The head of England’s exams regulator has warned that a new wave of wearable technology, including smart glasses that project text onto the inside of the lens and invisible earpieces, is making cheating in exams harder to detect than ever before.
Sir Ian Bauckham, the chief regulator of Ofqual, said invigilators are being trained to spot covert equipment such as smart glasses, hidden earpieces and pens with built-in screens. “We’re hearing stories of devices like supposedly hidden earpieces, smart glasses that play text covertly on the inside of the glasses that only the wearer can see, and even biros that have got apparently invisible mini video screens built into them,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.
“Ofqual chief warns smart glasses and earpieces are fueling exam cheating, with 44% of malpractice cases involving mobile devices.”
The proliferation of such gadgets comes as Ofqual data shows that mobile phones and smart devices have been the most common form of exam malpractice in every summer exam series since 2018. Last year, they accounted for 44% of all student malpractice cases. Last summer alone, Ofqual recorded 2,225 cases of cheating involving phones and connected devices during GCSE, AS and A-level exams.
Bauckham said some of these devices are being marketed openly on the internet specifically as aids to cheating. He warned pupils that the probability of getting caught is high and can lead to “really severe sanctions”. “In the worst cases, they could lose all their A-level grades. That’s future-altering,” he said.
The regulator is also scrutinising GCSE and A-level coursework for potential AI use, after teachers reported struggling to detect it. Speaking on an Ofqual podcast, Bauckham said the qualification system is “a real national asset” that must be protected. “Our qualification system is a real national asset and we have to keep on top of this to stop this national asset being undermined, because that is not in anyone’s interests.”
Despite the warnings, Bauckham stressed that the “vast majority” of students “wouldn’t dream of cheating”. “But there is this small minority – and it is a small minority – who have always set about trying to subvert the system and cheat,” he added.
Exam boards are now providing training and guidance to invigilators and exams officers on how to identify suspicious devices and behaviour in exam halls. With more than a million pupils sitting GCSE and A-level exams this summer, the stakes are high. Bauckham hinted that stronger checks are likely to be introduced to guard against students using AI in coursework, as the regulator races to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology.