GCSEs in Britain could be moved for stranded pupils

GCSE exams could be moved for pupils left stranded abroad as the summer term begins, the qualifications watchdog said yesterday.

Schools across the country have raised fears that exam preparations are being thrown into chaos by the airspace closures coinciding with the end of the Easter holidays.

The Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents the seven largest providers of qualifications in the UK, said it was "monitoring the situation" ahead of the first scheduled examinations on May 17.

A statement said: "There are some oral and practical assessments taking place this week but alternative arrangements are being made for individual centres where this is necessary."

Where an assessment is unable to take place due to teaching personnel, exam officers or candidates being stranded abroad, "assessment may be rescheduled" or "the candidate may apply for special consideration", the watchdog said.

The statement added: "Wherever possible, examinations and assessments should be conducted according to the centre's published timetable."

An official for St Mary's Calne, an independent girls' school in Wiltshire where 45 of the 300 pupils are stuck abroad, said it had cancelled GCSE German oral exams next week.

But there was no escape from study for stranded pupils from Wellington College, in Berkshire. The college was running lessons and tutorials by internet, e-mail and phone from yesterday and was even posting mock exams so no student misses out.

Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington College, said: "Language exams and the International Baccalaureate are hard upon us, and we are leaving nothing to chance.