Guidance

What people working in schools and colleges need to know about the exam and assessment season

Published 7 September 2026

Applies to England

What this guide covers for schools and colleges preparing for 2027 exams and assessments

This guide is aimed at people working in schools and colleges who are supporting students through their qualifications, especially exams officers and senior leaders with responsibility for exams.

It explains things to be aware of during the exams and assessments periods, what you should tell your students and what you can expect from awarding organisations regulated by Ofqual.

Topics include:

• dates for exams
• how to administer exams and non-exam assessment
• what to do if you suspect malpractice
• how to report errors
• special consideration

We use the term schools and colleges to refer to schools, colleges and other exam or assessment centres. In this guide “you” refers to a school or college offering qualifications regulated by Ofqual. “We” refers to Ofqual.

It covers qualifications typically taken in schools or colleges, and reported in the Department for Education’s performance tables. These include GCSEs, AS and A Levels, T Levels and vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs). We make it clear when information only applies to a specific qualification or type of qualification.

This guide does not cover on-demand assessments such as Functional Skills Qualifications, English for Speakers of Other Languages, apprenticeship assessments, end-point assessments and other VTQs not included in the Department for Education’s performance tables. 

Read this guide alongside any relevant awarding organisation or Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) guidance. For qualification-specific queries, you should speak to the relevant awarding organisation.

This is one of a series of guides explaining the arrangements for qualifications in 2027. The others are:

• What people working in schools and colleges need to know before exams and assessments
• What people working in schools and colleges need to know about the period after exams and assessments

When are exams in 2027?

GCSE, AS and A Level exams will be held between 10 May and 23 June 2027. Exam board timetables for the 2027 summer exam series of GCSEs, AS and A Levels are available on the JCQ website. Details of the timetables for internal and external assessments for VTQs can be found on the relevant awarding organisation’s website. Exams and assessments take place throughout the academic year. 

Before students take exams at the end of their courses, their knowledge, skills and understanding in some subjects will be assessed through non-exam assessment, such as coursework or performances. Guidance on this is available in our guide to what you need to know before exams.

Key dates

10 May 2027 – first day for GCSE, AS and A Level exams

22 June 2027 – final scheduled day for GCSE, AS and A Level exams

23 June 2027 – contingency day in case of significant national disruption to exams

How to administer exams

Awarding organisations must make sure schools and colleges have the information they need to hand out the right papers on the right day and under the right conditions. You must take care to store materials securely to protect the confidentiality of the exams and assessments. 

Ofqual requires awarding organisations to have written and enforceable agreements with schools and colleges that deliver any part of their qualifications, including administering exams and other assessments. The agreements must include that the school or college: 

• assists the awarding organisation when it undertakes monitoring
• has a workforce that can deliver the qualification as the awarding organisation requires
• operates a complaints procedure for students

JCQ’s instructions for conducting exams cover: 

• how exam papers must be stored
• checks to perform when the papers are delivered
• checks of equipment before assessments taking place
• who should be present to supervise opening of papers
• starting times for exams
• supervision of candidates taking exams earlier or later than timetabled
• using calculators
• using other resources, such as dictionaries
• conditions, equipment, and seating arrangements in the exam room
• invigilation arrangements
• what must be done at the start of the exam, including identifying candidates
• starting the exam
• how to supervise during the exam
• what to do when a candidate is late
• completing an attendance register
• what do to in the event of emergencies
• ending the exam and packing away
• sending the scripts back to the exam board

Exams officers and invigilators are responsible for the practical running of exams in a school or college, including administering papers, supervising candidates and maintaining exam conditions. They play an essential role in the smooth running of the exam system. Ofqual works closely with both The Exams Office and the National Association of Examinations Officers to support exams officers throughout the assessment cycle.

You should make sure contingency arrangements are in place in case exams officers or invigilators are unable to attend on the day of an exam. 

The Exams Office, in partnership with the National Association of Examinations Officers, has produced an Invigilator Recruitment and Vacancy map to support schools and colleges in recruiting invigilators.

What you should do

• Follow guidance from JCQ on how to administer exams, including storing any exam and assessment materials securely to protect the confidentiality of the exams.
• Make sure you have a backup plan in case an exams officer or invigilator cannot attend on the day of an exam.

What is special consideration and who is eligible?

