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More students found cheating in GCSE and A-level exams | More students found cheating in GCSE and A-level exams |
(35 minutes later) | |
More students are cheating in GCSE and A-level exams in England, with the number caught last summer up a quarter on the previous year, new figures show. | More students are cheating in GCSE and A-level exams in England, with the number caught last summer up a quarter on the previous year, new figures show. |
Exam boards issued 2,715 penalties to students for malpractice in 2017 against 2,180 in 2016, Ofqual said. | Exam boards issued 2,715 penalties to students for malpractice in 2017 against 2,180 in 2016, Ofqual said. |
Most were penalised for taking mobile phones into the exam, while just under a fifth were pulled up for plagiarism. | Most were penalised for taking mobile phones into the exam, while just under a fifth were pulled up for plagiarism. |
The rise in cheating came as new tougher GCSEs in English and maths were introduced for the first time. | The rise in cheating came as new tougher GCSEs in English and maths were introduced for the first time. |
Exams regulator Ofqual, which published the figures, describes malpractice as any breach of the rules which might undermine the integrity of an exam. | Exams regulator Ofqual, which published the figures, describes malpractice as any breach of the rules which might undermine the integrity of an exam. |
Staff penalised | Staff penalised |
It also covers any attempt by students to communicate with each other during exams, as well as the failure of a school or college to follow exam board instructions. | It also covers any attempt by students to communicate with each other during exams, as well as the failure of a school or college to follow exam board instructions. |
The failure by staff to follow rules around controlled assessments and coursework, is covered, as well as the conduct of examinations. | The failure by staff to follow rules around controlled assessments and coursework, is covered, as well as the conduct of examinations. |
There was also an increase in the number of school and college staff penalised for malpractice. | There was also an increase in the number of school and college staff penalised for malpractice. |
'High stakes' | |
Ofqual issued 890 penalties to staff in 2017 compared with 360 the previous year. | Ofqual issued 890 penalties to staff in 2017 compared with 360 the previous year. |
Four in 10 student penalties were for taking unauthorised items, mainly mobile phones, into the exam room. | Four in 10 student penalties were for taking unauthorised items, mainly mobile phones, into the exam room. |
Plagiarism was the second most common form of malpractice, with 86% of this occurring in maths and computing exams. | Plagiarism was the second most common form of malpractice, with 86% of this occurring in maths and computing exams. |
Most students, 1,235, were penalised with the loss of marks. | Most students, 1,235, were penalised with the loss of marks. |
Some 635 students were given a warning and 490 had their papers scrapped. | Some 635 students were given a warning and 490 had their papers scrapped. |
Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Layla Moran said: "This is an extremely worrying trend in our exam halls and throws into question whether the current assessment process is even fit for purpose." | |
She said it was the impact of a system which puts enormous pressure on teachers and students, "making them feel like they will succeed or fail based on only a few hours of narrowly focused, high stakes exams". |