Using a word processor in GCSE and A level exams: what the JCQ rules say
Yes, a pupil can use a word processor in GCSE and A level exams, but only when it reflects a genuine need, it is their normal way of working in school and the school (the "centre") agrees. Under the rules of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), a word processor with the spelling and grammar check and predictive text switched off is an arrangement the centre decides on itself, usually through the SENCO and the exams officer, with no application to the exam board. It is not granted just because a pupil prefers typing. If your child may sit exams on a laptop, the most useful thing they can do in the meantime is learn to type properly, so that the keyboard saves time instead of costing it.
This article is general information for parents, pupils and teachers. The final decision always rests with your child's centre, so speak to the SENCO or exams officer before relying on anything here.
What do the JCQ rules say about word processors?
The JCQ sets the rules that the main awarding bodies follow for GCSEs and A levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The key document is Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments. JCQ normally revises it every year, but it has said there will be no new edition for 2026/27: the 2025/26 edition, as updated in March 2026, continues to apply this academic year. On word processors, the main points are these:
- The centre may provide a word processor (a computer, laptop or tablet) where this is how the pupil normally works within the centre, meaning in lessons, internal tests and mock exams, not just at home.
- The spelling and grammar check and predictive text are switched off, unless an awarding body's specification says otherwise.
- This standard arrangement is delegated to the centre, so there is no online application to the awarding body; the centre makes and records the decision.
- A word processor should not be granted simply because a pupil now wants to type rather than write, can work faster on a keyboard or uses a laptop at home. It should reflect a need, such as a learning difficulty, a medical condition, a physical or sensory impairment, planning and organisational difficulties when writing by hand, or handwriting that is hard to read.
A word processor with the spelling and grammar check switched on is a different matter. JCQ treats it as an alternative to a scribe, so it is only available to a candidate who meets the criteria for a scribe, which involves evidence of need and an online application to the awarding body. A pupil who uses a scribe, or a word processor with spell check, grammar check or predictive text switched on, does not have access to the marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar. If spell check matters for your child, ask the SENCO directly what applies to them.
On the day, the JCQ Instructions for conducting examinations set out how centres run word-processed papers. The centre sets up the device and clears any previously stored data, the spelling and grammar check and predictive text stay off, and internet access is not available. The pupil puts their centre number, candidate number and component code on each page as a header or footer, and is present when the work is printed to confirm it is theirs.
Who decides: the centre, the SENCO or the exam board?
Parents often assume the exam board decides. For a standard word processor, it is the centre. In most secondary schools the SENCO, or an access arrangements coordinator, looks at the pupil's needs and their normal way of working, drawing on what teachers see in lessons and mocks. Teachers are often the first to notice that a pupil's handwriting is slow, painful or hard to read, and their observations feed directly into that decision. The exams officer then organises rooms, devices and invigilation so the arrangement runs correctly in every exam.
Many schools publish a word processor policy for exams explaining how they apply the JCQ rules, and it is worth asking for a copy. In Scotland, National 5 and Higher exams are run by Qualifications Scotland, which replaced SQA in 2026 and has its own assessment arrangements; the JCQ rules described here do not apply there.
What should parents and pupils do, and when?
Start early. If you think handwriting is holding your child back, speak to the form tutor or SENCO straight away: Year 9 or the start of Year 10 is far better than the spring of Year 11. Ask how the school decides and what evidence it looks for, because "normal way of working" has to be built up over time rather than requested at the last minute.
If the school agrees, your child should then use the laptop regularly in lessons, homework and internal tests, not only in the exam hall. Mock exams matter here, because they are where the pupil, the teachers and the exams officer find out whether the arrangement actually works under timed conditions. And if the exam will run with spell check off, homework and revision should be done the same way at least some of the time, so that the first spell-check-free paper is not the real one.
Why does touch typing matter if your child will type in exams?
A laptop only helps if typing is at least as comfortable as handwriting. A pupil who hunts for keys with two fingers and looks down after every word may find that the laptop eats into their exam time instead of saving it, and they lose their train of thought each time they look away from the screen.
Touch typing, typing with all ten fingers without looking at the keys, removes most of that friction. Once the finger movements are automatic, the pupil can focus on planning the answer, structuring paragraphs and checking their work. It also makes editing easier, which matters in essay subjects where answers are reshaped as the pupil writes.
JCQ sets no typing speed, and nothing in the rules says a pupil must reach a particular number of words per minute. What matters is that typing is fluent and accurate enough for the pupil to show what they know. For a rough idea of where your child is now, a free typing test gives a starting point you can compare against later.
What does a typing plan from Year 9 to Year 11 look like?
| When | Focus | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Year 9 or early Year 10 | Learn the technique | 10 to 15 minutes a day: finger position on the home row, then the top and bottom rows. Accuracy first, speed later. |
| Year 10 | Make it the normal way of working | If the school agrees, use the laptop in lessons, homework and internal tests. Keep short daily practice going. |
| Year 10 summer and Year 11 mocks | Test it under exam conditions | Sit mocks on a laptop with spell check off. Check whether typed answers are finished in time. |
| Year 11 spring | Refine | Timed past-paper answers on the laptop. Practise numbers and symbols if subjects need them. |
Most learners need several weeks of regular practice before typing without looking feels natural, and short, frequent sessions work better than one long session at the weekend. A word processor is also separate from 25% extra time, which has its own evidence rules; our guide to extra time versus a word processor explains the difference. If your child has dyslexia or dyspraxia, our guide to touch typing for dyslexia and dyspraxia covers how to adapt practice. Schools that want every pupil fluent well before Year 11 can use our touch typing for schools guide.
Where Kluppy fits
Kluppy is one option for building the typing side of this plan. The typing test is free and needs no sign-up, and a free account includes the finger-placement level plus levels 1 to 7 of the typing course, with no card required. It runs in the browser on computers and Chromebooks with nothing to install and no ads. Schools can use it with a teacher panel and per-pupil reports on speed, accuracy and practice time; UK school prices are on our pricing page. Kluppy is not affiliated with JCQ or any exam board, and whatever tool you use, the access arrangement itself is always the centre's decision.
Frequently asked questions
Can my child use a laptop in GCSEs just because they type faster?
Not on that basis alone. JCQ rules say a word processor should not be granted simply because a pupil wants to type, works faster on a keyboard or uses a laptop at home. It must reflect a need and be their normal way of working in the centre. Talk to the SENCO about your child's situation.
Does the school need to apply to the exam board?
Not for a standard word processor with the spelling and grammar check and predictive text switched off; JCQ delegates that decision to the centre. A word processor with spell check switched on is an alternative to a scribe and goes through an online application, so ask the SENCO what applies.
Is there a minimum typing speed for using a word processor in exams?
The JCQ rules do not set one. A pupil should simply be able to type fluently enough that the laptop helps rather than slows them down, which is why it is worth learning to touch type well before Year 11.
Do these rules change?
They can. JCQ usually updates its access arrangements rules each year, although the 2025/26 edition, as updated in March 2026, continues to apply in 2026/27. Check with your child's exams officer or SENCO before each exam season.