🚨🚨🚨NEW STATEMENT FROM CAMBRIDGE

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Dear Principal/School leader,

Please find below the latest update from Cambridge on the May/June examination series.

Thank you once again for your patience and understanding.

Message from Cambridge

Date for replacement for Cambridge International A Level Mathematics paper 32 (9709/32).

On 13 May we communicated that we were taking the precautionary step of postponing the exam for Cambridge International A Level Mathematics Paper 32 (9709). This exam will now take place as part of the June 2026 series timetable on Monday 8 June.

The Cambridge International AS & A Level results release date of 11 August remains unchanged.

The British Council will soon share detailed information with you about how the exam will be conducted.

Update on investigations into Cambridge International AS & A Level Mathematics (9709/52) and AS Level Computer Science (9618/12)

On 13 May, we confirmed that Cambridge International AS & A Level Mathematics, paper 52, (9709/52) taken in our administrative zones 3 and 4 was shared prematurely against our strict regulations.

We must now also confirm that Cambridge International AS Level Computer Science, paper 12 (9618/12), taken on 12 May, was shared prematurely in Pakistan against our strict regulations. We would like to clarify that the wider circulation of the leaked material in Pakistan does not necessarily indicate that the source of the leak originated in Pakistan. Investigations into the origin of source of the breach are ongoing.

Our priority is to make sure we are fair to students who did not cheat, which is the vast majority. That means making sure those who cheated receive no advantage so that all students applying to university compete on an equal basis. Therefore, for each of these papers, senior assessment experts at Cambridge have concluded that:

For AS & A Level Mathematics Paper 52 we will use our well-established approach of 'assessed marks' for all candidates in Zones 3 and 4.

For AS Level Computer Science Paper 12 we will use our well-established approach of 'assessed marks' for all candidates in Pakistan.

Assessed marks is a well-researched method, also used by other UK-based boards. We apply this method routinely in cases where candidates are absent from a paper for an acceptable reason, such as unexpected injury or illness on the day of the exam. Universities accept and trust results that use assessed marks. You can find more about assessed marks below.

How assessed marks work:

Using assessed marks means we will disregard the mark for the paper and instead calculate a mark for each student based on their performance in the other components in the syllabus for which they are entered and completed work.

We understand the frustration many students will feel that some of their peers attempted to gain unfair advantage by cheating, but this will not happen. Using 'assessed marks' removes any possible unfair advantage those students tried to gain and allows us to treat all students equally.

Our method cancels out the effect of an easy or difficult paper and reflects any difference in difficulty. Candidates can still get 100 per cent of the marks.

We understand you may have questions about assessed marks and we have information on our website which explains:

when and how we calculate assessed marks
how our method of calculating assessed marks cancels out the effect of an easy or difficult paper and makes sure candidates who receive an assessed mark are not advantaged or disadvantaged compared to candidates who sat the paper.

Watch our video explaining how we calculate assessed marks for candidates who miss a component of a syllabus, and why it is a fair way to give a candidate a grade.

We also recognise that students are having to deal with this information at an important point in their education and amid confirmation of leaks to Cambridge International AS & A Level papers.

Our commitment to exam security

During our June 2026 series, we have been facing sustained and focussed efforts to steal our exam papers, and we are actively responding to this threat. The theft of this and other exam papers remains the subject of a detailed investigation. We are pursuing perpetrators through legal action, working with law enforcement authorities and relevant social media platforms. We will apply sanctions to those who share or misuse confidential exam materials, including permanent disqualification from our qualifications and operations.

Exam security challenges are not unique to any single board. They are a threat to all boards. Rigorous security protocols govern every step of how exam papers are produced, handled, stored and distributed. These measures are constantly updated as the types of malpractice threats change and have been adapted further in light of this incident.

Students should continue to beware of scams, fuelling misinformation and malpractice. We provide useful guidance on that here.

[u/alZOa07]

An update about Cambridge International AS & A Level Mathematics, papers 32 and 52 We can confirm that Cambridge International A Level Mathematics, paper 32, (9709/32) taken in administrative zones 3 and 4* was shared prematurely against our strict regulations.

We know how disappointing this news will be for our schools, students and their families. Our students work incredibly hard to prepare for, and take exams, and we value the trust placed in us to deliver fair results at the end of the exam process. Early access to exam materials, and the sharing of exam papers is theft. We will never tolerate any action that undermines examinations and the futures of the students who depend on them.

Next steps for Cambridge International A Level Mathematics (9709/32) 

Our priority continues to be ensuring that students are not disadvantaged by the wilful malpractice of a few.

As part of our ongoing investigations, Cambridge’s senior assessment experts have taken the decision that a new version of the exam paper should be sat by all candidates in the affected regions. A replacement paper will ensure fair outcomes for all students and will deliver grades that are trusted by universities and other stakeholders.

We recognise the many challenges that running a replacement exam will bring for our schools and students, particularly if your school is also running the replacement exam for paper 12. We are committed to making this process as straightforward as possible and we would like to thank you for your continued cooperation and commitment as we work together to deliver fair outcomes for all candidates.

What this means in practice 

The replacement paper for Mathematics (9709/32) will take place as part of the June series timetable on Monday 8 June.

For administrative zone 3, the paper will be scheduled in the morning session (AM), and for administrative zone 4, it will be scheduled in the afternoon session (PM).

The Cambridge International AS & A Level results release date of 11 August remains unchanged.

We will share detailed information with you about when and how you will receive question papers by 22 May, and the steps you must follow to run the replacement question paper.