RM enters GBP21m Partnership

RM PLC
02 May 2007

                                                                    2nd May 2007

   RM enters into £21m on-screen marking partnership agreement with Europe's
                           largest assessment agency


RM has signed a managed service contract under which it will provide on-screen
marking services to Cambridge Assessment, Europe's largest assessment agency.
The five-year contract, which will deliver a significant increase in the number
of examination scripts that are marked on-screen, is expected to be worth in
excess of £21m.

RM has worked with Cambridge Assessment to develop on-screen marking services
since January 2004, and completed a large scale pilot in summer 2006. Experience
from this work shows that on-screen marking both improves the quality &
consistency of exam marking and reduces administration costs.

RM will deliver a comprehensive service which will be integral to the way
Cambridge Assessment provides examinations. The service transforms a number of
key assessment activities, offering: scanning and online hosting of original
examination scripts; electronic distribution of exam scripts to markers;
on-screen marking; electronic return of marks; and workflow across the whole
process.

The on-screen marking service will be built around RM's e-Marking system scoris
(R). For individual markers, scoris(R) presents a secure online environment in
which they can receive, view and mark exam scripts on their own home computers.
For examination boards, it provides a Web-delivered workflow system, which
controls the process of allocating exam scripts to markers, collecting marks and
monitoring the quality & consistency of markers' work.

Simon Lebus, Chief Executive of Cambridge Assessment, said:

'It is vital to Cambridge Assessment that, in our modernisation programme,
implementing best assessment practice comes first. Working with RM means that we
are able to ensure that happens, while harnessing the benefits of ICT to improve
the efficiency and effectiveness of the way we manage examinations. There's
enormous scope for technology to make a difference - both easing the burden for
individual markers and improving administration and consistency across the whole
system.

'On-screen marking is now an integral part of the way we, through our
examination boards, provide services to our customers. After successfully
completing volume pilots last summer, I'm very pleased that we are now going to
continue our work with RM and roll out this programme on a much bigger scale.'

Tim Pearson, CEO of RM said:

'This agreement with Cambridge Assessment is a significant next step in our
partnership with them. It underlines the importance they attach to e-Marking and
moves our relationship onto a longer-term contracted basis. As part of the
agreement, we're committed to finding even greater efficiencies for them,
driving down the cost of processing examination scripts and driving up the
quality of marking.

'Assessment and data is an increasingly important business area for RM. With our
world-leading technology - including our scoris(R) e-Marking system and our
on-screen testing products, where candidates actually take exams on a computer -
we're well placed to provide vital support services to examination boards and
other qualification providers.'



For further information, please contact:
Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc                                08450 700300
Bene't Steinberg/Rebecca Shilton, Cambridge Assessment          01223 556018
Mark Antelme/Raphael Mazet, Brunswick                           020 7404 5959


Notes:

Founded in 1973, the RM Group is a leading provider of educational products and
services to schools, colleges & universities, local government, and central
government education departments & agencies. RM works closely with
educationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improve
teaching and learning.

Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local
Examinations Syndicate, a department of the University of Cambridge and a
not-for-profit organisation. As Europe's largest assessment agency, Cambridge
Assessment plays a leading role in developing and delivering assessment across
the globe. It offers qualifications through three examination boards:

•  OCR, one of the three UK-wide awarding bodies, designs, produces and 
   assesses qualifications including GCSEs, A Levels and a wide range of 
   vocational qualifications.

•  University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) offers
   qualifications including International GCSEs, A & AS Levels and business
   qualifications in disciplines such as ICT, management and office 
   administration skills.

•  University of Cambridge English for Speakers of Other Languages
   Examinations (ESOL) are the world's leading certificates for English language
   learners.

QCA (Qualification and Curriculum Authority) statistics state that more than 25
million GCSE, AS Level and A Level scripts are processed each year by UK
examination boards.



                      This information is provided by RNS
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