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Assessments: Software

Asked by James McMurdockIndependentDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 20 January 2026UIN 105131

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her Department's press release entitled Government modernises exam records with new app published on 8 January 2026, how her Department calculated the £30 million per year saving in administrative costs by utilising the Education Records app.

Answered by Josh MacAlister

The £30 million saving is based on reducing administrative processes in further education and apprenticeships. Extensive user research with colleges identified activities that could be eliminated or streamlined, including photocopying documentation, manually matching emails with applications, and reducing data entry and correction through improved quality. Other efficiencies include removing support time for paperwork, eliminating manual searches for unique learner numbers, and reducing checks on prior attainment to simplify enrolment for mathematics and English. These changes will also reduce delays caused by missing documentation and cut follow-up activities linked to incomplete records.

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