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Change will have a big impact on results day in move to save cash that could one day pay for more than 600 new teachers
Thousands of Midland GCSE pupils will receive their exam results via an app this summer as part of a Government pilot to bring records into the 21st century.
Digital education records, which will bring students’ exam results and certificates into one app, will be trialled to help young people when applying to further education (FE), apprenticeships or employment.
More than 95,000 Year 11 pupils in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will receive their GCSE results via an app ahead of a national roll-out.
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The Government has suggested the move will cut bureaucracy and save schools and colleges up to £30 million a year once the full roll-out is complete.
It has estimated that this is enough money to pay the salaries of more than 600 new teachers in FE.
The announcement comes as tens of thousands of pupils are due to start their GCSE and A-level exams over the next few weeks.
The Education Record app could sit in the new gov.uk wallet being rolled out by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in the future.
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.”
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