Year 11s in two areas are set to receive their GCSE results in an app this summer under a Department for Education pilot scheme.
GCSE students will be able to access their results digitally in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, as part of a new “education record”.
This in-app record is being introduced for students to use when applying for further education or jobs, rather than having to take paper documents from schools.
The DfE estimates that schools and colleges could save up to £30 million a year once the full national rollout of the service is complete. It said this is equivalent to the salaries “of more than 600 new teachers in further education.”
GCSE results by app
James Bowen, assistant general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, 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.”
He added that it is important the pilot is done carefully to make sure that it does not add to school staff workload and that there is support for students if any issues arise.
“When we are dealing with something as important as exam results, it is crucial that the government gets this absolutely right,” he said.
The app may in future sit in a new digital wallet being rolled out by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology that allows people to use several government services on their phones.
The use of the app for GCSE results this summer is a scaled-up rollout of a trial that has been carried out at The Hathershaw College School in Oldham since spring 2024.
Hathershaw headteacher Mark Giles said: “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.”
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.”
The announcement is part of a wider government move to improve use of technology in the public sector.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Up until now the development of education technology has tended to take place in a frustratingly piecemeal fashion, essentially led by the market rather than via a cohesive national approach.
“We would like to see a much more strategic vision. This should extend to exams themselves, which continue to be largely conducted via pen and paper, creating a massive burden in terms of secure storage and transportation of papers and scripts.”
The DfE is also consulting on a strategy for all schools to meet a set of core digital standards by 2030.
The core standards outlined in the consultation are broadband internet; wireless networks; network switches; digital leadership and governance; filtering and monitoring; and cyber security. Schools have been asked how ready they are to meet the six standards and what additional support they might need.
GCSE exams start this week and run until 19 June. This year GCSE results day is on 21 August.
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