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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jun/25/two-arrested-a-level-exam-leak-investigation-edexcel
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| Two arrested in A-level exam leak investigation | Two arrested in A-level exam leak investigation |
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| Two people have been arrested as part of an investigation into an exam paper security breach that led the Edexcel board to withdraw and replace an A-level further maths paper over fears it had been leaked. | Two people have been arrested as part of an investigation into an exam paper security breach that led the Edexcel board to withdraw and replace an A-level further maths paper over fears it had been leaked. |
| Pearson, Edexcel’s parent company, was forced to replace the paper with a new version as a precaution just two days before 7,000 pupils took the paper last Thursday. | Pearson, Edexcel’s parent company, was forced to replace the paper with a new version as a precaution just two days before 7,000 pupils took the paper last Thursday. |
| The potential leak was uncovered during an investigation at the same unnamed school suspected of being the source of an A-level maths paper that was being offered for sale via social media earlier this month. | The potential leak was uncovered during an investigation at the same unnamed school suspected of being the source of an A-level maths paper that was being offered for sale via social media earlier this month. |
| Pearson said it had been informed by the police that two individuals had been arrested and were being detained for questioning. A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan police said an investigation was continuing but could not confirm the arrests. | |
| News: Police confirm arrests have been made in the breach of our A level maths paper https://t.co/an9PULiaLW | News: Police confirm arrests have been made in the breach of our A level maths paper https://t.co/an9PULiaLW |
| Sharon Hague, Pearson’s senior vice-resident for schools, said: “The actions we have taken to strengthen our security processes has enabled us, in conjunction with the police, to quickly identify those who we believe were involved in the breach and to take swift and immediate action.” | |
| She added: “We are systematically working through all leads and, as we continue to investigate the suspects, this will enable us to further hone in on anyone that has gained an advantage, and take action accordingly. Our key priority is ensuring no students are disadvantaged in any way.” | She added: “We are systematically working through all leads and, as we continue to investigate the suspects, this will enable us to further hone in on anyone that has gained an advantage, and take action accordingly. Our key priority is ensuring no students are disadvantaged in any way.” |
| Last week, Pearson said its investigation revealed that a sealed packet containing the further maths paper had been “opened by an individual” at the same school, although it said it had no evidence that any questions had been leaked. Schools are required to securely store papers until immediately before each exam is taken. | |
| The breach is the latest example of poor security involving lost or stolen papers that have plagued examination boards in recent years, with leaked papers rapidly copied and distributed online. | The breach is the latest example of poor security involving lost or stolen papers that have plagued examination boards in recent years, with leaked papers rapidly copied and distributed online. |
| On Sunday, the Guardian revealed that police had been called in to investigate another exam leak after some students had advance sight of part of a AQA GCSE religious studies paper last month. AQA confirmed police had been contacted and an investigation was under way. | |
| In 2017, Pearson was forced to make changes to statistics and further pure maths A-level papers after reports that some students had seen questions in advance. And in 2017 and 2018, police investigations were launched into suspected leaks involving Edexcel’s A-level maths papers, with 29 candidates having their results annulled. The criminal investigation into the 2017 case continues, with details forwarded to prosecutors by the police last April. | |
| In Tuesday’s statement, Pearson stressed that the strict security requirements for the exam system was based trust. It said: “We are sorry that the actions of a small number of individuals have resulted in such a breach.” | |
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