Government modernises exam records with new app
Every year 11 student in England to be able to see their GCSE exam results on a new app from summer 2026.
Year 11 students across England will be able to view their GCSE results on their phones for the first time from this summer, speeding up the process of enrolling into college, freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork, and bringing record-keeping into the 21st century.
The Education Record app is being rolled out nationally to modernise how young people access their exam results once they have left school.
It will make it easier for young people to enrol in their post-16 destination and will give them access to their results at their fingertips for life, providing employers with clear, accurate information on a job candidate’s education history without relying on paper certificates which can be easily lost.
Pupils will still go into school on results day to meet face-to-face with their teachers and receive their results. Their results will later become available on the app.
Schools and colleges will also be able to easily access information about which students need extra support, including whether they need to continue working towards English and maths GCSEs, have SEND requirements or qualify for free school meals.
It is estimated to save schools and colleges up to £30 million per year in administrative costs once the full roll out is complete. This funding can be put directly back into school and college budgets, freeing up resources so that staff can focus on teaching, and breaking down barriers to opportunity through the government’s Plan for Change.
The Education Record app is part of the wider government drive to overhaul how the public sector uses technology and innovates.
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:
No student should have to rifle through drawers looking for a crumpled certificate when they’re preparing for a job interview.
This app will give young people instant access to their results whenever they need them while freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork.
Work is already underway to link the Education Record and the GOV.UK Wallet, part of the government’s drive to harness technology and innovation as set out in its Plan for Change. It paves the way for citizens to store everything from exam results to driving licences in one secure digital space.
The national roll out follows on from the app being piloted in Greater Manchester and West Midlands where thousands of pupils have already benefitted since last summer.
Schools and colleges are being encouraged to sign up now ahead of results days in August 2026. Pupils in schools that sign up can download the app now and should speak to their school to set it up before results day, when they will receive their GCSE results as the first records on the app.
Director of Education Policy at the Association of Colleges, Cath Sezen, said:
We are delighted to see confirmation of a national pilot of the Education Record. This is a significant step forward in supporting young people as they move to college, an apprenticeship or later into higher education and work.
Giving colleges access to key data will ensure that transitions are smoother for students; instead of repeating basic information time and time again, conversations can focus on finding the appropriate course to support their career aims, and settling into life at college.
The Education Record also has the potential to cut down on admin time and costs during the busy enrolment period which means that more time can be spent on making sure students have the best start to their post-16 pathways.
General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Pepe Di’Iasio, said:
It is a sensible move to use digital technology to simplify the transition to post-16 education for everyone involved. Young people work so hard to obtain their GCSE results, it is important that they have a secure and accessible record of their achievements as they move through the education system.
We are glad that GCSE students still have the chance to go into school on results day. This face-to-face contact not only allows them to celebrate with peers and teachers, but also to receive any advice or support they may require regarding next steps.
We are sure that school and college leaders will also welcome the administrative savings made possible as a result of this change, although this will only amount to a drop in the ocean compared to the funding pressures they remain under.
General Secretary of School Leaders’ union NAHT, Paul Whiteman, said:
Providing students with a digital education record is a sensible development and expanding this programme to a national pilot, following the successful smaller ones, is a positive step.
The potential to include post-16 qualifications in the future will make the record an even more useful tool for students to support their transitions to further education, training and employment.
The announcement follows the launch of the government’s Youth Guarantee to support almost a million young people into employment or learning opportunities, tackling the unacceptably high number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and ensuring no one is allowed to slip through the cracks.
More widely the government is transforming post-16 education with reforms announced in the Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper including introducing structured professional development for further education teachers and an expectation that colleges deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for those who haven’t passed those GCSEs.
The government is also creating V levels, a brand new vocational pathway to sit alongside A levels and T Levels, allowing students to explore different sectors like Engineering or Digital while keeping their options open.