A ‘very small number’ of students had access to the paper ahead of those sitting the exam in late June

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

One person was allegedly the source of a leak of an A-level maths paper this summer, an exam board has said.

In addition, five students have been disqualified and a further 30 are being investigated over their involvement, according to Pearson.

Investigations were launched in June after an A-level maths paper was leaked just before it was due to be taken by students.

In an update to schools and colleges on Monday, Derek Richardson, the vice president and senior responsible officer at Pearson UK, said there was evidence that “a very small number of students” had access to the paper ahead of candidates sitting the exam on Friday 22 June.

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“Following the examination, we were alerted to the apparent sale of images of questions from the paper in the early hours of the day via two closed social media applications,” the letter says.

“There is no evidence to show that they were publicly available before the examination, but after the paper had been sat individuals posted images of the sharing of the secure content on publicly accessible platforms.”

A police investigation was launched, and the exam board conducted its own inquiry.

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The letter says that as a result of Pearson’s investigation, it has “identified one individual as the source of the breach, who has been debarred from any involvement with Pearson examinations for life”.

The letter adds: “We have disqualified five students and are currently investigating a further 30 with regards to their involvement.

“Their results will be withheld until these investigations are completed.

“We are continuing to support the police with their ongoing investigation.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Five students have been disqualified and 30 others are being investigated with regards to their involvement. Photograph: David Davies/PA

The letter also says that Pearson’s “absolute priority” is to ensure that students get fair results for their hard work and exam performance, and that students should feel confident that grade boundaries for the A-level were set fairly and results have not been affected by the issue.

“I want to express my sincere regret if this situation has caused anxiety for any of your students, teachers or parents and I am very grateful for your patience and understanding over this exam season,” Richardson said.

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“The exams system in this country has robust controls in place including security requirements for exam boards, logistics companies, schools and colleges.

“However it is also built on a foundation of trust – that those given responsibility for the security of papers honour that trust.

“It is regrettable that the actions of a tiny number of individuals have added to the stress of this year’s exams for a much larger number of students, their parents, carers and teachers.”