Schools and colleges will be able to start the new term with free access to a new exam results service.

This year, some 90 per cent of schools and colleges received exam results electronically, saving time and paperwork.

For computer company RM, based at Milton Park, this summer was the first demonstration of its programme SecureNet, which allowed teachers to see electronic data 24 hours before the GCSE results arrived by post. Tim Harrison, of Colchester Sixth Form College, said: "We were extremely pleased with how straightforward the process was and how quickly we were able to pick up our results and process them."

Peter Dawson, of the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, said: "The electronic transfer of the summer 2000 exam results to schools and colleges was completely smooth and in record time."

The website www.rm.com/ securenet gives details of the free SecureNet trial.