Could this be the end of the results envelope?

Going into school or college to collect exam results in person could soon be a thing of the past for GCSE and A level students. 

A new DfE app is currently being piloted among more than 95,000 GCSE students in the West Midlands and Greater Manchester ahead of a national rollout which will see exam certificates made digital. 

Its Education Record app will, says the government, remove the need to manually pass on paper files when young people leave school, 'bringing exam records into the 21st century.'  Instead of receiving paper documents, school leavers will be able to access all their exam results on the app, streamlining the process when they apply for further education places, apprenticeships or jobs.  

Cutting costs and red tape, the app could ultimately save schools and colleges up to £30 million a year - enough money to pay for 600 new further education teachers - according to the DfE.  

Education Minister Stephen Morgan said: "It is high time exam records were brought into the 21st century, and this pilot will allow schools and colleges to focus on what they do best: teaching the next generation rather than being bogged down in bureaucracy."  

He added that the government was slashing red tape through its Plan for Change to drive growth, cutting admin for teachers and giving tens of thousands of young people more opportunities to get on in skilled careers.  

Responding to the government's plans, the Association of School and College Leaders, ASCL, said the app represented a positive step forward in making 'greater use of digital technology in education and will bring benefits to students, schools and colleges.' 

And school and college leaders would like to see digital technology extended to include the exams themselves. Pepe Di'Iasio, General Secretary of ASCL added: "Exams continue to be largely conducted via pen and paper, creating a massive burden in terms of secure storage and transportation of papers and scripts. A digital exam system would improve matters for everyone involved and we urge the government to invest in creating the infrastructure schools and colleges need to make this a reality."  

School leaders' union, the NAHT, also welcomed the app's pilot, but called for its planned rollout to be done with 'seamless support for students and schools should any issues arise.' 

James Bowen, NAHT assistant general secretary, said: "It makes a lot of sense to look into modernising how exam results are handled and any moves to cut bureaucracy and costs are welcome. 

"It is vital that any changes work for schools and colleges, as well as pupils, at what is always a busy, pressurised time for school leaders and their staff. When we are dealing with something as important as exam results it is crucial that the government gets this absolutely right."  

GCSE exams started on May 5, 2025, and will continue until June 25. Results day is Thursday August 21, 2025. Students on the pilot should be able to access their results via the app from 11am, although they can still come into school to collect the traditional paper version.  

Year 11 students in Scotland have been able to access their exam results online since 2019 via the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) app. Results day for Scotland's National 4s and 5s, which are equivalent to GCSEs, is on Tuesday August 5 this year. For more information on how the SQA system works, click here!