Special consideration is an adjustment that can be made for a student affected by illness, injury or another temporary event they can’t control, at the time of an assessment. The cause must be temporary, be out of their control and significantly affect their ability to take the assessment or demonstrate their knowledge or ability.

Examples of issues that could qualify for special consideration include:

• breaking an arm before an exam and being unable to write normally
• bereavement close to an exam
• an exam hall having to be evacuated because of a fire alarm or flooding

Special consideration is only for things that happen immediately before or during an exam or assessment that have a material effect on a student’s ability to take it, or on how they perform. To be eligible, students must have been fully prepared for the assessment and have covered the whole course.

Examples of situations that would not qualify for special consideration include:

• if they did not cover the course due to joining the class part way through
• if their education was disrupted by issues such as staff shortages, planned building work or lack of facilities

Assessments are designed to show what a student knows, understands, and can do – not what they could know, understand and do if circumstances had been different. This matters because it protects the value of the qualifications students have worked hard to achieve. It also means users of qualifications, including universities and employers, can trust the grades awarded.

For GCSEs, AS and A Levels in summer 2027, submit special consideration requests to your awarding organisation by 30 June 2027. If a case arises, contact the awarding organisation as soon as possible. Your awarding organisation can explain what support they can offer, and how to apply.

What awarding organisations must do about special consideration

Ofqual requires awarding organisations to: 

• have clear arrangements for giving special consideration
• publish details of those arrangements, including what special consideration is available and how students qualify for it

We do not specify what special consideration awarding organisations should give, or how they should determine eligibility for it. 

For GCSEs, AS and A Levels, all the exam boards offer 3 different types of support for students affected by circumstances outside their control, all of which are types of special consideration: 

1. Changes to the way assessments are taken for students with temporary injuries or illnesses.

2. A small number of extra marks for students whose exam performance is affected by temporary illness, injury, indisposition, or an unforeseen incident.

3. Awarding the qualification even though the student was absent from an exam or formal assessment (a student must have completed at least one component to be eligible for this type of special consideration).

For VTQs, awarding organisations may consider these same 3 types of support for students. Other types of support may be available depending on the student’s circumstances and the individual qualification and assessment missed. For example, in some cases, due to the flexibility of the assessment timings or the nature of the situation, it might be possible for the student to take their VTQ assessment later. 

There are some cases where it might not be possible to apply special consideration for VTQs. These may include:

• where an assessment requires the demonstration of practical competence
• where the assessment criteria must be met in full
• where the qualification confers a licence to practise

Your awarding organisation can explain what support they can offer and how to apply.

What you should do

• Notify the awarding organisation as soon as possible if a student is unable to take an assessment because of temporary illness, injury or some other event outside their control.
• Make any special consideration applications at the time of the assessment.
• Submit special consideration requests for GCSEs, AS and A Levels in summer 2027 to your awarding organisation by 30 June 2027. If you cannot meet that deadline, contact your awarding organisation as soon as possible.
• If you believe a student studying VTQs or T Levels is eligible for special consideration, follow the awarding organisation’s process and any deadlines specified on their websites. For T Levels and VTQs offered through JCQ exam boards, follow the JCQ guidance on special consideration.
• You should have procedures in place for what to do if a student feels unwell on the day of an exam or assessment and follow those procedures.
• You can check key dates in the exam cycle on JCQ’s website, and read its guidance on special consideration.

How to appeal against a special consideration decision

If awarding organisations decide not to provide a special consideration, or grant a different adjustment to the one requested, they should explain why. 

Our rules mean awarding organisations must have a process for appealing against that decision and you should follow that process if you disagree with its decision. We will usually only consider complaints about an awarding organisation once the appeal has been concluded. 

What you should do

• Follow the awarding organisation’s appeals procedure if you disagree with a decision.

How to report an error in an exam paper or assessment

You should encourage your students to tell you immediately if they believe there may have been an error in their paper. If you think there is an error in an exam paper or assessment, including in any modified papers, you should contact the relevant awarding organisation immediately.

Awarding organisations determine whether an error has been made and the potential impact on students. They will consider, for example, whether the error will have stopped students being able to answer the question or complete the task, or whether students’ performance in other questions might have been affected.

If an error is confirmed, they will decide how to make the assessment fair for all students. This might include analysing how students answered the question or awarding all students full marks for the question. 

