Coursework - what's allowed

The Government's review of education for 14- to 19-yearolds is expected to reverse the growth of coursework.

Coursework is vulnerable to cheating, especially in the age of the internet. Essays can be downloaded and a quick search reveals hundreds of websites advertising off-the-peg A-level and GCSE answers.

The internet offers students the opportunity to cut and paste other people's work and if they cover their tracks, such plagiarism is difficult to detect.

However, students can get help with coursework that may not amount to cheating.

Parents can proof-read answers or hire tutors who advise on what to include and what to leave out.

English, history, geography and the humanities are the most vulnerable to cheating while maths and physics are more secure.