Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether schools in England include the results of external candidates in their GCSE and A-Level statistics.

The department’s GCSE and A level statistics include the results of external candidates at the end of key stage 4 (GCSEs) or 16-18 study (A levels), which are recorded against the school that a pupil has been allocated to. For state schools, pupils are allocated to a school based on the school census, while for independent schools or colleges, pupils are allocated based on exam data or the Individualised Learner Record. All exam results achieved by a pupil are recorded against the allocated school or college, regardless of where they were entered for the exam, including private exam entries.

Prior to publication, schools and colleges are given the opportunity to request the removal of incorrectly included external candidates from their GCSE and A level performance measures data, via the Check Your Performance Measures Data service.