Education Secretary Michael Gove has ordered a probe into claims that some examiners gave teachers unfair advice on upcoming GCSE and A-level questions.

The Daily Telegraph said it had filmed an examiner telling teachers at a seminar which questions to expect.

Mr Gove said the claims “confirm that the current system is discredited”.

One of the exam boards named, WJEC, said the claims related to “an incomplete understanding of generic advice”.

The newspaper said the boards involved had promised to investigate whether individual examiners broke the rules.

The exam regulator Ofqual said exams must be run in a way that was “fair and open to all”.

The Telegraph said it secretly filmed a chief examiner telling teachers, who had paid up to £200 a day, which questions their pupils could expect in upcoming exams.

‘We’re cheating’

It said the advice appeared to go far beyond the standard “guidance”.

The newspaper said its undercover reporters went to 13 meetings organised by exam boards used by English schools.

It alleged that teachers, who paid up to £200 a day to attend, were “routinely” given information about future exams, including questions, syllabus areas to focus on and even the specific words or facts students must use to win marks.

It quoted a named examiner at a seminar on GCSE history as telling teachers that a compulsory question in the exam “goes through a cycle”.

He gives the subjects for the upcoming exam, adding: “We’re cheating, we’re telling you the cycle.”

When told that this information was not in the course specification, the examiner said: “No, because we’re not allowed to tell you,” according to the paper.

Mr Gove said he had asked the new chief executive of Ofqual, Glenys Stacey, to investigate and report back within two weeks.

He said: “As I have always maintained, it is crucial our exams hold their own with the best in the world. We will take whatever action is necessary to restore faith in our exam system. Nothing is off the table.”

‘Not secretive’

A spokesman for Ofqual said the issue was “of significant interest”.

“We have introduced new regulations to tighten up the requirements awarding organisations must meet to make sure their commercial activities do not impact on the standards and integrity of qualifications. Failure to meet these standards will result in regulatory action.

“We therefore welcome the information gathered by the Telegraph and will be interested to study the evidence. ”

The WJEC exam board, one of those named, said: “Most of the issues raised… relate to an incomplete understanding of the generic advice on teaching approaches given in good faith at professional development sessions with the aim of enhancing students’ appreciation of the subjects studied and their assessment.”

It added that the courses described in the article were “by no means secretive” as the information was freely available on its public website to ensure teachers and students were not disadvantaged in cases where teachers were unable to attend.

Another board, Edexcel, said examiners’ contracts stated that no discussion of the content of future exams should take place.

“Any breach of this clear contractual obligation is something we would take extremely seriously, and act on. On this basis, we are speaking to those examiners identified… in order to fully understand the context and complete nature of the conversations they had at these events,” it said.

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said the Telegraph’s allegations were “extremely serious” and the investigation by Ofqual must “leave no stone unturned”.

“Parents rightly expect that their children are taking tests on a level playing field with others. The government must act quickly and decisively to ensure faith in A-levels and GCSEs,” he said.

Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said the system needed to change: “What we need to do is stop having examination boards competing against each other. What we have to do is to have one single examination board.

“You wouldn’t dream of having, say, different boards offering driving licences. You’ve got to have one exam board, like most countries do, so that there’s some integrity to the system. Without that, I’m afraid, it’s just going to carry on getting worse.”

BBC News