{"id":240174,"date":"2026-01-13T16:03:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T16:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=240174"},"modified":"2026-01-13T16:22:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T16:22:32","slug":"ofqual-boss-signals-anxiety-to-dfe-about-ai-in-a-level-coursework","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/ofqual-boss-signals-anxiety-to-dfe-about-ai-in-a-level-coursework\/","title":{"rendered":"Ofqual boss ‘signals anxiety’ to DfE about AI in A-level coursework"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The chief regulator of Ofqual has “signalled” his “anxiety” to ministers about the use of artificial intelligence in “extended writing” coursework and has commissioned internal work on how to “close down” the risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sir Ian Bauckham was quizzed by the Parliamentary education committee today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what you need to know…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. AI not good enough for ‘sole marking<\/strong>‘<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ofqual will publish research on the use of artificial intelligence in marking exams this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bauckham told MPs \u201cwe don\u2019t believe AI is yet ready to undertake sole marking of student work\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was because it still makes mistakes and is hard to challenge, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he said it can be used to \u201cquality assure, detect for example unexpected patterns in examiners’ marking and so on, but not sole marking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former chief regulator Jo Saxton warned in 2023 they wouldn’t <\/a>“allow” AI to solely mark students’ work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Internal work commissioned on coursework AI risk<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bauckham said he had “signalled my anxiety\u201d to the Department for Education about the use of AI cheating in qualifications with extended writing coursework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said there is “relatively little” of this coursework, but highlighted history and English A-level, where 20 per cent of the qualification is extended writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Part of the driver for extended writing coursework lies in the way the content itself is designed. That’s a matter for DfE.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he has commissioned a \u201csignificant piece of work internally at Ofqual to ascertain the extent to which this risk is being realised at the moment and what the options might be in any reform of those qualifications for closing down that risk and assuring ourselves of the integrity of these qualifications\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added: \u201cI would not be being transparent if I didn\u2019t say I am concerned about that, I visited a number of providers up and down the country, spoken to teachers and a number have raised this with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bauckham said there were some ways to reduce the risk of coursework malpractice, such as disclosures that “probe the extent to which the candidate may have accessed AI”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. More likely to be shorter exams than fewer exams<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bauckham described government\u2019s pledge to cut 10 per cent of exam time on average as \u201csensible, rational\u2026 and also achievable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said it would most likely see shorter exams in most cases, but there could be fewer exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ofqual has been under pressure to publish detailed<\/a> modelling that informed the curriculum review policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pressed by Peter Swallow, MP for Bracknell, on whether they would release it, Bauckham said the evidence was \u201cprovided for the purposes of ministerial policy making so we wouldn\u2019t routinely publish that information at an early stage\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added they will be consulting on \u201cany proposals to do with reforming GCSEs and the evidence associated with those proposals will be published at that point\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Seeking to \u2018temper boards\u2019 enthusiasm\u2019 on digital exams<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The regulator announced last month <\/a>that it would allow exam boards to introduce up to two on-screen specifications for GCSEs and A-level qualifications with less than 100,000 entries per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exam boards had announced their own plans to take some exams on-screen, but it did rely on Ofqual approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bauckham said there had been \u201csignificant coverage of some exam boards’ enthusiasm in this space. It\u2019s an enthusiasm we seek to temper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo yes there is enthusiasm amongst the awarding body community but my job is not, obviously, as regulator to do what [they] want me to do. Quite the opposite, my job is to safeguard the examination system in the interests of students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said there were practical concerns such whether schools had enough laptops or extension leads for chargers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ofqual: On-screen exams could be introduced by 2030<\/a><\/blockquote>