NCFE and Surpass Assessment have launched an innovative new pilot to explore how AI assisted marking and feedback can enhance assessment experiences for learners, teachers and Certification Bodies.
The pilot, running from November 2025 to April 2026, will evaluate how automated scoring and feedback can:
- Provide learners with immediate, high quality formative feedback – helping them to practise, reflect and improve with guidance delivered in seconds
- Deliver detailed reporting and actionable insights – including overall performance summaries, identified strengths and areas for improvement, and targeted learning interventions to guide revision and next steps
- Reduce scoring workload for teachers and assessors – offering time savings while enriching the learner experience.
To ensure accuracy and alignment with NCFE’s standards, the pilot includes simple setup tools, with marking prompts and fine-tuning controls that allow administrators and subject experts to calibrate the AI for their specific assessments.
The pilots are being carried out in a safe, controlled environment, ensuring transparency, opportunities for learning and responsible use of AI at every stage.
NCFE is committed to our core purpose to promote and enhance learning. This exciting pilot is a further opportunity for NCFE to understand how the potential of AI assistance for learners, teachers and colleagues translates to real world applications. We are delighted to be working with our longstanding partner Surpass Assessment and learning together about the potential applications of AI in assessment.
Gray Mytton, Innovation Manager at NCFE
Surpass is thrilled to be partnering with NCFE to push the boundaries of assessment. By combining NCFE’s vision with our AI powered scoring and feedback, we’re excited to deliver faster insights, smarter support, and a transformative assessment experience for learners and teachers alike.
We look forward to learning alongside NCFE and sharing findings with the wider education and assessment community as we explore the future of high quality, scalable assessment.
Adam Foley, Head of Digital Innovation at Surpass Assessment
About NCFE
Established in 1848, NCFE has a rich history rooted in the belief that no learner should be left behind. Today, over 175 years later, they continue to uphold this cause with renewed energy. As a long-standing customer of Surpass Assessment for over
15 years, NCFE is committed to helping to create a fairer, more inclusive society through the power of education.
For more information, visit the NCFE website at https://www.ncfe.org.uk/
