A groundbreaking pilot will see thousands of GCSE pupils receive their exam results via a mobile app this summer, marking a significant step towards modernising educational records.
As part of the Government’s initiative to streamline education records, more than 95,000 Year 11 students in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will access their GCSE results through the app. This digital platform aims to centralise students’ exam results and certificates, making it easier for them to apply for further education, apprenticeships, or employment opportunities.
The Government anticipates that this digital transformation will not only reduce bureaucracy but also yield substantial cost savings for schools and colleges, estimated at up to £30 million annually. This amount could potentially cover the salaries of over 600 new teachers in further education.
This development coincides with the commencement of GCSE and A-level exams for tens of thousands of students in the coming weeks.
The Education Record app may be integrated into the gov.uk wallet, currently being rolled out by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Education minister Stephen Morgan said: “It is high time exam records were brought into the 21st century, and this pilot will allow schools and colleges to focus on what they do best: teaching the next generation rather than being bogged down in bureaucracy.
“This government is slashing red tape through our Plan for Change to drive growth, cut admin for teachers and give tens of thousands of young people more opportunities to get on in skilled careers.”
This week, Mr Morgan visited the Hathershaw College, a secondary school in Oldham, which has been trialling the app since spring 2024.
Following the success of the localised trial, the Department for Education is scaling up the roll-out.
Mark Giles, principal at the Hathershaw College, said the education record was “accurate, verifiable and could be presented to providers without delay”.
He added: “We believe this will reduce administrative burdens on schools, and in the future could also be utilised by parents of younger children to support transition from primary to secondary school.”
James Bowen, assistant general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “It makes a lot of sense to look into modernising how exam results are handled and any moves to cut bureaucracy and costs are welcome.
“It is vital that any changes work for schools and colleges, as well as pupils, at what is always a busy, pressurised time for school leaders and their staff.
“We are therefore pleased that the app is being piloted, and it is important that this is done carefully, with seamless support for students and schools should any issues arise, and swift action to learn lessons from these.
“When we are dealing with something as important as exam results it is crucial that the Government gets this absolutely right.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The Education Record app represents a positive step forward in making greater use of digital technology in education and will bring benefits to students, schools and colleges.
“Up until now, the development of education technology has tended to take place in a frustratingly piecemeal fashion – essentially led by the market rather than via a cohesive national approach.
“We would like to see a much more strategic vision. This should extend to exams themselves which continue to be largely conducted via pen and paper, creating a massive burden in terms of secure storage and transportation of papers and scripts.
“A digital exam system would improve matters for everyone involved and we urge the Government to invest in creating the infrastructure schools and colleges need to make this a reality.”
