Recent research suggests students perform significantly better using keyboards than handwriting during exams. A Guardian article (20 August 2025) reported new findings from University College London showing measurable advantages for students who typed their answers rather than writing them by hand. This discovery comes at a pivotal time, as exam boards move closer to full digital delivery and it raises important questions about the future of assessment and inclusive education in the UK.
The study observed 156 state school pupils (around half with identified learning difficulties) who completed mock exams under both handwriting and typing conditions. The results were striking. Students without learning difficulties wrote over 50% more words and improved their marks by 17% when typing. Meanwhile, pupils with literacy challenges produced 31% more words and achieved a 14% score increase. These outcomes suggest that typing is not only a practical skill but one that directly enhances exam performance, strengthening the case for embedding keyboard fluency in the curriculum.
These findings are particularly relevant as exam boards accelerate digital transformation. Pearson Edexcel is targeting full digital GCSE delivery by 2030, while AQA will expand online options from 2027. Lead researcher Emma Sumner, senior lecturer in psychology and education at Liverpool John Moores University, is among those urging schools to introduce touch-typing systematically to ensure all students are prepared for this shift.
At the same time, it is vital to recognise that typing and handwriting serve different purposes in education. While typing boosts productivity and exam performance, handwriting has been consistently linked with memory, deeper learning, and early literacy development. The two processes are not interchangeable; they activate distinct cognitive pathways. The challenge is to strike a balance: prioritising handwriting instruction in the early years while ensuring that typing fluency develops as students progress, particularly as key assessments transition online.
Yet the most pressing issue raised by this research is equity of access. If typing provides a clear advantage in exams, then pupils in schools without adequate devices, or where technology is not integrated into the curriculum, risk being left behind. This directly affects educational fairness. While digital tools can help level the playing field for learners with literacy or motor difficulties, their benefits can only be realised if access is universal. Without equitable provision, the digital divide will deepen and undermine the progress these tools promise.
This is where Sensory Readable’s mission comes in. We are committed to ensuring that reliable, cost-effective assistive technology is available to all students. The research reinforces three urgent priorities:
- Digital tools can level the playing field for students with literacy or motor challenges.
- Typing fluency must be explicitly taught to prepare students for the future of exams and beyond.
- Device access must be prioritised so that no learner is disadvantaged by circumstance.
Our Sensory PDF Computer Reader for Exams is one such solution, enabling learners to access assessments inclusively and equitably. By providing tools that support all students, schools can ensure that technology enhances fairness rather than widens gaps.
This advantage highlights a core responsibility: it is not enough to acknowledge that typing improves performance; we must guarantee that every learner can benefit. Providing equitable access is therefore essential. By investing in digital provision and integrating both handwriting and typing thoughtfully into education, we can further support an assessment landscape that works for every student.
For more information about Sensory Readable and our solutions for accessible technology, visit sensoryreadable.com or email [email protected]