Changes to the Exam Procedures Review Service
From 1 September 2025, we intend to discontinue our Exam Procedures Review Service (EPRS) in its current form and incorporate it into our complaints process. We want to make this change to provide more clarity for centres and learners, creating a single process for all qualifications where a learner is unsatisfied with how an awarding body appeal has been handled.
The EPRS is a procedure that Qualifications Wales currently undertakes to review three types of decisions taken by awarding bodies:
- Marking and Moderation
- Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration
- Malpractice or Maladministration.
The purpose of the EPRS is to review whether or not the awarding body has complied with its own policies and procedures, and with our regulatory requirements.
The EPRS only applies to Approved GCSEs, AS and A Levels, the Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate, and the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (Level 3).
For all other qualifications, if a learner is unsatisfied with how an awarding body has conducted their appeal, they may submit a complaint to us in line with our Complaints About Awarding Bodies Policy.
Why we are reviewing the EPRS now
With the introduction of the Curriculum for Wales and the development of new National Qualifications set to be introduced from September 2025, the current scope of the EPRS is no longer sufficient. We have considered expanding its scope to include other types of National Qualifications but have concluded that the most effective way forward is to implement the same process for all regulated qualifications.
The EPRS and our complaints procedure both provide the same outcomes for learners. Neither process allows us to change the mark or grade awarded to an individual – both focus on whether the awarding body complied with its own policies and procedures, and with our regulatory requirements.
Arrangements for the 2025 Summer Series
For complaints about appeal decisions related to the 2025 Summer Series, we will continue to apply the current EPRS process for relevant qualifications. Any complaints relating to decisions made after that will be handled through our single complaints process.
Feedback
We would like to invite stakeholders to provide feedback on our proposal to discontinue the EPRS. If you would like to share your views, please submit your feedback to policy@qualifications.wales by 7 May.