver a significant increase in the numberof examination scripts that are marked on-screen, is expected to be worth inexcess of £21m. RM has worked with Cambridge Assessment to develop on-screen marking servicessince January 2004, and completed a large scale pilot in summer 2006. Experiencefrom this work shows that on-screen marking both improves the quality &consistency of exam marking and reduces administration costs. RM will deliver a comprehensive service which will be integral to the wayCambridge Assessment provides examinations. The service transforms a number ofkey assessment activities, offering: scanning and online hosting of originalexamination scripts; electronic distribution of exam scripts to markers;on-screen marking; electronic return of marks; and workflow across the wholeprocess. The on-screen marking service will be built around RM's e-Marking system scoris(R). For individual markers, scoris(R) presents a secure online environment inwhich they can receive, view and mark exam scripts on their own home computers.For examination boards, it provides a Web-delivered workflow system, whichcontrols the process of allocating exam scripts to markers, collecting marks andmonitoring the quality & consistency of markers' work. Simon Lebus, Chief Executive of Cambridge Assessment, said: "It is vital to Cambridge Assessment that, in our modernisation programme,implementing best assessment practice comes first. Working with RM means that weare able to ensure that happens, while harnessing the benefits of ICT to improvethe efficiency and effectiveness of the way we manage examinations. There'senormous scope for technology to make a difference - both easing the burden forindividual markers and improving administration and consistency across the wholesystem. "On-screen marking is now an integral part of the way we, through ourexamination boards, provide services to our customers. After successfullycompleting volume pilots last summer, I'm very pleased that we are now going tocontinue our work with RM and roll out this programme on a much bigger scale." Tim Pearson, CEO of RM said: "This agreement with Cambridge Assessment is a significant next step in ourpartnership with them. It underlines the importance they attach to e-Marking andmoves our relationship onto a longer-term contracted basis. As part of theagreement, we're committed to finding even greater efficiencies for them,driving down the cost of processing examination scripts and driving up thequality of marking. "Assessment and data is an increasingly important business area for RM. With ourworld-leading technology - including our scoris(R) e-Marking system and ouron-screen testing products, where candidates actually take exams on a computer -we're well placed to provide vital support services to examination boards andother qualification providers." For further information, please contact:Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc 08450 700300Bene't Steinberg/Rebecca Shilton, Cambridge Assessment 01223 556018Mark Antelme/Raphael Mazet, Brunswick 020 7404 5959 Notes: Founded in 1973, the RM Group is a leading provider of educational products andservices to schools, colleges & universities, local government, and centralgovernment education departments & agencies. RM works closely witheducationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improveteaching and learning. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge LocalExaminations Syndicate, a department of the University of Cambridge and anot-for-profit organisation. As Europe's largest assessment agency, CambridgeAssessment plays a leading role in developing and delivering assessment acrossthe globe. It offers qualifications through three examination boards: • OCR, one of the three UK-wide awarding bodies, designs, produces and assesses qualifications including GCSEs, A Levels and a wide range of vocational qualifications. • University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) offers qualifications including International GCSEs, A & AS Levels and business qualifications in disciplines such as ICT, management and office administration skills. • University of Cambridge English for Speakers of Other Languages Examinations (ESOL) are the world's leading certificates for English language learners. QCA (Qualification and Curriculum Authority) statistics state that more than 25million GCSE, AS Level and A Level scripts are processed each year by UKexamination boards. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange