An exam board is offering students the chance to be digitally assessed for GCSE English exams from next year.
Pearson, which runs exam board Edexcel, aims for GCSE students to be able to take screen exams in the main course by summer 2025 if they wish.
Up to 125,000 students in the UK will have the option of taking Edexcel’s GCSE English language and English literature exams on-screen for the first time.
The exam board’s English screen GCSEs, which will be assessed in the summer next year, are subject to regulatory approval from Ofqual.
Pearson Edexcel hopes to be able to offer an on-screen option for all GCSEs by 2030 to increase accessibility for students, among other benefits.
The exam board said it was seeing more students using word processors to answer GCSE exam questions as part of access arrangements.
Sharon Hague, chief executive of Pearson Schools, said: “This is a pivotal moment for on-screen assessment in the UK. If they wish, students will be able to take the exam on a basic subject entirely on-screen for the first time in the summer of 2025.
“We heard loud and clear from students and teachers that they want a choice in how they take their exams. Therefore, we will offer both on-screen and paper exam options.”
Students taking Pearson Edexcel’s computer science GCSE exams are already partially assessed on screen, and the exam board has begun introducing digital assessments for its international GCSEs.
This will be the first time main English GCSE exams will be presented on screen.
Ms Hague added: “The screen is a better experience for students who need accessibility adjustments. Students can zoom in during the exam to increase font size and select color filters on the screen, which is something their school or college would otherwise need to require before their exam.”
“Being on screen also benefits all students. They can highlight and annotate information, cut and paste text, and make easy edits to their answers. “This is what many students are used to doing while studying at home and in the classroom, and this is undoubtedly how they will work in their careers.”
Schools will have the option of offering on-screen assessments alongside paper exams under the exam board’s plans.
This comes after some major exam boards in the UK took steps towards digital assessment.
Last month, exam board OCR announced it would offer a digitally assessed GCSE in computer science to students starting their courses in 2025.
Exam board AQA, meanwhile, aims to introduce screen exams for several years and hopes students will be taking at least one core subject digitally by 2030.
The reading and listening components of GCSE Italian and Polish will be the first exams to switch to digital exams in 2026, according to AQA’s recommendations.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “It is encouraging that exam boards continue to explore new forms of digital assessment.
“It is clear that an examination system that relies entirely on pen and paper exams is outdated, and we know that many students and their teachers would welcome the opportunity to provide written responses.
“In addition to being more accessible to some students, digital exam papers are expected to be easier to mark, easier to transport and cheaper to administer.”
He added: “The move to online assessment is a positive and overdue development, but it is not without its challenges, including the ongoing disadvantage gap between those who have greater access to technology at home and are therefore more familiar with its demands.
“It is vital that schools are clearly guided through this process and have the resources to create the digital infrastructure they need to deliver online exams in future.”
Steve Rollett, deputy chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), said: “On-screen assessment appears to have the potential to support pupils, particularly those with special needs, who may have difficulty taking traditional paper exams.
“We hope this development will support children while maintaining the overall integrity of the examination system.”
An Ofqual spokesman said: “Ofqual is committed to supporting clearly demonstrated innovation in how exams are delivered. First of all, it is critical that exams are accessible and fair to all students taking the exam.
“We will consider Pearson’s proposals in detail when they are submitted for review. “Our priority will be to ensure their approach is fair to all students, whether they move to screen or continue to take their GCSE exams on paper.”
A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: “The Department and Ofqual are taking the time to understand the opportunities and implications of digital assessment to inform decisions about the future of on-screen assessments.
“As the independent qualifications regulator in England, Ofqual requires that any GCSE or A level moving on screen is subject to regulatory approval.”