The second half of the Easter term is reserved for annual exams, called ‘papers.’ Students ‘sit’ exams and attempt questions set from the courses they’ve taken during the past year. Exams are swiftly marked in June and students are awarded a ‘class’: First, Upper Second (denoted 2.1 or II.1), Lower Second (II.2), Third, or Fail. Classes are based on relative, rather than absolute, performance.

Most courses don’t have any assessment other than questions in the final exam, with two exceptions. Some courses have ‘ticks’ which are project work graded pass/fail. Marks from ticks count towards the final marks for the course. Other courses are called ‘Units of Assessment’ and are assessed using tests or project work during term, which means they don’t have questions in papers at the end of the year.