Ofqual has issued a warning to students about taking mobile phones or smart devices into exam halls, as it puts their qualifications at serious risk.

Last summer, there were 2,225 cases of mobile phone and smart device cheating, and this has remained the most common category of student cheating every year in which exams have taken place since 2018.

Of those cases, 545 resulted in students being disqualified from some or all of their qualifications, while 1,240 cases resulted in a loss of marks. For those students, the consequences may be serious and lasting.

Sir Ian Bauckham, Chief Regulator at Ofqual, said: "With exams starting in England, I want to speak directly to students: please leave your phone at home, or hand it in before you go into the exam hall. The rules are straightforward.

"Being found with a smart device during an exam can have serious consequences, including loss of marks or disqualification from the subject. Do not become one of those statistics and risk your qualification and your future prospects. Keep your phone out of the exam hall."