Ofqual takes question paper errors seriously. We:

• consider whether an awarding organisation’s planned action is appropriate and fair
• may require it to take action to address the impact of the error on students
• consider regulatory action

What you should do

• Contact the relevant awarding organisation if you think there is an error in an exam paper or assessment.

What to tell your students

• Tell your students to let you know immediately if they believe there may have been an error in an exam paper.

How can I make a complaint?

We want everyone affected by the awarding organisations and qualifications we regulate to get good service, and to have things put right when they go wrong.

You can read details on how to make a complaint or report malpractice about awarding organisations or qualifications regulated by Ofqual on our complaints procedure page.

We would usually expect you to give an awarding organisation a chance to resolve your complaint by using its complaints process before coming to us.

What you should do

• Give an awarding organisation the opportunity to resolve a complaint about it before contacting Ofqual.
• Contact Ofqual if you still have a complaint or want to report allegations of malpractice.

What counts as malpractice and maladministration in exams and assessments?

Malpractice and maladministration are different but related issues, both to do with breaking exam rules. Both can undermine qualification integrity, public confidence, and the hard work of students and staff, so Ofqual takes them very seriously.

Maladministration generally covers mistakes or poor process where the person responsible has not intended to do any harm. In contrast, malpractice will generally involve some form of intent.

The following sections explain what you can do about malpractice or maladministration, how to report them and what awarding organisations do.

You should be alert to the risk of malpractice during exams and assessments. Commonly reported types of malpractice include:

• students bringing mobile phones or other communication devices into the exam room
• using unauthorised notes or materials
• including inappropriate material in scripts or coursework
• disruptive behaviour during an exam
• plagiarism, including unacknowledged use of artificial intelligence (AI)
• sharing or attempting to access question papers before an assessment

You should emphasise the exam rules to students. Remind them that malpractice can lead to serious consequences, including disqualification.

Guidance on how to handle the risks posed by the use of AI in non-exam assessment can be found in our guide to what you need to know before exams.

Poor practice or maladministration can result in students being seriously disadvantaged, even if there is no deliberate wrongdoing. Examples of maladministration include:

• giving out the wrong exam papers
• poor record keeping
• failure to follow procedures
• mistakes made through inattention

Ofqual’s rules for awarding organisations reflect how serious malpractice and maladministration can be. We require awarding organisations to do all they can to prevent malpractice and maladministration when developing, delivering, and awarding regulated qualifications. However, it can happen and plausible allegations must be investigated.

When awarding organisations become aware of possible malpractice or maladministration, they should do all they can to prevent or – where that is not possible – minimise: 

• any unfair impact on students
• any adverse impact on:
  • the ability to develop, deliver and award the qualification
  • the standard of the qualification
  • public confidence in qualifications

Ofqual also requires awarding organisations to: 

• have written investigation procedures and follow them
• make sure investigators have no personal interest in the outcome
• keep your arrangements for preventing and investigating malpractice and maladministration under review
• provide you with guidance, if requested, about how best to prevent, investigate and deal with malpractice and maladministration
• inform you if they find any malpractice or maladministration that could affect your school or college – and any other awarding organisations that may be affected
• do all they can to stop malpractice or maladministration repeating
• take proportionate action against those responsible

More information on malpractice and maladministration, including what might constitute it in GCSEs, AS and A Levels, is available in JCQ’s guidance on identifying and reporting suspected malpractice.  

Awarding organisations offering VTQs will have their own malpractice and maladministration policy setting out clearly their expectations of schools and colleges. This will include what data they will collect, when and why; and any consequences for failing to meet their deadlines. 

If you have concerns about exam and assessment activities in your school or college, or at an awarding organisation, you can raise those concerns with the awarding organisation and then, if necessary, contact Ofqual.

What you should do

• Be alert to the risk of malpractice during exams and assessments.
• Make sure you understand what you need to do and your obligations around exams, to limit the risk of committing maladministration.
• If you have concerns about exam and assessment activities in your school or college, or at an awarding organisation, contact the awarding organisation, and then if necessary contact Ofqual.

What to tell your students

• Remind students of the exam rules and that malpractice can lead to serious consequences, including disqualification.

What schools and colleges must do to prevent malpractice and maladministration in exams and assessments

Schools and colleges are responsible for preventing malpractice and maladministration, investigating allegations, and following awarding organisations’ rules for conducting exams. This is a very important role.

Breaking rules can make assessments unfair and put the value of a qualification at risk.

Awarding organisations rightly expect you to take malpractice and maladministration, and the risk of them, seriously. They expect you to have processes for investigating and dealing with allegations. Awarding organisations have their own rules for when and how exams and other assessments are conducted, which you must follow.

What you should do

• Take malpractice and maladministration, and the risk of them, seriously. Don’t assume it couldn’t happen at your school or college.
• Have processes for investigating and dealing with allegations of malpractice or maladministration.
• Follow awarding organisations’ rules for when and how exams and other assessments are conducted.
• Comply with awarding organisations’ instructions to reduce the risk of errors and maladministration, such as having 2 people present when opening exam papers.
• Follow instructions about issuing results. For example, you must not give results to students before any embargo is lifted.

What to tell your students

• Breaking the rules can result in students’ assessed work being rejected, action being taken against the school or college, or both.
• Committing malpractice could mean students are not awarded grades – and not just for the qualification the rule breaking relates to. Grades for other exams could be withheld too, including by other awarding organisations.

How to report malpractice or maladministration in exams or assessments

You should report any evidence or suspicions of malpractice to the relevant awarding organisation. You should report any errors or incidents of maladministration as soon as they are discovered. 

Individuals can also report concerns to Ofqual under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. This is often known as whistleblowing. In certain circumstances, this can provide protection when a person discloses concerns about practice where they work.

Our complaints procedure page gives details of how to report suspected malpractice or wrongdoing to Ofqual.

What you should do

• Report any evidence or suspicions of malpractice or maladministration to the relevant awarding organisation as soon as possible.
• Individuals can report concerns to Ofqual as a whistleblower.

Awarding organisation inspections

Awarding organisations, sometimes through JCQ’s Centre Inspection Service, may carry out visits to check that you are following exam requirements correctly.

Ofqual requires awarding organisations to have a sanctions policy for when a school or college has breached its requirements. Sanctions include extra monitoring visits, use of awarding organisation invigilators or preventing a school or college from offering some or all of its qualifications. 

JCQ publishes guidance setting out how exam boards investigate potential malpractice and the sanctions they may impose when malpractice is confirmed. Awarding organisations offering VTQs will have their own policies that cover inspection, investigation, and sanctions. 

Ofqual will not normally be involved with the investigation. Where you think an awarding organisation has not followed published procedures, you can appeal against the finding. If you are dissatisfied with the awarding organisation’s response, you can complain to Ofqual. We will usually only consider a complaint once the awarding organisation’s own complaints and appeals procedures have been exhausted.

What you should do

• If you think an awarding organisation has not followed its inspections procedures correctly, you can appeal against the finding. If you are dissatisfied with the response, you can complain to Ofqual.

How to report a concern about exams as a whistleblower

Whistleblowing to Ofqual is one way a member of staff in a school or college can raise a concern about wrongdoing, risk or malpractice in their workplace.

A protected disclosure under whistleblowing law means reporting a genuine concern about wrongdoing. It should not be about a personal grievance. When whistleblowing to Ofqual it would typically need to relate to exams, assessments, qualifications or the organisations that award them.

You can find more information on whistleblowing in Ofqual’s whistleblowing policy.

What you should do

• Read Ofqual’s whistleblowing policy if you feel you may need to report a concern and follow the steps outlined in the policy.

More information about Ofqual, contact details and useful links

Ofqual regulates awarding organisations that design, deliver and award qualifications and assessments in England. We control entry to the regulated market and have rules and guidance for awarding organisations to make sure regulated qualifications are fit for purpose, valid and delivered securely.

Ofqual’s Understanding grading toolkit is designed to help headteachers and teachers understand and explain how GCSE and A Level qualifications are marked and graded.

Ofqual’s YouTube channel features video resources to help you understand exams, qualifications and assessments in England.

Can I Just Qualify That? is Ofqual’s podcast for teachers.

Ofqual has resources to support exams officers in their roles.

Ofqual’s student guide explains what students need to know before, during and after their exams and assessments.

You can find information on the organisations and the qualifications Ofqual regulates in the Register of Regulated Qualifications. Not all qualifications are regulated by Ofqual.

Ofqual has a common set of rules for all qualifications we regulate, called the General Conditions of Recognition. There are extra rules and guidance specific to certain qualifications, for example GCSEs, AS, A Levels, Technical Qualifications within T Levels and Technical Awards.

For public enquiries: contact Ofqual.