Exams Administration
Information and resources for exams officers to plan ahead and stay on track throughout the whole exams lifecycle, from entries to results day.
What does the Curriculum and Assessment Review mean for Exams Officers?
The Curriculum and Assessment Review, published in November 2025, sets out ways to make the curriculum more manageable and strengthen the knowledge and skills that help students succeed. It echoes what teachers and school leaders have told us: change needs to be gradual, realistic, and useful in the classroom.
Whilst there are no immediate changes, we’re already working behind the scenes to make sure our qualifications and support continue to meet the needs of teachers, Exams Officers and learners.
Whilst we don’t expect Exams Officers to see change during the early part of the assessment reform process, we know it will inevitably reach your role as we roll out revised qualifications. As we confirm any changes or processes, rest assured that we will communicate with our community in a timely manner.
Practical support and CPD
eLearning
We have a new on demand eLearning module available to support you to navigate the changes that will come with reform. It offers practical strategies, reflective activities, and helpful guidance that can be applied in busy school and college settings.
You can find the free eLearning module on our Professional Development page. You’ll need to use your myAQA account to book, and you’ll then receive a link to the course.
Podcasts
We regularly record our Exams Officers podcast, where AQA experts discuss hot topics for Exams Officers; episode 5, ‘The curriculum and assessment review, getting ready for reform’, introduces the idea of reform for Exams Officers. Exams officer podcasts | AQA.
Webinars
As specifications update, we will host our usual Exams Officer Webinars to support Exams Officers with the administration of our qualifications. Topics include Running and Exam and Non-Examination Assessment. All our training is free of charge and can be found here AQA Training for exams officers.
We also support Exams Officer Networks across the UK to provide Exams Officers with key updates and an opportunity to share best practice. If you aren’t already signed up to a network, you can do so following this link Exams Officer Engagement Team.
Next steps for Exams Officers
As we move towards assessment reform, we are actively working with stakeholders to develop our offer. As Exams Officers, you can participate in our assessment reform panel, which will be shared with you in our monthly Reform Roundup. The panel questions will compliment the work we are doing with teachers across the industry and will be formatted a quick, flexible and optional surveys to fit around your workload.
Overall summary of planned changes to subjects
- Clearer progression in subjects to move through the Key Stages
- Religious Studies to form part of the humanities slot for Progress 8 and Attainment 8
- Practical subjects to have improved inclusivity in assessment
- Reduced content in some subjects
- Broader representation and diversity in subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What is the timeline for GQ Reform?
- There’s a phased approach to the introduction of reformed GCSEs and A-levels to support their introduction and manage workload.
- Phase one GCSE subjects will be taught from September 2029, with first exams in 2031.
- Phase two GCSE subjects will be taught from September 2030, with first exams in 2032.
- A-level subjects will follow the same pattern.
- Phase one A-level subjects will be taught from September 2031, with first exams in 2033.
- Phase two A-level subjects will be taught from September 2032, with first exams in 2034.
- The Department for Education (DfE) hasn’t announced which subjects are in each phase yet.
- Once GQ reform specifications are underway, will AQA require an intention to teach/estimated entries number?
Once our specifications have been launched and accredited, we’ll be in touch with centres to find out your entry plans. Knowing that you intend to enter with us, and an estimated number of entries, allows us to better understand how we can support you through first assessment of our new specifications.
- Is it likely that the costs for qualifications will change when the new specifications are launched?
The costs for our qualifications won’t be confirmed until later in the process, after the DfE have confirmed the draft subject content.
As an independent education charity, we work hard to manage our costs. We reinvest entry fees into creating and delivering high quality qualifications and assessments, and into being able to offer as wide a choice of subjects as possible – along with comprehensive support and training packages for teachers. Our aim is always to keep our prices fair and competitive.
- How will the developments in GQ Reform work alongside the developments in digital exams?
We’re awaiting the outcomes of the Ofqual consultation on on-screen assessment before we confirm our plans for future digital exams. It’s likely that at this point we’ll be able to tell you more information on the timelines and how any changes might align.