YEAR 11 students across England will be able to view their GCSE results on their phones for the first time from this summer, speeding up the process of enrolling into college, freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork, and bringing record-keeping into the 21st century.

The Education Record app is being rolled out nationally to modernise how young people access their exam results once they have left school, the government announced on January 8.

It says it will make it easier for young people to enrol in their post-16 destination and will give them access to their results at their fingertips for life, providing employers with clear, accurate information on a job candidate’s education history without relying on paper certificates which can be easily lost.

Pupils will still go into school on results day to meet face-to-face with their teachers and receive their results. Their results will later become available on the app.

Schools and colleges will also be able to easily access information about which students need extra support, including whether they need to continue working towards English and maths GCSEs, have SEND requirements or qualify for free school meals.

It is estimated that it will save schools and colleges up to £30 million per year in administrative costs once the full roll out is complete. The government says this funding can be put directly back into school and college budgets, freeing up resources so that staff can focus on teaching, and breaking down barriers to opportunity through the government’s Plan for Change.

The Education Record app is part of the wider government drive to overhaul how the public sector uses technology and innovates.

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: “No student should have to rifle through drawers looking for a crumpled certificate when they’re preparing for a job interview.

“This app will give young people instant access to their results whenever they need them while freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork.”

Work is already underway to link the Education Record and the GOV.UK Wallet, part of the government’s drive to harness technology and innovation as set out in its Plan for Change. It paves the way for citizens to store everything from exam results to driving licences in one secure digital space.

Schools and colleges are being encouraged to sign up now ahead of results days in August 2026. Pupils in schools that sign up can download the app now and should speak to their school to set it up before results day.

The announcement follows the launch of the government’s Youth Guarantee to support almost a million young people into employment or learning opportunities, tackling the unacceptably high number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and ensuring no one is allowed to slip through the cracks.

More widely the government is transforming post-16 education with reforms announced in the Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper including at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for those who haven’t passed GCSEs and creating V levels, a new vocational pathway.