This summer, tens of thousands of GCSE students are set to receive their grades through a new app on their smartphones on results day. A trial of the Education Record app is currently underway with 95,000 students in Manchester and the West Midlands, with plans for a nationwide rollout in the future. The government aims to streamline the process for college admissions teams, while school leaders emphasize the importance of providing support to ensure the app functions smoothly.
Students participating in the pilot will still have the option to physically collect their paper results at school and partake in the traditional envelope-opening ceremony on results day in August. The results will be accessible on the app at 11:00 on 21st August, while those choosing to collect results in person can do so from 08:00. This year’s GCSE exams commenced on 5th May and will continue until 25th June, with the government’s initiative to consolidate students’ exam results and certificates into digital education records.
Education Minister Stephen Morgan expressed the necessity of modernizing exam records, stating that the app would relieve schools and colleges from bureaucratic burdens. Mark Giles, principal at The Hathershaw College in Oldham, lauded the accuracy and reliability of the app following a successful trial at his institution. School leaders, including James Bowen from the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and Pepe Di’Iasio from the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), have voiced support for the pilot project, highlighting the potential for reducing costs and simplifying processes.
While the implementation of the app is seen as a step towards modernizing exam result handling, there is a call for careful execution and seamless support for students and schools. Both Bowen and Di’Iasio advocate for further integration of digital technology in education, suggesting that advancements in exam processes, such as transitioning from paper-based exams to digital formats, could alleviate logistical challenges faced by educational institutions. The push for comprehensive infrastructure investment to support these technological advancements is emphasized by leaders in the education sector to ensure a smooth transition towards a more efficient system
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