Schools face exam cheat inquiry
Review into teachers setting questions for their own pupils after ministers demand action
AN INVESTIGATION was last night ordered into the private school cheating scandal as ministers suggested that teachers could be banned from setting exam questions.
Nick Gibb, the schools minister, last night confirmed that Ofqual had begun an inquiry following disclosures by
The Daily Telegraph that at least four leading public schools had been investigated over allegations of malpractice. It came as the exam board at the centre of the reports admitted that other schools may be affected and urged people with information to come forward.
It also admitted for the first time that pupils had passed on inside information to friends at other schools, raising fears that the true scale of the cheating is greater than previously thought.
Announcing the inquiry, Mr Gibb said: “The public must have confidence in the integrity of the exam system and cheating of any kind is unacceptable.
“The exam regulator Ofqual is now reviewing the rules under which teachers take part in writing and reviewing question papers and have confirmed to me that they are considering whether action is needed. The overwhelming majority of teachers act appropriately when working with exam materials but where they do not schools have a responsibility to report it to the exam board for investigation.”
The scandal began last week when it emerged that teachers at Eton and Winchester had passed information to pupils about upcoming exams.
Both teachers had also been working for the exam board Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and Ofqual’s review will include whether teachers should be allowed to set exams for boards used by their schools.
The Telegraph can also disclose that CIE refused to rule out that the exam material had been shared among pupils from other schools. The two academics, Mo Tanweer, head of economics at Eton, and Laurence Wolff, head of art history at Winchester, faced disciplinary action following investigations by CIE which found they had shared confidential information about papers they had helped administer. Mr Tanweer was dismissed for gross misconduct, while Mr Wolff was suspended and later agreed to take early retirement.
Students sitting an A-level equivalent Pre-u paper in art history at Winchester College have had their test marks voided, as have students entered for the economics exam at Eton.
The exam board has also voided marks for Eton students who completed the art history paper, after it found they had been passed details of the exam by a friend at Winchester.
CIE is now appealing for anybody with information about cases of malpractice to come forward. Last night Charterhouse school said it had reported concerns to CIE that its pupils may have received prior information about the economics exam.
A spokesman for CIE said: “Cambridge International Examinations thoroughly investigated allegations of maladministration on Pre-u economics and Pre-u art history.
“We took decisive action where we found maladministration had occurred at two schools to protect the integrity of our examinations and to ensure our examinations are fair for all students. Students directly affected also received an appropriate and valid grade. If anyone has evidence that maladministration has occurred in any of our
examinations they should contact us direct.”
The Telegraph understands that the information leaked by the academics to their students may have then been shared with others via social media and email exchanges. According to a source familiar with the investigations, suspicions of malpractice were raised with Winchester College after a student at Downe House, an independent school for girls, learned on social media that boys sitting art history had obtained advanced knowledge of the exam.
It is unknown how many students were involved, and whether students from schools aside from Eton and Winchester were passed advanced information about the paper.
Robert Halfon, the chairman of the Commons education select committee, said: “What appeared initially to be a few ripples in the water now seems to be becoming a tidal wave. What started off in one or two schools is now in danger of becoming a scandal.
“Parliamentarians and the Government need to find out what has been going on and, with utter urgency, the exam boards and the private schools need to get their houses in order so that the integrity of examinations is respected.”
Simon Henderson, Eton Head Master, said he had been “appalled” at the actions of Mr Tanweer, but stressed that students had not been found guilty of any wrongdoing and had been “inadvertent recipients” of the leaks. He also admitted that the school was aware that confidential information might have been passed to a pupil at another school, and that this had been referred to the exam board.
“If we become aware of further allegations, then we will pass these immediately to CIE as Eton would never condone or ignore any suggested breach of exam security,” he said.
Winchester College refused to comment. In an earlier statement it said it had taken the investigation “very seriously” and “greatly regrets what happened”.
A spokesman for Charterhouse said: “After an economics examination, pupils anonymously raised a concern regarding a prior communication with revision advice received from a pupil at another school.
“Charterhouse immediately reported the matter to CIE. CIE then took the action it decided to be appropriate in the circumstances.”
Last night Ofqual confirmed its review will see “whether changes are needed” in the relationship between teachers and exam setting.
Its statement read: “The involvement of serving teachers in the process of exam setting has many benefits and exam malpractice by teachers is rare.
“However, access to live materials must be appropriately controlled and risks to security minimised.”