By Tony O'Riley-
Exam regulator Ofqual has sent a letter to headteachers warning of cheating tacticsw by pupils who take mobile phones into exam halls. As pupils across the Uk prepare for GCSEs and A levels -made tougher in the last year- the exam regulator has urged schools to beware of students bringing devices into their exams, as well as exam package security.
The letter, written by the chief regulator Sally Collier highlights the seriousness of bringing mobile phones into exams halls, despite warning not to do so. Desperate pupils often sneak phones into exam halls where they can privately turn them and use the internet to seek answers to questions they find difficult. Pupils are also able to store relevant information in the send section of text messages, which they can look up discretely to improve their chances of success in stressful exams.
“We know that exams officers put a lot of work into getting this message across, but still some students do not understand the gravity of breaching this rule, Collier says in her letter
“Any extra support you are able to give to communicate this to students will help add weight to the message.” Penalties handed out for taking mobile phones into GCSEs, AS levels and A-level exams rose by more than a fifth. Unauthorised materials in exam rooms accounted for the most common type of pupil malpractice reported in 2018. Statistics show that this rose by 22 per cent in 2018 compared with 2017.