Sometimes MarkMate decides not to suggest a grade for a heading, because it would be guessing. When that happens, the progress bar says something like "3 of 4 headings drafted · one needs you", and the heading shows a short note explaining why. Common reasons Reason What it means What to do Can't be read The handwriting or scan for that part is unclear Read it yourself, or upload a clearer photo Nothing to mark That part of the work is blank or missing Check all the pages were uploaded Off task The student answered a different question Mark it yourself, using your judgement Choose the grade yourself and add any feedback, then save as normal. Good to know: MarkMate would rather leave a heading for you than give a grade it can't back up with evidence from the work.

Drafted feedback appears in each feedback box as a highlighted draft, so you can see what MarkMate wrote. Keep it, change it or remove it. To keep it: do nothing. When you click Save, the draft becomes your feedback. To change it: click into the text and edit it like normal typing. Once you edit a draft, it becomes your own text. To remove it: click the small × at the start of the draft. Your own typing in that box is kept. To try again: click Draft feedback again. Drafts you haven't touched are replaced with the new ones. Anything you've typed or edited is kept. Good to know: If you typed something in a box before drafting, MarkMate's draft is added after your text. It doesn't replace it.

Every grade MarkMate suggests comes with its reasons, so you can check it in seconds without re-marking the work. You can accept it, change it or clear it. To see why MarkMate chose a grade Point your mouse at the suggested grade (the one with ✦). A box appears showing: The grade it chose, and "Borderline with…" if the work was close to the next grade. A short note explaining the decision in the mark scheme's own words. Quotes from the student's work that the decision is based on. To change a grade Grade sets: click a different level. Marks: type a different number in the box. The original suggestion stays beside it (✦ 6) so you can see what you changed. To clear a grade: click the selected level again, or delete the number. Tips Check borderline grades first. They're the ones where your judgement matters most. If you often disagree with MarkMate on a heading, add more detail to the heading's What to look for, or attach a mark scheme. See How to write feedback headings that get the best AI marking.

Draft feedback reads a student's work, suggests a grade or mark for each heading, and writes feedback in your marking style. It usually takes under a minute, and you can check and change everything before saving. Steps Open the assessment and click a student in the list on the left. Make sure their work is uploaded. You'll see it under Student Work on the right. If it isn't, see How to add students' work to an assessment. In the toolbar at the bottom, click Draft feedback (or press Ctrl + D, or ⌘ + D on a Mac). You can also click Draft from work under the student's work. Watch the progress bar: Reading Ava's work… Marking Question 1… Writing feedback… When it says Feedback drafted for Ava, check each heading: The suggested grade or mark is marked with a small ✦. The drafted feedback appears in each box, highlighted as a draft. Change anything you disagree with. See How to check and change the AI's suggested grades. Click Save (top right) or press Ctrl + S (⌘ + S on a Mac). Save time: You don't have to wait. Start Draft feedback, move on to the next student and start theirs too. Drafts carry on in the background and will be waiting when you go back. Good to know: Nothing is saved until you click Save. Students never see anything until you print or share it.

Marking in MarkMate is a simple loop for each student: upload their work → let MarkMate draft the marks and feedback → check it, change anything you like → save. The AI does the first pass. You stay in charge of every grade and every word. The marking screen Area What it's for Student list (left) Every student in the class, with their marking status. Click a name to switch. Feedback cards (middle) One card per heading, with a feedback box and the grade or mark. General feedback sits at the bottom. Side panel (right) Student Work (their uploaded pages), Marking Resources (mark schemes) and Context for marking. Toolbar (bottom) Draft feedback and Talk it through. Save button (top right) Saves this student's marks and feedback. The three ways to give feedback (you can mix them): Draft feedback: MarkMate reads the work and drafts everything for you. Talk it through: you say your feedback and MarkMate writes it up. Type: click into any feedback box and type.

School admins can see everyone using MarkMate, change what they can do, and remove anyone who has left. Steps Click the round button with your initials (top right), then Settings. Click Users. From here you can: Search for someone by name or email. Change a role between Teacher and Admin. Remove a teacher who has left. This frees up their seat. Resend or cancel an invitation that hasn't been accepted. Good to know The school's Owner can't be changed or removed here. Contact us if the owner has left your school. You can see when each person joined and when they were last active.

If your school uses MarkMate, your admin will send you an email invitation. Accepting it takes a minute. Steps Open the invitation email from MarkMate and click the link. Enter your First name and Last name. Choose a Password and confirm it. Create your account. Read the terms, then click Accept and continue. You're in. Click New class to get started. If your school has connected its MIS, your classes may already be there. "This invitation has expired." Invitations only last a short time. Ask your school's MarkMate admin to send you a new one. Already have a MarkMate account? Sign in with the same email address the invitation was sent to, then accept it.

If you're a school admin, you can add colleagues to your school's MarkMate. Each teacher gets an email invitation to create their account. Steps Click the round button with your initials (top right), then Settings. Click Users. Click Invite teachers. Type the teacher's Email address. Use their school email. Choose a Role: Teacher: can set up their own classes and mark. Admin: can also invite and manage staff, and share grade sets with the whole school. Send the invitation. The teacher appears in the list as invited until they accept. Good to know "Invite teachers" is greyed out? Your school has used all its seats. Remove someone who no longer needs access, or contact us to add more seats. Do you see "Import teachers" instead? Your school's MarkMate is connected to your MIS. You can import staff, and their classes, straight from your school's records. Invitation not arrived? Find the teacher in the list and resend the invitation. Ask them to check their junk folder too.

Before anyone at your school can use MarkMate, someone authorised to act for the school needs to sign our Data Processing Agreement (DPA). This is the agreement that sets out how MarkMate looks after student data, as UK GDPR requires. If you see "Waiting for the data agreement" The DPA hasn't been signed yet. You have two options. Option A: send it to the right person. This is usually your head, business manager or Data Protection Officer. Under Share the signing link, type their email address. Click Send link. Or click to copy the link and send it to them yourself. Option B: sign it yourself, if you're authorised to sign for your school. Under Sign it yourself, click Open agreement. Read it and follow the steps to sign. As soon as it's signed, MarkMate opens for everyone at your school. If you set up the school account, you'll get an email when it's done. Sent the link to the wrong person? Click Reset the link. The old link stops working straight away. Then send a new one.

Yes. If several teachers want to try MarkMate, we'll set up a group trial for your department or whole school, and we can train your staff so everyone gets off to a good start. What a group trial includes A shared school account, so colleagues can use the same shared grade sets and marking approach. Accounts for every teacher taking part. Your school admin invites them by email. Training for your staff, at a time that suits you. Help moving to a school plan if you decide to carry on. Schools are invoiced annually and can pay by BACS. How to arrange one Email support@markmate.co.uk and tell us: Your school's name Roughly how many staff would like to take part Who will look after it at your school (your school admin) When you'd like to start, and whether you'd like training We'll get back to you to set it up. Already trialling on your own? That's fine. Mention it when you get in touch.