Reform of the Exam Procedures Review Service

The Exam Procedures Review Service (EPRS) considers applications in relation to results, and decisions around reasonable adjustments and special consideration, from centres and private candidates who have completed the relevant awarding organisation’s internal appeal procedures. The service covers GCSE, A level, AS, and Project qualifications.

At present, the panel which considers EPRS applications comprises one Ofqual member and two external members. Experience has shown that the service can be provided more efficiently using only Ofqual staff.

We propose to retain the EPRS and the practice of allowing applicants to have face to face discussions with Ofqual. We propose to change the process by:

• removing the routine use of ‘formal’ hearings in EPRS cases from summer 2019

• removing the requirement for the EPRS panel to include external members from summer 2019

• extending the EPRS to cover Technical Qualifications as they become available.

The consultation will run for 4 weeks, from 8 February until 8 March 2019.