Updates about Summer 2026 examinations from Ofqual and the Department for Education (DfE)

This section of the website will be updated to provide parents, carers and examination students with announcements regarding public examinations in Summer 2026.

Click on the Ofqual guide 'Ofqual student guide to exams and assessments'

Click on the Ofqual 'Coping with exam pressure – a guide for students' for advice and guidance on how to cope with pressure associated with test and exam anxiety. 

Resources to help students prepare for exams and assessments - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Internal school examinations and public examination dates

Autumn term 2025	Spring term 2026	Summer term 2026
5th – 10th November GCSE English and GCSE Mathematics public examinations	5th – 16th January Year 12 BTEC and Year 13 BTEC public examinations	3rd April – 23rd June GCSE, BTEC and A Level public examinations
3rd – 14th November *Pre-Public Examinations: Year 13 A Level and BTEC courses	2nd – 6th February Pre-Public Examinations: Year 13 A Level	13th - 24th April Pre-Public Examinations: Year 10 GCSE and BTEC courses
17th - 28th November  Pre-Public Examinations: Year 11 GCSE and BTEC courses	23rd February - 6th March Pre-Public Examinations: Year 11 GCSE and BTEC courses Year 12 A Level courses
	19th - 26th March Pre-Public Examinations: Year 12 A Level courses

*Pre-Public Examinations – internal school examinations

Heritage language examinations and practical public examinations follow a separate schedule which runs from March to May 2026. 

First and last date of Summer 2026 public examinations 
First examination: 3rd April 2026
Last examination: 23rd June 2026  

Contingency dates for Summer 2026 examinations
Wednesday 24th June - all day

All examination candidates sitting Summer 2026 public examinations at Blackfen School must be available to sit GCSE, A Level and BTEC examinations from the date of their first examination until Wednesday 24th June 2026. This decision is not a school decision and it applies to all candidates, in all schools. 

The examination contingency dates have been put in place to be used in the event of “sustained national or local disruption”. In these circumstances, the exam boards whose examinations are running at this time will have the option to postpone their examination and to rearrange it for one of the contingency dates. This means that students affected by the incident have a fair and equal chance to gain their qualifications. The decision to change the date of an examination to the contingency day is not taken by the school, or by parents and carers or by students. 

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) makes the following point: “If students are not available because they are on holiday and one of their exams is rescheduled to this day, they will not be eligible for special consideration by the exam boards. For this reason, the JCQ requests all schools inform parents and students of this date so that it can be taken into account when making plans for the summer.”

Parents, carers and students should note the examination contingency dates in the event that an awarding body needs to invoke its contingency plan. They should also ensure that telephone and email details held by the school are accurate so that students can be contacted quickly, in these circumstances. 

Information about public examinations in the Summer term 2026

Morning and afternoon public examination start times

Students in Year 11 and Year 13 taking public examinations before Easter and in the Summer term should note the following arrangements for morning and afternoon start times. There is no late admittance to public examinations:

Morning examinations: Line up outside examination rooms at 8.45am

Afternoon examinations: Line up outside examination rooms at 12.45pm

Mobile phones, mobile devices and digital watches must be handed in at the beginning of all GCSE, BTEC and A Level examinations. They are kept safely for the duration of the examination in individually numbered bags, placed at the end of each row of examination tables.

Year 11 early lunches

Light lunch items will be available to Year 11 students before the start of the afternoon examinations from the ‘Food Cube’ (NOT the canteen) at the earlier time of 12.15pm to 12.45pm. We strongly recommend Year 11 students to have something to eat and drink before the afternoon examinations. Bottled water - with the label removed - is allowed in examination rooms, but no other still or fizzy drink.

Collection of A Level examination results / Year 12 GCSE examination results / Year 12 Level 3 BTEC unit results

• A Level examination results are published and will be available for collection on Thursday 15th August in the Sixth Form Learning Zone from 8.00am - 9.30am. Results that are not collected at this time will be posted home to students. It is not possible for students to collect results on behalf of their friends. Parents/carers may collect results on behalf of students as long as suitable identification is provided, for example, a driving licence photo card or passport and this arrangement has been agreed and processed by the Exams Office before the end of this term.

• Level 3 BTEC unit results for current Year 12 students will be available for collection on Thursday 15th August in the Sixth Form Learning Zone from 9.30am - 10.30am. Results that are not collected at this time will be distributed to students at the beginning of term in September. 

• GCSE Mathematics examination results for Year 12 students will be available for collection on Thursday 20th August from 9.00am - 10.30am in the Performance Space. (See ‘Collection of GCSE results’, below). 

Collection of GCSE results

GCSE examination and BTEC Level 2 results are published and will be available for collection on Thursday 20th August 2026 in the Performance Space from 9.00am to 10.30am. Results that are not collected at this time will be posted home to students. Parents and carers are warmly invited to join students in the Performance Space for this special occasion and may collect results on behalf of students as long as this arrangement has been agreed and processed by the Exams Office before the end of this term and suitable identification is provided, for example, a driving licence photo card or passport.

 

Year 11 student enrolment in Blackfen School Sixth Form

In order to confirm their place in Year 12, Year 11 students need to enrol on-line on Thursday 20th August by 11.45am.

1. Go to the ‘Sixth Form’ tab on the Blackfen School website (www.blackfenschoolforgirls.co.uk).
2. Click on ‘Enrolment’ on the right-hand side of the page.
3. Complete the form by entering your GCSE results and confirmed course choices. Then click on ‘Submit’.
4. You will receive a confirmation email with a unique ID. Save this email.

Any queries on the day should be emailed to: sixthform@blackfen.bexley.sch.uk You must have the correct entry requirements for your course choices. We will only contact you (via email or mobile phone) if there is a problem with your course choice.

Please contact Miss J O'Connor or Mrs H Hill (Examination Officers) on Extension 3143 should you have further queries regarding public examinations. Please contact Ms K Brewer, Head of Sixth Form, regarding enrolment in Blackfen School Sixth Form.