‘Memorise or Fail’: UK Teachers Slam Exam System as Obsolete
- One-fifth of UK teachers claim essays and exams are not an effective way of testing students
- Over a third of teachers admit exams cause undue stress for students
- 80% of teachers surveyed in GoStudent’s research claim that students are cheating on essay-writing exams by using AI
Exams are meant to measure learning, but what if they’re just measuring memory? New data from online tutoring platform, GoStudent, reveals mounting frustration among UK teachers and parents, with traditional assessment formats like essays and high-stakes exams coming under fire for being outdated, ineffective, and unfit for an AI-driven future.
You can view the full research here: https://www.gostudent.org/en-gb/education-report/2025/
One in five teachers say exams hurt cognitive growth as AI fuels a new wave of cheating
GoStudent’s findings paint a clear picture: one-fifth of UK teachers say essays and exams are no longer effective tools for measuring student ability. Their reasoning? Nearly half (45%) believe these assessments aren’t accessible to all students, highlighting an equity issue in traditional testing environments. A further 36% say these formats are putting unnecessary pressure on students–pressure that ultimately masks true potential, while 27% criticise them for being too subjective to grade fairly.
It’s not just about emotional strain; teachers also question the cognitive value of these exams. Nearly one in five (18%) say they rely too heavily on memorisation over deep thinking, while another 18% believe new technology has made traditional assessments redundant altogether.
Then there’s AI. An overwhelming 80% of teachers believe that students are now using AI to complete their essays, leaving educators questioning whether written assessments can be trusted at all. And students themselves confirm it: over half (53%) say they use AI to find information they need for schoolwork, while 35% use it to check their answers, and 32% to improve their essays or coursework. Other uses include help with passing exams (18%), writing essays (14%), and even stepping in when parents can’t assist due to time (8%) or knowledge gaps (18%).
With 36% of teachers also flagging AI-enabled cheating as a growing concern, the call to rethink how we assess learning has never been louder.
94% of teachers and 88% of parents demand an end to outdated and easily cheated exams
Rather than sticking to outdated models, teachers and parents alike are calling for assessments that reflect real-world skills. A staggering 94% of teachers advocate for in-classroom, real-time testing, while 84% are backing simulation-based assessments–where students might run a virtual company or navigate crisis scenarios to test critical thinking and adaptability.
Parents echo this shift. While 21% question the value of traditional exams, 88% say their children would benefit more from project and performance-based assessments. For them, it's about preparing kids for life, not just tests.
Teachers agree, and their reasons are rooted in classroom realities. When it comes to essays, 80% of teachers say students are now using AI to write for them, casting doubt on the authenticity of written assessments. Others argue essays don’t measure the right skills (40%), rely too much on memorising facts rather than critical thinking (20%), or simply create unnecessary stress (10%).
Exams, too, are under fire. Teachers claim exams limit students’ ability to show their full potential (36%), create high stress (36%), and are inaccessible to some (45%). Nearly a third (27%) believe exams only test one type of skill, and the same number say grading is too subjective.
Future-proofing students: tech skills over test scores
The report also reveals a growing disconnect between classroom assessments and the demands of tomorrow’s workplace. More than half (57%) of parents believe current testing methods aren’t preparing their children for future careers. Instead, 81% say tech literacy will be key to accessing good jobs–and 74% believe the ability to learn and adapt to new technologies is more important than mastering a single one.
Teachers share this concern. In fact, 22% say computer science is no longer being taught in a way that’s fit for purpose, making it the second most frequently cited subject in need of an overhaul.
Young people feel it too. Over half (58%) of children believe their future jobs will be directly related to technology, yet only 53% agree that school is teaching them the skills they need to do their dream job. And while 73% say they feel confident about living in a world surrounded by new technologies, only 30% strongly agree with that sentiment, suggesting room for greater support and reassurance.
Perhaps most strikingly, 64% of children say they need more guidance in choosing the right direction for their future, pointing to a potential gap in career education that aligns with the fast-evolving tech and AI landscape.
50% of UK teachers say soft skills beat test scores for future success
Beyond test scores and memorisation, both teachers and parents agree: soft skills are fast becoming the most crucial tools for future success. Half of UK teachers say problem solving will be more important for students than ever before, closely followed by critical thinking (47%) and emotional intelligence (36%). Parents echo these priorities, with 45% selecting problem solving and 40% backing critical thinking as top future-ready traits–ahead of academic achievement alone.
Creativity, adaptability, communication and leadership also feature prominently in both groups’ responses, signalling a major shift in what the education system needs to nurture. As job markets evolve, and AI automates more routine tasks, it’s these human skills – the ones exams rarely measure – that could make the difference.
Felix Ohswald, CEO and Co-Founder of GoStudent, says:
“It’s clear that the current exam system is out of sync with reality. When teachers, parents and students are all saying the same thing: that stress is high, learning is shallow, and outdated methods are holding our children back, we need to listen. We’re not just talking about assessment reform, we’re talking about a future-proof education system that puts real skills at the centre.
“Policymakers must stop clinging to broken models, and start designing for the world our students are actually growing into – not the one we grew up in. Standardised exams are failing a non-standardised generation, and we owe it to the next generation to assess what matters to prepare them for their future, not just what’s easy to mark.”
You can find GoStudent’s full ‘The Future of Education Report 2025’ here: https://www.gostudent.org/en-gb/education-report/2025/
