Fees for A-levels may be capped

Head teachers have complained about soaring exam costs

England's qualifications regulator is considering a cap on some fees exam bodies charge schools and colleges.

The board of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority heard that exam fees had been rising "well above the rate of inflation".

It is wondering whether a price cap is necessary for the revised A-levels and new specialised Diplomas.

It also wants greater "transparency" in the pricing, and aims to publish all the boards' fees on its website.

Minutes of the board's February meeting show that the director of regulation and standards, Isabel Nisbet, presented members with information on changes in fees from 2002-03 to 2006-07.

It endorsed her recommendation that from September, awarding bodies should be required to publish fees for GCSEs and A-levels one year in advance.

They should also have to advise it what they were planning to charge for the revised A-levels and the first five Diplomas "to enable QCA to decide whether a price cap might be necessary".

A spokesman said: "We plan to publish more information for centres about exam fees later this year.

"We are keen to see greater transparency about charges to enable centres to make informed judgements about fees and quality of service."

A-level re-sits

The board also began considering whether the credibility of A-levels is reduced by a perceived "re-sit culture", with no limit on the number of times students can re-take the units that make up the qualifications.

It decided re-sits should continue to be allowed.

But there was a feeling that the two parts of an A-level, AS and A2, should be split, so the full A-level was not dependent on grades at AS, where most re-sits occur.

Members also felt the QCA should accredit International GCSEs as "other general" qualifications, if they were asked to do so - but that the term "GCSE" should not be part of their name.