2,225
phone and smart-device cases in Ofqual’s summer 2025 GCSE, AS and A level data
Student exam rules
Mobile phones in exams: the rules students need to know
Phones, watches, earbuds and smart devices can put marks or qualifications at risk. This guide explains the official JCQ rules and Ofqual’s May 2026 warning in practical student language.
545
disqualifications in those phone and smart-device cases
1,240
mark-loss outcomes in those phone and smart-device cases
Current answer
Can you take a mobile phone into an exam?
No. For mobile phones in exams, the safest answer is: do not take a phone, watch, earbuds, tablet, smart glasses or any other smart device into the exam room. If you have one with you at the centre, hand it in using your school or college system before the exam starts.
“please leave your phone at home, or hand it in before you go into the exam hall” — Sir Ian Bauckham, Chief Regulator at Ofqual
The rule is not only about whether you actually check the device. JCQ written-exam rules tell candidates that “possession of unauthorised material is breaking the rules, even if you do not intend to use it”. A phone that is switched off, on silent, in a pocket, in a bag near you, or simply not opened can still create a serious exam-rule problem.
Ofqual’s 2026 student guide gives the same practical warning for England: do not take a phone, watch or electronic device into an exam “even if it is switched off, as you could lose marks or be disqualified”. For this page’s England, Wales and Northern Ireland scope, the practical exam-room rules come from JCQ candidate and centre guidance.
Why Ofqual warned students in 2026
On 5 May 2026, Ofqual warned students not to take phones or smart devices into exam halls as the summer GCSE and A level exam series began. The warning was based on recent malpractice data and the serious sanctions that can follow when a device is found. Ofqual put it plainly: “Being found with a smart device during an exam can have serious consequences” — Ofqual.
The figures below are Ofqual statistics for GCSE, AS and A level assessments in England. They are useful because they show why exam centres take phones seriously, but they are not a prediction of what would happen in any individual case.
2,225 device cases
Mobile phone and other smart-device offences accounted for 2,225 student malpractice cases in summer 2025.
545 disqualifications
Of those phone and smart-device cases, 545 resulted in students being disqualified from some or all qualifications.
1,240 mark-loss outcomes
Ofqual reported 1,240 cases where the outcome was loss of marks.
44.3% of proven cases
Phone and smart-device offences made up 44.3% of all proven student malpractice cases in Ofqual’s summer 2025 GCSE, AS and A level data.
Phones, watches, earbuds: what counts as an unauthorised device?
JCQ written-exam rules tell candidates not to take unauthorised material into the exam room. The list includes communication devices, wearable devices and items that can store or play information. In practical terms, check more than just your phone.
A student-friendly guide to devices and storage situations that can create a problem in an exam room.
| Item or situation | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
Mobile phone | Do not take it into the exam room or keep it in your possession. Switched off or silent is still risky. |
Watch or smartwatch | Remove watches and smart wearables before the exam. JCQ lists watches and smart devices as unauthorised items. |
Earbuds, earphones or headphones, including AirPods | Hand them in or store them as your centre instructs before the exam starts. They count as unauthorised material for written exams. |
Tablet, iPad, iPod, MP3/4 player or similar device | Do not bring it in as a personal item. It can store or display information and may be treated as an unauthorised device. |
Smart glasses or other smart device | Do not wear or keep it with you in the exam room unless a specific permitted arrangement has been made by the centre. |
Phone in a bag, pocket, blazer, hoodie, pencil case or calculator case | Do not treat this as safe storage. JCQ centre instructions say unauthorised items should be out of reach and not under desks before the exam starts. |
Key terms in plain English
These terms help explain why a device can cause a problem even when a student did not mean to break the rules.
Unauthorised material
Anything a candidate is not allowed to have in or near them in the exam room, including notes and banned electronic devices.
Smart device
A device that can communicate, store information or provide an advantage, such as a smartwatch, smart glasses, tablet or phone.
Malpractice
Cheating, wrongdoing or another breach of assessment rules that can undermine an exam or qualification. Taking a communication device into an exam hall is a common example.
Loss of marks
A sanction where marks are removed from a section, component or unit. JCQ lists this as one possible outcome in some device cases.
Disqualification
A serious sanction that can remove a result from a unit, a whole qualification, or a wider set of qualifications depending on the case and qualification structure.
Invigilator
The adult supervising the exam room, giving instructions, collecting unauthorised items and recording incidents.
Before the exam: phone and smart-device checklist
Use this checklist before every exam, not just the first one of the series. JCQ centre instructions tell candidates to check for items such as AirPods, earphones or earbuds, mobile phones, smart devices and watches. JCQ centre instructions describe the pre-exam hand-in moment as: “This is their final chance. Failure to do so must be reported to the relevant awarding body and may lead to disqualification.” — JCQ Instructions for Conducting Examinations.
-
Decide before you arrive
Leave your phone at home if you do not need it for travel or safety outside school. If you do bring it, plan where you will hand it in.
-
Switch off before the exam area
Do not rely on silent mode or airplane mode. Switch devices off before you enter the exam area, then follow the centre’s storage instructions.
-
Check hidden places
Check pockets, blazer, hoodie, pencil case, calculator case and bag. Remove watches, earbuds and smart wearables as well as your phone.
-
Listen for the final warning
If the invigilator asks for remaining phones, watches or unauthorised items, hand them in immediately before the exam starts.
