The number of penalties for cheating given to GCSE and A-level pupils for taking mobile phones and other communication devices into exam halls has risen by a third since before the pandemic.
This year, 1,845 such penalties were issued for these offenses – up from 1,385 in 2019, the last time exams were sat.
Figures from the Department for Education showed that most of the penalties resulted in pupils losing marks. Some received a warning, and in more serious cases were unable to receive an exam grade.
Prof Alan Smithers, the director of the Center for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, said: “I think the return of the exams after two years during which the grades were set by teachers may have led to some of the pupils feeling extra pressure, tempting them to buck the system.
“In order to allow for disruption caused by Covid, advanced notice of the question areas was given this year, and that provides a chance to pre-prepare answers and smuggle them in on mobiles.”
Overall, 4,335 penalties were issued to pupils this year, up from 3,040 in 2019. Other reasons for penalties included taking watches into exams, banned since 2021, and the inclusion of inappropriate or offensive materials in scripts or coursework. A smaller proportion received penalties for disruptive behavior and plagiarism.
Of those who received penalties, 2,075 lost marks, 1,455 received a warning and 805 lost their opportunity to achieve an exam certificate. Overall, the penalties for malpractice represented only 0.03 per cent of GCSE and A-level entries.
A spokesperson for Ofqual said incidents of malpractice in exam halls were “extremely rare”, adding: “Students who cheat face serious penalties. They can be disqualified from one or more qualifications.”
.