Accuracy & marking
How accurate is the marking?
Markaroo is trained on board-specific mark schemes and standardisation materials, and has been tested against over 1,500 AQA and Edexcel scripts. In our pilots the AI-generated marks align strongly with senior examiner benchmarks — but every mark is a draft, and the teacher always makes the final decision.
Can teachers override the AI feedback?
Yes, always. Markaroo generates draft feedback and suggested marks; nothing is released to students without your explicit approval. You can adjust marks, edit comments, add your own observations, or rewrite any part of the assessment. See Review & publish.
Does it mark handwritten as well as typed answers?
Yes — both. Photographs of handwritten work captured on a phone are fine, as long as the writing is legible. There's no need to separate diagrams: keep the whole answer in one PDF.
What feedback do students see?
You choose between summary feedback (mark, AO breakdown, a few headline pointers) and detailed feedback (per-paragraph commentary and bespoke "how to improve" notes). The feedback is unique to each student's script, not generic comment-bank text.
Subjects & exam boards
Which exam boards and subjects are supported?
We currently support AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and WJEC mark schemes across Economics, Business Studies, Politics, History, Psychology, Geography, Physics, English Literature, and English Language. Sociology and Religious Studies are in development.
Can I use my own questions and mark scheme?
Yes. Choose Teacher's own as the exam board when creating a template, and paste in your own questions and your own marking scheme. Markaroo grades against whatever scheme you provide.
Does it work for short-answer questions or only essays?
Both. Essay subjects use per-question grading with AO-by-AO commentary. Quantitative subjects like Physics use whole-paper reasoning so that credit flows through working. The mode is chosen automatically.
Files & uploads
What file formats are accepted?
PDF only, one PDF per student, up to 16 MB. Most phone-scanner apps export PDFs by default.
Do I need to upload diagrams separately?
No. Keep everything — prose, working, diagrams, charts — in the same PDF. Markaroo reads them in order.
What if a script fails to extract?
You'll see Extraction Failed on that student's row. Try a clearer scan, a re-take in better light, or upload the answer as text. Around 99% of scripts pass on the first attempt.
How do filenames map to student names?
Name files firstname_lastname.pdf and Markaroo extracts the name automatically. If filenames are messy you can rename inline before grading begins. See Upload & grade.
Data & security
Is student data secure?
All data is hosted on UK-based servers and processed in compliance with UK GDPR. Student data is never shared with third parties, never used to train external models, and can be deleted at any time on request. Full detail on the Data Security page.
Is anything sent to OpenAI or another US AI provider?
Markaroo uses Google's Gemini model for grading inference. Submitted content is processed under contractual terms that exclude training use. See the Data Security page for the full sub-processor list.
How long is data retained?
Workspace data persists while the workspace is active. When a workspace is deleted, its assessments and uploads are removed within 30 days. Schools can request immediate deletion at any point.
Users & access
How do I add new staff or students?
From the Members tab in any workspace, click Add Member and search by email. They must already be a registered Markaroo user; if they aren't, your school admin (or our support team) can create the account.
Who can see what?
Owners and Admins see everything in the workspace. Teachers can grade and publish but can't add or remove members. Students see only their own assignments and feedback — never another student's. See Members & roles for the full matrix.
Can teachers collaborate on the same template?
Yes. Any teacher in the workspace can use the template. To avoid simultaneous edits on the same student's draft, the assessment shows a "being reviewed by" indicator.
Pricing & pilots
What does the pilot programme involve?
A free evaluation period for your chosen department, with dedicated support from our team. There is no commitment and no cost. We work closely with your teachers to measure impact on marking time, feedback quality, and student outcomes.
How long does it take to get started?
Under 30 minutes for a single teacher. No IT integration is required — Markaroo runs in any modern browser. Whole-department onboarding is usually scheduled as a single one-hour session.
How is Markaroo priced after the pilot?
Pricing is per-department per academic year, with volume discounts for whole-school deployments. Reach out for a quote tailored to your context.
Who do I contact?
Email parth@markaroo.co.uk for sales, onboarding, or general questions. We respond within 24 hours on working days.