How moderation works

And what happens if you don’t meet the standard

The Enrichment Mark is awarded on evidence, not payment. Your fee buys an independent expert review and a written report – not the badge. This page explains exactly how decisions are made, what the outcomes are, and where your money stands at every point.

What your fee buys

£395 per school for a three-year term for the founding cohort (standard price £495 from 31 March 2027) covers:

A full review of your evidence against the published criteria by an experienced reviewer, within 10 working days of submission
The reviewer’s written summary – yours to keep and use whatever the outcome
On award: the Enrichment Mark, year-dated, for your website, parent profile and evidence file

The two outcomes

Awarded.Your evidence meets the standard across all 8 benchmarks. You receive the Mark, valid for one year, plus the reviewer’s written summary.

Not yet. The reviewer tells you which benchmarks need stronger evidence and why, benchmark by benchmark. You keep that report and your BenchMark action plan, and you may apply again with a fresh self-evaluation. It is a roadmap, not a rejection: a school awarded on a later application has earned exactly the same Mark as everyone else.

Refunds

Before your review begins: full refund, no questions.
After your review begins:no refund, because the thing you purchased – the review itself and the written report – is being delivered. The Mark itself was never for sale.

How we keep the judgement honest

You pay us, and we judge your application. We know how that looks, so the safeguards are structural:

The same criteria, published in the tool.An application is assessed against the level descriptors you already read for each benchmark in BenchMark – the same words, in the same order – not a reviewer’s mood.
The fee is for the review, not the result. It is the same whether the Mark is awarded or not, so there is nothing to gain by awarding it.
Benchmark-by-benchmark reasons. Every judgement comes with the evidence it rests on, in writing, so you can see what was read and disagree with it.
If you think a decision is wrong, say so at hello@rounded.education and we will look again at the evidence you submitted.

The small print, in plain English

The Mark is valid for three years from award and is dated with its term (e.g. “Enrichment Mark 2026-29”). Renewal requires a fresh review of updated evidence – it is never automatic.
The Enrichment Mark is issued by After Hours Education Ltd (trading as rounded.education) and is not affiliated with, approved or endorsed by Ofsted or the Department for Education.
Questions before you apply: hello@rounded.education – we would rather answer them now than after you’ve paid.