Statistics for the 2009 examination series

The Access arrangements, Special consideration and Malpractice reports published today cover the June 2009 GCE and GCSE examinations. During the series 5.5 million GCSEs, more than 1 million AS qualifications and more than 840,000 A level qualifications were awarded and in total more than 16 million scripts were marked.

The 2009 summer examination series was the first to use Access Arrangements Online, a new centralised online system for the submission of access arrangement requests. The number of access arrangements granted during the period covered was 343,017. In addition 22,758 modified papers were produced.

Special considerations allow for adjustments to be made to the marks of candidates who have not been able to demonstrate their attainment because of exceptional circumstances. Special considerations were granted for learners taking 2.2 per cent (359,766) of the total question papers.

Malpractice penalties were issued to 0.03 per cent of candidates (4,415) for all examinations. In addition awarding organisations imposed malpractice penalties on 88 centre staff and 70 centres.

Kathleen Tattersall, Chair of Ofqual, comments:

"As regulator it is our role to ensure that fair systems are in place and that these are followed correctly. We require that awarding bodies report annually on the number of candidates notified as having particular requirements and the number of malpractice incidents reported and investigated.

"These figures provide invaluable information regarding the examination season and allow us to check that the systems put in place to protect learners are followed."

Notes to editors

Access arrangements online allows centres to make a single application for an arrangement in relation to all the examinations a candidate intends to take. If approved, access arrangements will apply to all GCSE/GCE examinations taken with any of the five awarding organisations offering these qualifications.

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act, which gained Royal Assent on Thursday, November 12, 2009, included the provision for Ofqual to be established as an independent statutory body, reporting directly to Parliament.

For further information journalists should contact the Ofqual press office on 0300 303 3342, or 07798 924552 outside office hours. Members of the public should call the Ofqual helpline on 0300 303 3346.

The three statistical reports have now been published. The reports are all available from the 'Awarding Body Performance' page at http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/90.aspx
 
The individual pages are:
 
Access arrangements
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/2779.aspx
 
Malpractice
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/2782.aspx
 
Special consideration
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/2785.aspx