Ofqual fines ABRSM due to failures

The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) has been penalised with a £150,000 fine following Ofqual's revelation of significant deficiencies in the organisation’s methods for retaining, managing, and ensuring the availability of crucial assessment evidence and related records. Since obtaining recognition from Ofqual in 2010, ABRSM has been consistently delivering regulated music qualifications via both face-to-face and digital assessments.

According to Ofqual’s Enforcement Panel, ABRSM experienced failures to retain assessment evidence across three distinct incidents between 2024 and 2025. Consequently, the necessary information was inaccessible during both reviews of marking and an investigation into malpractice. Among the incidents, the first involved a loss of 8,539 audio recordings of completed learner assessments attributable to a software error, resulting in 20 learners who had requested marking reviews being unable to have their requests fulfilled due to the absence of original assessment evidence.

In a second occurrence, assessment recordings and completed marking records for 16 learners were mistakenly deleted, which caused delays in their results and hindered their ability to contest marks as relevant evidence was no longer obtainable. The third incident involved ABRSM's discovery of potential malpractice linked to a tutor overseas who registered 710 learners for assessments, yet 231 of their assessment recordings were missing, restricting the organisation's capability to thoroughly investigate the suspected misconduct.

Furthermore, Ofqual reported that around 72,000 certificates were issued with incorrect qualification titles, a situation that introduced risks of confusion for learners, employers, and educational institutions. While ABRSM later rectified this issue and provided replacement certificates to affected learners, Ofqual noted that the organisation initially did not take all necessary measures to address the matter adequately.

Amanda Swann, Executive Director for Delivery at Ofqual, stated awarding organisations have a responsibility to retain assessment evidence and ensure it is available when needed, to protect learners and maintain confidence in qualifications. She emphasised that despite ABRSM's identification of these concerns and its subsequent improvement efforts, flaws in its controls meant important assessment evidence was not always accessible when required. Given the seriousness of these failings, Ofqual deemed enforcement action necessary.

As part of the settlement agreement, ABRSM has consented to the £150,000 payment, will contribute £10,000 towards Ofqual’s investigation and enforcement costs, and will commission an independent audit of its assessment record-retention arrangements