Exams
Stay informed on changes to GCSEs, A-levels, SATs, and alternative assessments. We cover grading policies, exam board decisions, and the evolving landscape of student assessment to help teachers and school leaders prepare effectively.
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Aug- 2025 -28 August
Gov extends HAF funding
The government has pledged £600m to extend the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for another three years, providing meals and activities for children from lower-income families during school holidays. Ministers said the initiative – first introduced nationally in 2021 – “helps to close development gaps, boost confidence and social…
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21 August
More than a fifth of students hit top GCSE grades
More than 6.5 million GCSE results have been issued to students in England today, with overall results similar to 2024, as 21.9% of students passed at grade 7 or above. This was slightly higher than the 21.8% reported in 2024, though grades at 4 and above fell slightly to 67.4%,…
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18 August
Boys continue to underperform at GCSE level, research finds
The “chronic” underperformance of boys at GCSEs should be treated as a “major issue” in the UK, according to the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham. The director of the centre, Professor Alan Smithers, said boys are not being developed as “fully” as they could…
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15 August
Poorer pupils more likely to drop out of A levels than get top STEM grade
Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are being “shut out” of the UK’s top-performing and best-paid career paths due to a lack of equal opportunity, according to new data analysis from Teach First. Following this week’s A level results, the education charity found that disadvantaged pupils were twice as likely to drop…
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15 August
NEU criticises ‘rigid’ exam system following A Level results day
The general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) has called for an overhaul of the exam system, describing it as “rigid” and unfit for assessing students fairly. Speaking on the day A-level and vocational technical qualification results were released (14 August), Daniel Kebede said: “Congratulations to all students receiving…
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14 August
Record number of students get first-choice university place
A record number of 18-year-olds in England have achieved their first choice university place, while top A level results have risen and T Levels continue to grow, the Department for Education (DfE) has said. It comes as hundreds of thousands of young people across England received their A level, T…
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11 August
CEER raises concerns over creeping A-level grade inflation
The proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades this summer is likely to stay above pre-pandemic levels, according to a new study from the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER). Alan Smithers, director of the CEER at the University of Buckingham, said the percentage of UK A-level entries gaining…
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5 August
Results day marks ‘landmark year’ for SQA
Around 147,000 students in Scotland will receive their results today (5 August) in what has been called a “landmark year” of achievement, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has said. The SQA, which will be replaced by Qualifications Scotland in December, reported overall attainment rates at A-C, increasing at all levels…
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4 August
Ofqual fines WJEC £350k after thousands of exam paper errors
Ofqual has fined WJEC £350k after it was found that exactly 1,527 GCSE students were given incorrect results due to an error by the awarding body. The exam regulator revealed that pupils who sat WJEC’s Eduqas GCSE food preparation and nutrition in summer 2024 received the wrong grade on results…
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Jul- 2025 -21 July
Lift Schools sees improved results in early years and key stage 2
Lift Schools is reporting strong outcomes across its primary network, with year 6 pupils achieving notable results in phonics and key stage 2 (KS2) assessments. This year, 79% of year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths – a three percentage point increase on 2024 and…
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