Level 3 Award in Oracy: Moderation

The Level 3 Award in Oracy is assessed using a Cambridge OCR-set assignment, marked by the teacher and moderated via a virtual visit.

There are two moderation windows each academic year, window 1 (February series) and window 2 (June series):

2026/27

• Moderation window 1 (February series): 30 November 2026* to 26 February 2027
• Moderation window 2 (June series): 8 March to 11 June 2027

*As Oracy is a new qualification for first teach September 2026, moderation can take place from January 2027 for the first year and November in subsequent years.

• When students are ready for assessment, your exams officer will need to make an entry for the relevant series using the entry code H055.
• The total number of criteria achieved for each unit is the mark, which must be submitted 10 working days before your visit
• You will then receive a sample request. The sample must be uploaded to our Submit for Assessment service 3 working days before your visit
• Verbal feedback will be given on the day of the visit and written feedback will be sent to you shortly after the visit
• Grades will be confirmed on the set results day for the window

Number of moderation visits

You are able to have two virtual visits each academic year, one in each moderation window

Make entries

When students are ready for assessment, your exams officer must make an entry using the entry code H055 for the relevant series by the entry deadline 

Submit your virtual visit arrangement request

Teachers must request the date on the Cambridge OCR Moderation Service, accessed via My Cambridge, by the deadline for the window

Submit total marks and receive a sample request

The mark is the number of criteria achieved by the student.

The total number of criteria achieved by each student must be added to the Cambridge OCR Moderation Service at least 10 working days before your virtual visit. This is accessed through 'My Cambridge'.

Once your marks (criteria achieved) have been submitted, you will receive a sample request for six students or all students if you have fewer than six entered for the moderation window for the unit. The earliest you will receive a request is 15 working days before a visit.

Submit criteria level marks for the sample

At least 3 working days before your visit, add the details of the individual criteria achieved (P1,P2 etc) for the six students in the sample to Moderation Service. 

Upload the requested sample and recording documents to Submit for Assessment

Work and the videos for the students selected in the sample must be uploaded to our Submit for Assessment service at least 3 working days before your face-to-face or virtual visit. 

When uploading the work for the students in the sample, you must upload your recording documents showing the criteria level marks for the whole cohort to Submit for Assessment. This could be the Cambridge OCR unit recording sheet (URS) if you have used it or your own centre-devised recording documents.

Please see our submission requirements page for more information.

Moderation takes place

The virtual visit will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.

During the moderation visit, the moderator will review the submitted samples of work and provide verbal feedback.

Feedback and quality assurance

In addition to the provisional verbal feedback provided on the day of the virtual visit, a written feedback report will be added to the Moderation Service approximately ten days after your visit following completion of our internal quality assurance checks.

If there are issues identified with the marking of any criteria, this will be highlighted during your visit.

If there are several issues identified, there will be an opportunity for you to revisit your marking of these criteria before final results are issued for this moderation – but not to improve student work. Some additional moderator checks will be carried out and your moderator will support you with this process.

Outcomes of moderation remain provisional until confirmed on the results day for the window. In some cases, provisional outcomes may be revised following internal quality assurance checks and we will contact you as soon as we identify changes are required.

Results and grades

Centres will already know the outcome of moderation following their visit and any adjustments made during the quality assurance process.

Grades are released to centres on a set results day for the moderation window the day before they can be given to candidates. This is known as 'restricted results day'.

The qualification grades are: 

• Distinction (D)
• Merit (M)
• Pass (P) 

Certificates

Certificates are issued about eight weeks after results are issued for the series.