Skip to main content
GOV.UK

Blog: The Ofqual blog

Organisations:
Ofqual

Using AI in marking: why technical capability, fairness, and transparency all matter

Using AI in marking: why technical capability, fairness, and transparency all matter

Ofqual has published new research exploring artificial intelligence’s potential role in marking, as well as its current capabilities and constraints. Rather than providing definitive answers, the published working paper offers an overview of the topic, shares our current thinking, highlights …

Read more of Using AI in marking: why technical capability, fairness, and transparency all matter

11 things we know about marking and 2 things we don’t …yet

Posted by: Kate Keating, Posted on: 5 March 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs, Exams
Image shows paper marked up with rows of maths sums with red pencil lying flat on the page

An enormous amount of work and research has been conducted on marking in recent years, including many contributions by Ofqual to ensure evidence-based regulation. Here is a summary of what we know, and some things we’re looking to find out …

Read more of 11 things we know about marking and 2 things we don’t …yet

Positive steps

Posted by: Julie Swan, Posted on: 1 March 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs, Exams
Photo of sunset with rear-view silhouette of woman sitting cross-legged in bottom right corner

As the summer exams approach we may expect to see, as in previous years, stories about students experiencing test anxiety. Nobody likes to hear of students being anxious and, like others, we want to play our part in helping young …

Read more of Positive steps

Understanding test anxiety

Posted by: Kate Keating, Posted on: 1 March 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs, Exams
Photo of wild flowers. Bottom half of image is of a meadow of small, white flowers with blue sky, filled with large white fluffy clouds at the top

Test anxiety blog series: 1 Authors: Dr Rob Buck and Professor Kevin Woods Tests and exams in school inform teachers, parents, and students themselves about their academic progress and potential future pathways. But like any situation in which a person’s …

Read more of Understanding test anxiety - 1 comment

National Reference Test 2019 – 10 things you need to know

Posted by: Cath Jadhav, Posted on: 22 February 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs, National Reference Test
The Ofqual logo with words national reference test written below it. Underneath writing are 21 vertical colouring pencils, stacked against one another, of varying colours and sizes

Around England, a sample of schools are about to take the third annual National Reference Test (NRT). This test provides a valuable and unique source of evidence about the performance of year 11 students in English language and maths. From …

Read more of National Reference Test 2019 – 10 things you need to know

Evaluating new GCSEs in French, German and Spanish

Posted by: Kate Keating, Posted on: 14 February 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs, Exams
Image of baguette with cheese and salami, plus gherkins and French brand butter alongside

Last year we committed to do further work to evaluate the new GCSEs in French, German and Spanish, and to consider whether there was a case for making an adjustment to the grading. There are several strands to this work …

Read more of Evaluating new GCSEs in French, German and Spanish - 19 comments

New A level maths in 2019

Posted by: Cath Jadhav, Posted on: 8 February 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs, Exams
Image of fountain pen, calculator and ruler set on squared paper

For some years, maths has been the largest entry A level in England. In 2018 around 90,000 students took A level maths, with just over 15,000 also taking A level further maths. The introduction of the new A level was …

Read more of New A level maths in 2019 - 5 comments

GCSE and A level reform is nearly complete

Posted by: chrisshadforth, Posted on: 1 February 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs
image of table in 2 columns. Left column is of 'reformed GCSE (9 to 1) subjects awarded in England in 2019. Set against purple background. On right column 'reformed A level subjects awarded in England in 2019'. Set on orange background. The columns list subjects and when awarded in 2017, 2018 and 2019. A full accessible list can be obtained from Ofqual public enquiries team on 0300 303 3344

The recent reforms to GCSEs and A levels in England were the biggest in a generation. The new qualifications have been introduced in phases, with the first awarded to students in 2017. This summer is a major milestone in the …

Read more of GCSE and A level reform is nearly complete - 1 comment

Be prepared: GCSE and A level exam contingency day 2019

Posted by: Julie Swan, Posted on: 25 January 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs, Exams
Image of diary/planner showing days by month. Red circle around 26 June with red text "GCSE and A level exam contingency day". Planner set on green/white stripey background. Take-away drink cup on top left corner

At Ofqual, and regardless of the weather, our minds are always on the summer. We’re either thinking about the summer exam series just gone or the one to come. Sometimes we’re thinking about the series after that. We’re not alone. …

Read more of Be prepared: GCSE and A level exam contingency day 2019 - 7 comments

GCSE tiering decisions for summer 2019

Posted by: Cath Jadhav, Posted on: 15 January 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs
Image of person's hand pouring purple liquid from glass jar into another glass receptacle. Person is wearing rubber safety glove. Only their wrist is visible - they appear to be wearing an overall. Yellow metal equipment of some sort in background (image is shot so that it isn't clear exactly what this is but impression is that it is scientific equipment).

Some of you will remember the announcement we made in August 2018, that we were allowing exam boards to award an exceptional grade 3-3 on the higher tier of GCSE combined science, along with a full-width safety net grade 4-3. …

Read more of GCSE tiering decisions for summer 2019

Mobile phones in exams: behind the malpractice stats

Posted by: Hannah Bradley, Posted on: 11 January 2019 - Categories: A levels and GCSEs
Image shows poster stuck on doorway (inference is this is the entrance to an exam). It shows the JCQ logo in the right hand corner. Below is an image of 3 mobile phones inside a red circle border, with a red line struck through them. Text below reads: No ipods, mobile phones, MP3/4 players, smartwatches. No potential technological/web enabled sources of information. Disqualification. There are 4 additional rows of text but the photo is out of focus and these words cannot be read

Penalties issued to GCSE and A level students bringing mobile phones into the exam hall increased by 22% in 2018 compared with 2017. Yet we know that Exams Officers use a range of ways to tell students about this important …

Read more of Mobile phones in exams: behind the malpractice stats - 16 comments
Previous page
  • Page 1
  • …
  • Page 10
  • Page 11
  • Page 12
  • …
  • Page 22
Next page

Related content and links

The Ofqual blog

Ofqual maintain standards and confidence in qualifications
Find out more.

Please read our comment and moderation policy before leaving a comment on this blog.

Categories

Work for us

Current vacancies at Ofqual

Sign up and manage updates

  • Email
  • Atom

Follow us

  • Ofqual on YouTube
  • Ofqual on LinkedIn
  • Ofqual on Facebook

Recent Posts

  • What teachers need to know about our on-screen assessment proposals
  • Understanding and improving access arrangements
  • Qualifications that work for learners – and accountability when they don't
  • GCSE and level 1 and 2 results 2025 at a glance 
  • Level 3 results analysis 2025: Key trends and context for teachers

Recent Comments

  • Louisa Worssam on Arrangements for summer 2020
  • ashleighscott on Arrangements for summer 2020
  • ashleighscott on Arrangements for summer 2020
  • ashleighscott on Arrangements for summer 2020
  • ashleighscott on Arrangements for summer 2020

Archives

  • January 2026
  • December 2025
  • November 2025
  • October 2025
  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • January 2025
  • August 2024
  • May 2024
  • March 2024
  • January 2024
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • August 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • December 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013

Categories

  • A levels and GCSEs
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Assessments
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Exams
  • Functional skills
  • Grading
  • Marking
  • National Reference Test
  • On-screen assessment
  • Other
  • Regulation
  • Results
  • Uncategorized
  • Vocational and technical qualifications

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Useful links

  • All GOV.UK blogs
  • All GOV.UK blog posts
  • GOV.UK
  • All departments
  • Accessibility statement
  • Cookies
All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated
© Crown copyright