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Original poster

Cheating in GCSE exams

158 replies

examworries2026 · 07/04/2026 21:36

Name changed for this. I wanted to explore the likelihood of this happening and see if anyone has experience of this, either from what their DC have said or if you’re a teacher or work in a school.

My DS16 is taking his GCSEs in a few weeks. He said that during their mocks they obviously aren’t allowed their phones (his school use those pouches anyway so technically they’re not supposed to have them during the day) but he said a few people have burner phones in their pockets.

During the exams they ask to go to the toilet and then spend a few minutes looking up answers etc.

I have no reason to doubt my DS but I can’t understand how this can be allowed to happen. Found it really shocking. Has anyone heard of this or similar? How common is this? Any invigilators on here who could shed some light on the likelihood of this happening?

Probably irrelevant but this is a highly rated traditional boys’ private school.

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DeftWasp · 19/04/2026 11:48

mumsneedwine · 19/04/2026 10:37

Toilets are checked before and after exams 😊

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Darn, invigilators are suspicious basterds!!😁

mumsneedwine · 19/04/2026 10:37

DeftWasp · 14/04/2026 08:50

When I was at school me and a mate wrote lots of formulae and facts on the inside of the toilet cistern lid, then kept asking to go to the loo on the pretext of a icky tummy.

That scraped me through Physics GCSE, just as well because I ended up doing my degree in Physics and spending 18 years as a Physics teacher!

My only advice, as with any skulduggery the trick is not to get caught!

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Toilets are checked before and after exams 😊

Spirallingdownwards · 14/04/2026 10:36

examworries2026 · 07/04/2026 21:55

Also, do people think I should mention it to the school? Am obviously reluctant to do so as it’s a serious allegation (although I wouldn’t mention any names) but I’m shocked and concerned that pupils would even attempt this and it makes me mad tbh.

If you are going to report it you absolutely should mention names.

Onthesamepage · 14/04/2026 10:35

CookingFatCat · 14/04/2026 00:33

It’s very risky but possible, if you need the toilet you could possibly stash a phone in it.
Invigilators will be waiting outside.

Realistically very little time to get enough information to cheat in a way that will hugely change the outcome.
Smart glasses and hearing aids would be checked surely?

It all sounds harder work than actually studying for the exam 🤷‍♀️

DeftWasp · 14/04/2026 08:50

examworries2026 · 07/04/2026 21:36

Name changed for this. I wanted to explore the likelihood of this happening and see if anyone has experience of this, either from what their DC have said or if you’re a teacher or work in a school.

My DS16 is taking his GCSEs in a few weeks. He said that during their mocks they obviously aren’t allowed their phones (his school use those pouches anyway so technically they’re not supposed to have them during the day) but he said a few people have burner phones in their pockets.

During the exams they ask to go to the toilet and then spend a few minutes looking up answers etc.

I have no reason to doubt my DS but I can’t understand how this can be allowed to happen. Found it really shocking. Has anyone heard of this or similar? How common is this? Any invigilators on here who could shed some light on the likelihood of this happening?

Probably irrelevant but this is a highly rated traditional boys’ private school.

When I was at school me and a mate wrote lots of formulae and facts on the inside of the toilet cistern lid, then kept asking to go to the loo on the pretext of a icky tummy.

That scraped me through Physics GCSE, just as well because I ended up doing my degree in Physics and spending 18 years as a Physics teacher!

My only advice, as with any skulduggery the trick is not to get caught!

exammadness · 14/04/2026 08:09

Invigilators don’t make independent decisions on whether a pupil will be reported / disqualified. I’m employed by the schools I work for on a zero hours contract. If anything happens during an exam - sudden illness , cheating etc- I have to make a statement. The exams officer will contact the relevant board and it’s the board who decides what to do. The school doesn’t decide. The school in theory could not report the malpractice but that would be a whole bigger issue and could have serious consequences.

CrikeyMajikey · 14/04/2026 05:13

Please do report it to the Exams Officer or Head of Year. Also, burner phones are very common in county lines, some of these kids may be involved in something they can’t get out of.

DandelionsintheLawn · 14/04/2026 00:50

You would think the time out of the exam in the toilet looking up one of the very few pieces of information you wrote a note about on your leg/in your pants but still didn’t remember, would result in the loss of more marks elsewhere in the paper.

ElixirOfLife · 14/04/2026 00:44

There were rumours at DDs school of girls planning to write answers on sanitary pads. Not during their period. Honestly can’t imagine how it’s easier to leave for the loo than to memorise a few more lines of text instead.

DandelionsintheLawn · 14/04/2026 00:39

CookingFatCat · 14/04/2026 00:34

They aren’t independent. Many are employed on a contract or via an agency.

