Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on advertising the change to numerical grading for GCSE exams.

The Department has spent no money to date on advertising on the change to numerical grading for GCSE exams. Instead, we have been working closely with Ofqual, awarding organisations and key bodies such as the Confederation for British Industry (CBI) and Universities and College Admission Service (UCAS) to communicate the changes to GCSEs to key audiences, particularly schools, colleges and universities. In 2016 we produced a joint slide pack with Ofqual that was sent to all schools in England, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/qualifications-reform-resources-for-teachers

Over the coming months we expect to fund targeted communications, particularly directed to parents and employers as we move towards the award of the first new GCSEs in August 2017.