Featured image credit: Getty Images/PhotoAlto/Odilon Dimier & Marie Waldmann
An A-level student has told Newsbeat that she feels 'victimised' after she was disqualified from her sociology paper for cheating on three quarters of it.
Eighteen-year-old Fabienne Ruttledge, who is from Essex, was sent three out of four questions on a WhatsApp group chat on the morning of her exam.
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"On the day of the exam someone posted the questions in the group," she said. "I dismissed it, I thought it was set out to put people off like a sabotage kind of thing."
However, AQA suggests that there was 'clear evidence' against those who were accused of being involved in the incident.
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As a result, due to the student not reporting the messages to the invigilator before sitting the test, the exam board stands by its decision of disqualifying her and three others.
In a statement, AQA said: "No-one taking our exams should have an unfair advantage, so we thoroughly investigate accusations of cheating and only take action when there's clear evidence against specific individuals.
"Our advice to any student who receives supposedly leaked details about an exam is to report it to a teacher straight away."
In light of the decision, Ruttledge claims that her university choices - and her career opportunities - have been hit and has asked for the exam board to revoke their decision on the basis that she had no control to be in on the group chat.
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"We all had the same message sent to our phone, yet AQA have decided to only penalise four of us out of 40," the student claimed.
AQA has expressed its advice to any student who receives supposedly leaked details regarding the exam to report it to a teacher as soon as possible.
Words: Hamish Kilburn
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Cheating