-
Ask if you are unsure
If you are not sure whether an item is allowed, raise it with the invigilator before the paper begins rather than guessing.
What to say to an invigilator
If you realise you still have a phone or device
You notice before or during the exam that you still have a mobile phone, watch, earbuds or another smart device with you.
I’ve just realised I still have my phone/watch/earbuds with me. What should I do now?
It alerts the invigilator straight away without guessing the outcome or making a claim that may not be true. If you are asked whether you opened, checked or used the device, answer honestly and explain exactly what happened.
What can happen if a phone is found or goes off?
JCQ’s suspected-malpractice guidance uses indicative sanction ranges for mobile phones and similar devices. The awarding body decides based on the evidence, and JCQ says sanctions can be applied flexibly where there are mitigating or aggravating circumstances. Do not treat the table as a promise of a particular outcome. The table below is based on JCQ suspected-malpractice guidance.
Common device scenarios and the broad direction of JCQ indicative sanctions.
| Scenario | Possible outcome | Student takeaway |
|---|---|---|
A phone or similar device makes a noise, but it is not in the candidate’s possession. | JCQ’s indicative table starts with a warning range for this type of situation. | Do not assume a ringing device is harmless. Follow the centre’s storage process before the exam starts. |
A device is found in the candidate’s possession and there is no evidence it was accessed. | JCQ’s indicative range includes loss of marks. | Possession itself is a breach. Tell the invigilator immediately if you realise you still have a device. |
A device is in the candidate’s possession and there is evidence it was accessed during the exam period. | More serious sanctions may be considered, including loss of aggregation or certification opportunity depending on the evidence and qualification structure. | Do not unlock, check or handle a device. If a mistake has happened, be honest with the invigilator straight away. |
Official sources used in this guide
These are the official sources used for the rules, figures and caveats in this guide.
- Open source
Ofqual: May 2026 phone and smart-device warning
- Open source
JCQ: Written exams 2025-2026
- Open source
JCQ: Instructions for Conducting Examinations 2025-2026
- Open source
JCQ: Suspected Malpractice policies 2025-2026
- Open source
Ofqual student guide to exams and assessments in 2026
- Open source
Ofqual: Malpractice in GCSE, AS and A level, summer 2025
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Support and clarity
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.
Can I take my phone into an exam if it is switched off?
No. Ofqual’s student guide says students should not take a phone, watch or other electronic device into an exam even if it is switched off, because marks or qualifications can be at risk. For written exams, JCQ also treats possession of unauthorised material as a breach of the rules. Hand the phone in using your centre’s system before the exam starts.
What happens if my phone goes off in an exam?
It may be treated as suspected malpractice, depending on where the phone was and what the evidence shows. JCQ’s indicative sanctions distinguish between a device making a noise when it is not in the candidate’s possession, a device being in possession with no evidence it was accessed, and a device being in possession with evidence it was accessed. No single outcome is guaranteed.
Can I keep my phone in my bag during an exam?
Do not keep a phone in a bag under your desk or anywhere within your access in the exam room. JCQ centre instructions say unauthorised items are ideally left outside the room, and any items brought into the room must be out of reach and not under desks before the exam starts. Follow your centre’s hand-in instructions.
What should I do if I accidentally bring my phone into the exam hall?
Tell the invigilator immediately. Do not hide it, move it secretly, open it, check it or wait until the end. Accidental possession can still be reported and considered, but immediate honesty about exactly what happened is the safest practical step.
Can I hand in my phone before the exam starts?
Yes. If you have brought a phone to the centre, hand it in using your school or college’s system before the exam starts. JCQ guidance tells candidates to check for mobile phones, smart devices, watches and similar items, and to hand unauthorised items to an invigilator before the exam begins.
Can I wear a smartwatch or normal watch in an exam?
No. JCQ written-exam and centre guidance lists watches and smart devices among unauthorised items. Remove watches and smart wearables before the exam and follow your centre’s storage instructions.
Are AirPods, earbuds or headphones allowed in an exam?
No. JCQ lists earphones and earbuds, including AirPods, as unauthorised material for written exams. Hand them in or store them as your centre instructs before the exam starts.
Are there medical exceptions for phones in exams?
Only where an official arrangement has been made. JCQ centre guidance recognises cases such as diabetes where a candidate may need access to a phone, but this requires supervision and centre planning. It is not a general permission to keep a personal phone with you.
Does this advice apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland?
The practical exam-room advice is based mainly on JCQ written-exam and centre rules, which are the right basis for this page’s England, Wales and Northern Ireland exam-board context. Ofqual’s warning and statistics are England-focused, so the article labels them that way.
Sources and references
Sources and references
- 1.Ofqual warning
May 2026 warning on phones and smart devices in exam halls, including 2025 malpractice figures.
- 2.JCQ written exam rules
Candidate rules for written exams, including unauthorised material and possession.
- 3.JCQ Instructions for Conducting Examinations
Centre and invigilator instructions for unauthorised items, final warnings and supervised medical access.
- 4.JCQ suspected malpractice policies
Suspected malpractice policies, reporting and indicative sanctions for phones and similar devices.
- 5.Ofqual student guide
Student-facing guidance for exams and assessments in England in 2026.
- 6.Ofqual statistics
Underlying Ofqual summer 2025 GCSE, AS and A level malpractice statistics.