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Independent of the school

CookingFatCat · 14/04/2026 00:34

DandelionsintheLawn · 14/04/2026 00:25

but I think there was a worry for a while that they might be disqualified from all the exams on that board (school recognised that they never used the phone or attempted to cheat, but had it with them during the exam).

invigilators are independent of the school and make the decisions. It doesn’t matter what school thought (they have an interest in pupils doing well)

They aren’t independent. Many are employed on a contract or via an agency.

CookingFatCat · 14/04/2026 00:33

It’s very risky but possible, if you need the toilet you could possibly stash a phone in it.
Invigilators will be waiting outside.

Realistically very little time to get enough information to cheat in a way that will hugely change the outcome.
Smart glasses and hearing aids would be checked surely?

DandelionsintheLawn · 14/04/2026 00:25

but I think there was a worry for a while that they might be disqualified from all the exams on that board (school recognised that they never used the phone or attempted to cheat, but had it with them during the exam).

invigilators are independent of the school and make the decisions. It doesn’t matter what school thought (they have an interest in pupils doing well)

BlueCanaryInTheAlleyByTheLightswitch · 13/04/2026 23:49

Denim4ever · 13/04/2026 21:17

????? Reported

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Biscuit
Rumpoleoftheballet · 13/04/2026 21:59

I’m an invigilator. We make several announcements as the pupils are going into the hall and hold out a bag for them to put belongings in. They are not allowed a watch of any kind, headphones, phones, smart rings, calculator covers, tissues or smart glasses. They are told to pat themselves down prior to the final announcement after which point, they will be disqualified if found to be in possession of anything they shouldn’t have. There is no excuse to make a mistake and accidentally keep something on you.

A friend’s DD told her that girls in her year were cheating with writing on their thighs, knowing full well they couldn’t be asked to lift their skirts.

LastHotel · 13/04/2026 21:43

Denim4ever · 13/04/2026 21:17

????? Reported

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Why?

Denim4ever · 13/04/2026 21:17

BlueCanaryInTheAlleyByTheLightswitch · 07/04/2026 22:03

100% I would mention it to the school.

I’ve a friend who has worked on a number of projects to do with how public exams are run. She said cheating is surprisingly common (though she didn’t quantify it) and is getting more sophisticated. Eg people have been caught using technology including hearing aids, with someone remotely giving them the answers, and also with smart glasses technology again so the test paper can be transmitted to someone outside the exam so they can feed answers back. She said it’s very difficult effectively to detect and tackle.

She also said that certain cultures don’t regard there with being anything wrong with encouraging and supporting your kids to cheat in exams. To the contrary, a “good parent” is seen as someone who would give every possible advantage to their child, including helping them cheat. And that they’re almost baffled by the suggestion that a parent wouldn’t do this or that it’s morally wrong. 🤷‍♀️

If that sounds racist all I can say is she’s really not a racist (she’s actually pretty left wing liberal), but this was what they found on the projects she worked on.

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????? Reported

LastHotel · 13/04/2026 20:43

crazystar · 13/04/2026 20:08

Absolutely not where I am ! We’ve not had invigilators for over a year

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How is that even possible? Surely the exams couldn’t run.

ShanghaiDiva · 13/04/2026 20:26

crazystar · 13/04/2026 20:08

Absolutely not where I am ! We’ve not had invigilators for over a year

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How are the exams being run with no invigilators?

MissyB1 · 13/04/2026 20:26

crazystar · 13/04/2026 20:08

Absolutely not where I am ! We’ve not had invigilators for over a year

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public exams are being run without invigilators?

exammadness · 13/04/2026 20:24

Invigilators or inspectors? Where are you? They are all subject to inspection over exam period. It might be that they weren’t physically inspected last year but all centres doing GCSEs and A Levels are governed by the same rules- makes no difference whether they are state or private , schools or sixth form colleges etc etc. At the private school I work at various inspectors came in about 4 times last summer.

crazystar · 13/04/2026 20:08

exammadness · 13/04/2026 18:09

I invigilate in state and private schools. Regulations are exactly the same.

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Absolutely not where I am ! We’ve not had invigilators for over a year

exammadness · 13/04/2026 18:12

@catlady-we have rooms where we might have 20 different end times once different exams, extra time and rest breaks are taken into consideration. If we had to keep giving them time warnings it would be unmanageable. Anyway, it’s not allowed under the regulations so it doesn’t happen.
It’s enough of a pain with IB when there’s several different exams going on a room to do.

exammadness · 13/04/2026 18:09

crazystar · 13/04/2026 16:52

It happens in private schoolsnas they aren’t as regulated

But don’t know how common

I invigilate in state and private schools. Regulations are exactly the same.