Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether examination boards will be required to refund schools for fees paid for examinations that have been cancelled as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Department recognises that schools and colleges want clarity on examination fees following the announcement that examinations will not take place in schools and colleges this summer. The Department and the examination boards are working together to ensure that schools and colleges are provided with further information as soon as possible. The examination boards are looking at the costs that will be saved this summer, alongside new work they need to undertake on the process for gathering examination centre grades and providing calculated grades to students.

Schools and colleges will continue to receive their budgets for the coming year, regardless of any periods of partial or complete closure. This will ensure that they are able to continue to meet their regular financial commitments. We expect schools and colleges to pay any due invoices, as the process is worked through.