Pearson fined £250,000 by Ofqual

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) will fine exam board Pearson £250,000 for breaking rules designed to protect students and exam integrity.

In 2023, Pearson failed to identify conflicts of interest among GCSE, A Level and BTEC examiners, when Pearson employed tutors at schools where students also sat the exams. 195 examiners were marking standardised qualifications who were also working as tutors for Pearson under the government’s National Tutoring Programme. 7,244 exam papers were thus marked that had a potential conflict of interest.

Moreover, Pearson also failed to follow its own policies that were put in place to ensure the confidentiality of exam papers. Pearson has admitted it had breached its Conditions of Recognition, which all organisations must follow for regulated qualifications. 

Amanda Swann, executive director for general qualifications at Ofqual, said: “Our rules protect students taking regulated qualifications including GCSE, A Level and BTECs. We will take action when our rules are breached, and the interests of students are put at risk.

Fortunately, in these instances there is no evidence of any direct impact on students. Pearson, however, failed to guard against conflicts of interest and breaches of confidentiality and we intend to fine them accordingly.”

Following an enforcement panel by Ofqual, it was decided a fine was appropriate, given the severity of the breaches.