Following the media coverage of errors in examination papers, Ofqual has written a letter to all awarding bodies. Below is the response from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which represents the biggest awarding bodies. Dr Jim Sinclair, Director of the JCQ, has issued this statement to the press:

“When creating exam papers, awarding bodies have thorough checks in place to ensure they are accurate and assess a student's knowledge fairly. These procedures have been finely tuned over many years, which is why nearly all of the tens of thousands of examination questions published each year are error free.

Awarding bodies are aware that a few questions in this year's exam papers have contained errors, and understand the distress this may have caused students. Students and parents should be assured that no one will be disadvantaged as a result of these mistakes. Examiners marking the papers are aware of the incidents and will make careful adjustments so that all students receive the marks they deserve.

Awarding bodies know that errors on examination papers are not acceptable. Where they have been made, a thorough audit will take place to identify where the checks have failed. And to make sure that there are no undetected errors in the remaining papers to be sat this summer, additional checks are now being carried out.”