A-level maths cheats disqualified

Pearson tells schools that one person was responsible for the leak of the Edexcel C4 A-level maths exam taken in June
13th August 2018, 3:20pm

Share

A-level maths cheats disqualified

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/level-maths-cheats-disqualified
Thumbnail

Five A-level students have been disqualified following an exam board’s investigation into the leak of a maths paper this summer.

The probe was launched after some students had access to Edexcel’s A-level maths C4 paper before it was taken on Friday 22 June.

It was alleged that images of questions from the exam were being sold in the early hours of the day via “two closed social media applications”.

Today, Pearson, which owns Edexcel, told schools and colleges that it had identified the source of the leak.

In a letter, its vice-president, Derek Richardson, says: “We have identified one individual as the source of the breach, who has been debarred from any involvement with Pearson examinations for life.”

A spokesperson for the company said the person was not a Pearson staff member.

A-level cheating: police investigation

The letter says five students have been disqualified, while the company is currently investigating “a further 30 with regards to their involvement”.

Their results are being withheld until the investigation is completed, and Pearson said it was continuing to support the police investigation.

The company sought to reassure other students who sat the exam that their results would not be affected by the cheating.

The Pearson spokesperson said: “Our absolute priority is to ensure that students receive fair outcomes for their hard work.

"All candidates under investigation have been excluded from our statistical and qualitative analysis to set grade boundaries.

"All students can, therefore, be confident that grade boundaries have been set fairly and their results are not affected.”

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading for just £1 per month

You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get:

  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Award-winning email newsletters
Recent
Most read
Most shared