top of page


Dec 6, 20246 min read
2024 Exam Sector Review
A curious year for the assessment sector. $25M fines for exam cheating. UK spluttering on plans for digitising school exams. A regulator...


Sep 5, 20243 min read
When you forget about trialling school digital exams and assessment 20 years ago.
I read yesterday’s review report on curriculum and assessment, chaired by former Secretary of State for Education Charles Clarke,...

Jun 27, 20243 min read
Taboos and Fairy Stories - How will schools adopt digital exams?
The how and why of school digital exam delivery.

Jun 7, 20243 min read
Got issues? Don’t let Mr Angry stop the digital exam debate
Why do angry educators try to shut down the school digital exam debate? Read how mis-trust, inarticulacy, and passivity prevents advocacy.

Jun 4, 20243 min read
Move to digital exams, win a microwave?
Moving to digital exams for schools needs macro messages, not transactional retail offers.


May 7, 20242 min read
Digital exam readiness: think gas central heating, not smart meters.
What the digital exam sector can learn from the UK's move to 'wonderfuel' gas.


Feb 29, 20243 min read
It's a Vision Thing. 5 problems with the Digital School Exams vision, and how to improve it.
The school digital exam vision seems to have stalled. Here are five problems with the vision, and five solutions on how to improve it.

Jan 29, 20243 min read
A sure BETT? Why the Absent Punner’s 'snap and sneer' stunts digital exam adoption, and ignores learner impact.
The long-running UK exhibition BETT is a nexus for global ed-tech folk. There are plenty of visitors and booth workers, usually away from...


Jan 27, 20243 min read
Hey Paper Hostage, what’s the rush? Why school exam digitisation perpetuates inequality. But not how you think.
England’s school exam owners have presented their digital journey to 2030. Railway enthusiasts may scoff, but isn’t seven years too long...


Jan 9, 20242 min read
"But We Don't Have Enough Computers!" Delivering digital exams for UK schools
The main four England and Wales General Qualifications exam owners have set out their digital school exam stall. It's shook many digital...


Dec 10, 20234 min read
2023 in Review
2023 was a seismic year in assessment. Many learners returned to an exam hall for the first time in a number of years. Three UK exam...

Dec 5, 20232 min read
Crisis, what crisis?
Last week's Federation of Awarding Bodies conference was an eye-opener. But not for the reasons you may think. What’s the...


Dec 3, 20223 min read
From Wallflower to Dance Captain – three steps for our sector to lead assessment debate.
Everyday, global exam sector stories ping my news trackers - white-hot opportunities to grapple assessment issues. But too often, those...


Jun 14, 20204 min read
Finding a way to win – why does e-Assessment love FE?
I'm absolutely delighted at the strides the Further Education (FE) sector has made with e-Assessment since my 2007 FE News article. No...


Nov 16, 20185 min read
Chatting for better exams!
Back in July, I was intrigued by the use of a chatbot for conducting university admission at Leeds Beckett University, wondering what...


Mar 1, 20173 min read
Accredit When Ready
Employers must ensure they have a workforce that is bang up to date with its knowledge, understanding and skills, while minimising the...


Aug 31, 20152 min read
2015 Report Review: Centre Readiness for eAssessment: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.
This research report from 2014 is now publicly available via the three UK regulators, SQA, CCEA and Welsh Government. It looks at the...
bottom of page