England’s qualifications system is rightly regarded as world-class.
The fairness, rigour and standards of GCSEs and A levels are trusted by universities, employers and parents alike. As we consider the future of assessment, it is essential that we build upon these foundations rather than risk undermining them.
That is why Ofqual has today launched a consultation on our proposals guiding how on-screen assessment might complement our existing system. I want teachers, school leaders and exams officers to be at the heart of this conversation.
On-screen assessments
The proposals we are putting forward are the result of joint research with the Department for Education.
This involved working with teachers and exams officers to explore the opportunities and risks of introducing on-screen assessment in high-stakes qualifications, while recognising the significant practical challenges any transition would present.
In balancing these considerations, we believe pen and paper exams will continue to be central to the assessment of GCSEs, AS and A levels. In this context, we are examining how digital options might be introduced carefully and selectively.
The classroom professionals who deliver education day in, day out, understand the realities of assessment in ways that policymakers and regulators cannot.
They know there will be advantages and disadvantages associated with on-screen options.
Frontline insights
They understand the technical infrastructure challenges schools face and the pressures on exam hall capacity. They see first-hand how accessibility needs vary and how assessment formats can impact student performance.
This is why Ofqual’s 12-week consultation is so important. We need to hear from more teachers about how on-screen assessment could work in practice - not in theory.
We need school leaders to tell us about the resource implications and implementation challenges.
We need exams officers to help us understand the operational realities of managing digital and paper-based assessments alongside each other.
The consultation sets out a clear approach designed to protect students’ interests, including maintaining technical standards, ensuring accessibility for all students and preserving comparability between paper-based and digital assessments.
Retaining confidence
We are asking whether these principles are right, whether they go far enough and what we might have missed.
The integrity of England’s qualifications system depends on maintaining public confidence. That confidence rests on standards that are consistent, assessments that are fair and qualifications that hold their value over time.
Any move towards on-screen assessment must strengthen rather than weaken these principles.
As chief regulator, my responsibility is to ensure that innovation in assessment serves students’ interests while protecting the standards and fairness that define our qualifications system. I cannot do that without the insight and expertise of those working in schools and colleges across England.
The consultation will run until 5 March 2026. I urge every teacher, school leader and exams officer to contribute their views.
This is your opportunity to shape the future of assessment in England - please take it.
Sir Ian Bauckham CBE is chief regulator at Ofqual
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