Exam board OCR said schools can still opt for a paper-based assessment for its computer science qualification if they prefer.

While the number of girls studying computer science has risen from 2,500 to 16,500 since 2014, the number of boys taking a GCSE in the subject is still three times higher.

An exam board is to offer a digitally assessed GCSE in computer science for pupils starting their course in 2025, in what it described as a UK first. Jill Duffy, chief executive of OCR, said a pilot ...