We’ve reviewed our guidance, first published in April 2023, and made a number of updates to support students and teachers complete internal assessments, coursework and non-exam assessments (NEA) successfully. We’ve kept these updates to a minimum.
Given the rapid expansion of AI tools, we want JCQ guidance to continue to provide clarity on the rules on the use of AI and to inform your centre policies.
Thanks to everyone who took part in the recent survey on our AI Use guidance. We had over 1500 responses from people in a broad range of roles within schools and colleges. Your valuable feedback has helped us make some changes. We’ve added real-life examples of how AI tools have been misused in assessments because they were not referenced appropriately, as well as examples of marking work where students have used and referenced AI tools. We’ve also simplified wording in a few places.
The JCQ awarding bodies value the non-examination assessments (NEAs), coursework and other internal assessments which form part of our qualifications. These assessments give students the chance to demonstrate skills which cannot be assessed in exams. We recognise schools and colleges, teachers and students really value these assessments too. We believe that, by responding to AI developments in the right way, these assessments can continue to provide a valuable means of assessing students.
Teachers know their students best and, with assessors, remain best placed to identify whether work is a student’s own. This means that teachers and assessors in schools and colleges play a key role in ensuring that only work which is the student’s own is accepted for assessment and that any concerns regarding authenticity are carefully looked into. Please read and share this new version of our guidance.
Schools and colleges need to ensure that their students and staff are provided with clear guidance on the use of AI tools in assessments. To provide more support to school and college leaders, teachers/assessors and students, we’ve also created a poster for students, an information sheet and presentations for senior leaders and for teachers (see links below).
Here's a summary of the updates to the JCQ AI Use in Assessments guidance:
- Added real-life candidate malpractice examples involving AI that has not been used appropriately (see new appendix A)
- Added information on how to authenticate private candidate work
- Added a new section, AI use and marking, to give clearer guidance on the impact on marking of student use of AI tools and on the use of AI tools by assessors when marking, with real-life examples (see new appendix B)
- Expanded the list of AI tools and AI detection tools.
AI Use support documents
To provide more support to teachers and students, we’ve also developed the following:
- Poster for Students – for schools and colleges to use with students to better understand the rules for use of AI in assessments
- Information Sheet for Teachers – a summary to help teachers understand and prevent AI misuse
- Senior Leader Presentation for Teachers – a PowerPoint presentation for senior leaders to use with their teaching colleagues to help them understand and prevent AI misuse
- Teacher Presentation for Students – a PowerPoint presentation for schools and colleges to use with students to better understand the rules for use of AI.
Updates to related JCQ documents
The following JCQ documents are to be used in conjunction with the JCQ AI Use in Assessments guidance.
- Instructions for Conducting Coursework
- Instructions for Conducting Non-Examination Assessments
- Information for candidates – coursework assessments
- Information for candidates – non examination assessments
- Suspected Malpractice Policies and Procedures
- Plagiarism in Assessments: Guidance for Teachers/Assessors
We hope that everyone in schools and colleges will find the updated JCQ AI Use in Assessments guidance useful. Thanks again to those who provided feedback.
