Exams Officer Newsletter
December 2025 |
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Welcome to your monthly Exams Officer newsletter |
We hope your autumn term has been successful as we head into the winter period. To keep you prepared for this chilly season, there are notable key dates to be aware of, processes to follow and intuitive training available to sign up to.
As we continue with our new look bulletin, we are always open to feedback to make further improvements, so do reach to us if you have any suggestions to make it more useful to you.
As always, we are here. If you need further support, reach out to us through the Pearson support portal.
Best wishes,
Pearson Communications |
This month's news and updates |
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Date |
Activity |
| 1 December |
Cohort declaration opens our first term-time checkpoint |
| 12 December |
Access to Scripts deadline: closure of the summer 2025 availability of scripts |
| 15 December |
Deadline for mark submission and upload of work of sampled learners for internal assessments for BTEC Tech Awards (from 2022) for December/January 2026 series |
| 31 December 2025 |
BTEC deletion deadline: deadline to delete learner registrations and receive a full refund for registrations made this academic year |
2026 |
| 7 January |
Restricted results day: GCSE November 2025 results released to centres |
| 8 January |
Results day: GCSE November 2025 results released to learners |
| 21 January |
Restricted results day: International GCSE November 2025 results released to centres |
| 22 January |
Results day: International GCSE November 2025 results released to learners |
| 30 January |
Termtime checkpoint deadline: cohort declaration. Your head of centre completes a declaration to confirm all students who are expecting a result in summer 2026. |
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Autumn & Winter: Essential Information |
To help support you during the autumn and winter terms, we've put together this essential information article containing important knowledge on upcoming key dates, events, assessments, and available resources. |
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Basedata summer 2026
You can start preparing for next summer as the EDI basedata for GQ and VQ qualifications is available to download.
Please note, we have released v2.0 to update the following files:
- International basedata
- A-Level (updated alignment on the component file)
- GCSE and International GCSE (updated to include Subject codes 1FR1, 1GN1, 1SP1)
If you have downloaded the basedata prior this update, please reimport the new versions into your MIS system.
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Join us on our General Qualification 'Bitesize' webinars
If you're a new exams officer or just new to Pearson general qualifications, you might have questions about the administration of these. We are running a series of interactive, engaging live events which are dedicated to specific GQ admin processes, providing in depth guidance and include demonstrations on the completion of the process specified.
Why not join us for our next GQ & VQ Bitesize event focusing on Modified Papers, taking place on Tuesday, 16 December 11am-12pm. |
Don't worry if you missed any! You can always watch the recording of any event on our support article. |
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November 2026 final timetables
The final timetables for GCSE and International GCSE for November 2026 will be available on our website from Wednesday 3 December. These can be found on the timetables webpage. |
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January 2027 provisional timetables
The provisional timetables for IAL and Edexcel Awards for January 2027 will be available on our website from Wednesday 3 December.
These can be found on the provisional timetables webpage.
The feedback window will run until Friday 19 December. Please send any feedback to timetables@pearson.com. |
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Edexcel Award – January series
You can expect to receive standard and modified question papers for the Edexcel Award January series from Monday 24 November, which is available to track on Edexcel Online. Attendance registers and labels should be received from Monday 8 December. |
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Get ready for the cohort declaration, your first term-time checkpoint |
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On the 1 December 2025, we opened the cohort declaration for you to complete by 30 January. This helps us build a shared, accurate picture of the students expecting results in August 2026, meaning we can work together to make sure your students can receive their results on time in August.
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Introducing your new BTEC external assessment overview tool
We are pleased to launch our intuitive new tool to speed up locating assessment codes, dates and exam types. |
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Uploading your BTEC Tech Award sample and submitting marks |
Learner Work Transfer is now open for you to upload your sampled students’ work by 15 December.
You don’t need to wait until the deadline; if you’ve got work ready, you can start uploading now.
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When to expect your January series question papers
We’ll start despatching standard and modified question papers for the BTEC January series from Wednesday 10 December. You should start receiving attendance registers, learners place cards and labels from the week commencing 24 November. If you want to check your tracking information, reach out to us via the Pearson support portal.
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Standards Verification for Entry Level Functional Skills
Standards Verifiers for Entry Level Functional Skills have now been assigned to centres. If you have not heard from your Standards Verifier and have candidates sitting assessments in the 2025–26 academic year, please contact us via the Pearson support portal.
The deadline for completing Standards Verification activities is 31 July 2026. Failure to complete these activities by this date may delay certification. |
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UK webinar events
We will host a series of online exams officer updates during 2025/2026. These live events go through news, updates and various areas to support you in the coming month. |
If you were unable to attend our event in October, you can access the recording on the support portal. |
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Find out everything you need to know to manage examinations and administer our qualifications.
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Our new dedicated space for exams officer training created to offer enhanced support.
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JCQ
Published on 19 Nov 2025.
Sign up to future updates.
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Ofqual
Keep up-to-date with the latest news and blogs.
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The Exams Office
Working in collaboration with Dfe, Ofqual, JCQ and awarding bodies.
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Social media
Join our Facebook community to stay up to date with news.
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