Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of the use of large language models in the preparation of (a) GCSE and (b) A-Level course work; and whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of coursework as an effective and fair means of assessing candidates’ attainment.

Ofqual is the independent regulator of qualifications and assessments for England and is responsible for setting relevant rules and guidance, including in relation to malpractice. Ofqual published its approach to regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the qualifications sector in 2024, including its approach to managing malpractice risks associated with coursework. The policy document is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofquals-approach-to-regulating-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-qualifications-sector/ofquals-approach-to-regulating-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-qualifications-sector.

The Joint Council for Qualifications has also published guidance to give clarity to schools and colleges about the role they play in securing the authenticity of students’ work. This guidance, last updated in April 2025, provides schools and colleges with recommendations for both secure delivery of assessments and approaches for detection of where AI may have been inappropriately used.