England moves GCSE results online with new national exam records app

A new national app in England will allow students to access exam results digitally from summer 2026, changing how schools, colleges, and employers handle records.

Year 11 students in England will be able to access their GCSE results through a new national app from summer 2026, as part of a government push to modernize education records and reduce administrative workload across schools and further education colleges.

The Education Record app, announced by the Department for Education, will give students long-term digital access to their exam results after they leave school, while also enabling colleges and employers to verify qualifications without relying on paper certificates.

Digital records move into national rollout

Under the plans, students will still attend school in person on results day to collect and discuss their grades with teachers. Their results will then be made available digitally through the Education Record app, which is being rolled out nationally following pilot programs in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.

The government says the app will support faster enrollment into post-16 education by giving colleges early visibility of key information, including whether students need to continue studying English or math, have special educational needs and disabilities, or qualify for free school meals.

Officials estimate the system could save schools and colleges up to £30 million annually in administrative costs once fully implemented, with the savings intended to be redirected into teaching and student support.

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith says, “No student should have to rifle through drawers looking for a crumpled certificate when they’re preparing for a job interview.

“This app will give young people instant access to their results whenever they need them while freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork.”

Links planned with GOV.UK Wallet

The Department for Education confirms that work is already underway to link the Education Record app with the GOV.UK Wallet, which is intended to allow citizens to store official documents such as exam results and driving licenses in a single digital space.

The department positions the app as part of a wider strategy to modernize public sector technology and improve how education data is shared across institutions.

Cath Sezen, Director of Education Policy at the Association of Colleges, says, “We are delighted to see confirmation of a national pilot of the Education Record. This is a significant step forward in supporting young people as they move to college, an apprenticeship or later into higher education and work.”

She adds, “Giving colleges access to key data will ensure that transitions are smoother for students; instead of repeating basic information time and time again, conversations can focus on finding the appropriate course to support their career aims, and settling into life at college.”

Sector response highlights access and inclusion risks

School and college leaders broadly welcome the move toward digital records but stress the importance of maintaining face-to-face support and addressing funding pressures.

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, says, “It is a sensible move to use digital technology to simplify the transition to post-16 education for everyone involved.”

He adds, “We are sure that school and college leaders will also welcome the administrative savings made possible as a result of this change, although this will only amount to a drop in the ocean compared to the funding pressures they remain under.”

Concerns have also been raised about digital access and skills. Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, comments, “At a time where we know that one in five children is in digital poverty, the introduction of the Education Record app assumes that all teenagers will have access and, without proper consideration, will only heighten the digital divide.”

She adds, “The proposed £30 million savings would be a huge positive, and any savings must be ringfenced for investment in devices and skills. Part of that includes an alternative for those who cannot access the app due to inaccessibility or digital poverty.”

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