England keeping pen and paper exams despite limited digital expansion

Most students taking school and college GCSE, A-level, and AS-level exams in England will continue to use pen and paper, according to proposals from the sector's regulator for a very limited expansion of screen-based assessments.

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is consulting on plans that will require exam boards to stick to paper-based exams for the 13 most taken GCSEs as well as A-level mathematics for the foreseeable future.

It plans to allow each of its four exam boards to submit proposals for just two further subject-based specifications for screen-based assessments. Where permitted, on-screen assessments must use substantially different questions to paper equivalents and students will not be allowed to use their own devices for taking exams.

Exam boards already offer on-screen assessments for GCSE and A-level computer science, as well as for GCSEs in geology and food preparation and nutrition. Ofqual says these may continue ...