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Examination services

Useful websites and awarding bodies

The following are websites that give information about examinations and qualifications. Read below:

  • Department for Children, Schools and Families Qualifications Website
    This website offers a range of information for parents, and students with an interest in GCSEs, GCSEs in vocational subjects, work related learning, GNVQs, AS/A levels, vocational A levels ( AVCE), entry level qualifications, the National Qualifications Framework, and more.
  • Section 96 Website
    This website lists external qualifications that the Secretary of State has approved for the use of pupils in maintained schools, students in secondary, further and work-based education, plus training under the age of 19 in England. The website should also be of interest to head teachers, principals and heads of other educational or training institutions, employers and parents.
  • Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
    This is the regulatory body for qualifications and the curriculum in England. The website contains a range of information about national qualifications, the National Curriculum and assessment.

Awarding bodies

There are five examination boards offering GCSEs, GCE AS/A levels and GNVQs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They are known as unitary awarding bodies and their websites, listed below, contain information on these and other qualifications. Schools or other examination centres are free to select specifications from any of the awarding bodies.

  • Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) 
    AQA offers entry level qualifications, Key Skills, free standing mathematics units, advanced extension awards and the advanced certificate of education (AVCE, formerly Advanced GNVQ).
  • Edexcel 
    The University of London Examinations and Assessment Council (ULEAC) and the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) merged to form Edexcel in 1996. It also offers Entry Level qualifications, Key Skills, AVCEs, National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and BTEC qualifications. 
  • Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations 
     OCR was formed in 1998 from the merger between the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), the Midland Examining Group (MEG) and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). It also offers entry level qualifications, Key Skills, free standing mathematics units, NVQs, AVCEs and a range of 'own brand' vocationally-related qualifications.
  • Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC)
    This is the unitary awarding body in Wales. It offers entry level qualifications and key skills.
  • Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment (NICCEA)
    This is the unitary awarding body in Northern Ireland. It offers entry level qualifications and key skills.
  • City and Guilds
    Not a unitary awarding body, but an awarding body providing a large number of vocational qualifications. The website contains information on NVQs, Scottish vocational qualifications (SVQs), apprenticeships, key skills, 'own-brand' qualifications including progression awards, Pitman qualifications and ILM Management qualifications.

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