Assessment

The latest news and analysis on exams in the UK, including key dates, timetables, results and statistics for Sats, GCSEs and A levels

Monday

17th Mar 2025

Disadvantage gap: why the impact of absence is now clear
An author of a new EPI report on the link between absence and the disadvantage attainment gap outlines the key findings – and why it should spur action
Crossing a cravasse

Sunday

16th Mar 2025

Exams: how does special consideration work?
When circumstances beyond students’ control affect their exam performance, how should schools go about getting this recognised?
Boy helping a girl over a wall

Saturday

15th Mar 2025

Francis: Curriculum content balance ‘hindering progress’ in some subjects
Curriculum and assessment review chair Professor Becky Francis tells ASCL conference that key stage and national assessments are ‘broadly working well’
Francis: Curriculum content balance 'hindering progress' in some subjects

Friday

14th Mar 2025

Cheerleaders signal a problem with SQA exam venue rules
Last year Scottish students sat exams in five other countries via the ‘alternative venue’ process – but an update to this guidance is affecting young cheerleaders due to compete overseas
How cheerleaders' plight highlighted new SQA exam venues rules

Thursday

13th Mar 2025

SQA chief examiner: ‘We are working our backsides off to make things different’
‘Bridging the gap’ to schools and teachers will be essential for the SQA’s successor body to succeed, says new chief examiner Donna Stewart in an exclusive interview
Building a bridge
How Headteachers’ Roundtable is refocusing for the Labour era
Co-chairs of the headteachers’ group tell Dan Worth why, despite a change in government, the need to ensure the voice of those leading schools is heard is as vital as ever
Starmer listening to Head teachers abstract

Wednesday

12th Mar 2025

Ofsted appoints MAT chief as inclusion adviser
Watchdog says Mark Vickers will help to ensure that proposed changes to school inspection work well for pupils with SEND
Mark Vickers, CEO of Olive Academies, will be an adviser to Ofsted on inclusion

Monday

10th Mar 2025

SQA investigates data breach after thousands of documents leaked online
SQA confirms ‘unauthorised use of website-access credentials at a single SQA centre’ but says this is ‘not the result of a cyberattack’
SQA data breach
Three ways to foster exam skills in pupils of all ages
As exam season looms, it’s important to close the ‘knowing-doing gap’, writes Alex Quigley as he lists simple steps that can help
Three ways to foster exam skills in pupils of all ages

Thursday

6th Mar 2025

How does revision actually work in the brain?
Mark Enser explores the three key processes you and your students need to understand to make knowledge stick ahead of exams
How does revision actually work in the brain?

Tuesday

4th Mar 2025

Why we meet all Year 11 students ahead of GCSEs
A head explains why one-to-one sessions with students in the run-up to exams can help sharpen minds and boost outcomes, as its school’s Progress 8 scores show
GCSEs ahead: Why we meet all Year 11 students

Monday

3rd Mar 2025

Maths exams should test numeracy skills - not memory recall
The IB’s director of assessment questions whether maths teaching is really preparing students for how they will use the subject in the real world
Maths exams should test numeracy skills - not memory recall