Exam entry planning
GCSE exam entry deadlines and exam codes
By Becky Clark, Assistant Head of T&L – Curriculum | 12 Jan 2026
With the exam entry deadline of 21 February approaching, this post brings together practical information for partners supporting year 11 students, including key dates to help plan for the summer series.
Your account manager is on hand to support exam entry planning and pathway decisions. Raising any questions early allows time to plan with confidence and helps ensure students are set up for the best possible exam experience.
At a glance
What you need to know
Exam registration and planning
Exam entry is managed by partners through their chosen awarding bodies. At this stage of the year, it is advisible to check that:
- Students are entered for the correct qualifications and exam codes and tiers where appropriate
- Entries are scheduled to be submitted within JCQ and awarding body deadlines
- Any required checks or approvals are factored into your timeline
If you have not yet reviewed registrations, doing so now can help prevent late entry fees or last-minute changes.
Allow time for checks and access arrangements
When planning your registration timeline, please ensure you allow sufficient time for:
- Access arrangements to be requested, reviewed, and approved where applicable
- Administrative checks with exam centres or awarding bodies
Late registrations may incur additional fees, which are set by the awarding bodies rather than by Tute.
Exam codes and course alignment
To support successful exam entry, students should be enrolled on the course and exam code that best aligns with their intended qualification. For some students currently enrolled in Virtual School, now is the time to move them onto a Courses pathway to support GCSE exam entry.
If you would find it helpful to talk this through, your account manager can support with:
- Confirming which students are currently in year 11
- Checking current course enrolments and qualifications
- Discussing whether a move from Virtual School to Courses may be appropriate
Key deadline dates apply for GCSE exam entry.
What are the exam entry deadlines?
Exam entries should be submitted by the deadline date of 21 February. Entries made after this point are subject to late fees set by the awarding bodies.
A full timetable of entry dates and exam codes is included in the PDF to support your planning.
If you have students who are unable to attend a physical exam centre, the Pearson Remote Invigilation Service available through Tute may be an appropriate option
Need help from your account manager?
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, your dedicated account manager will be happy to help.
Find it all on
your Partner Hub
Your central space for live events, updates, and everything that supports our partnership.
News and updates
Keep up to date with what’s happening – explore all our news and updates.