Students revising for summer GCSE and A-level exams are to be given further information about their papers from today to help them 'focus' their revision.

The government intends to press ahead with all assessments this summer, barring any further major public health emergency, but in attempts to 'maximise fairness' following the disruption to learning caused by the pandemic, teenagers are to be given more details about the things they are likely to be tested on.

While the details won't stretch to the exact questions that will appear, some of the exam content, texts, topics or sub-topics and skills due to be assessed will be made available to GCSE, AS and A-level students taking subjects including maths, biology, chemistry and languages later this year.

Other adaptations will include a choice of topics in some GCSE exams like English literature, geography and history and support materials for pupils - like formulae sheets or expanded equations sheets - to help them on the day with subjects such as maths, physics or combined science.

Changes will also be made to practical assessments in sciences and art and design qualifications to recognise how the pandemic will have affected students' opportunities.

Advanced sight of exam content is one part of the changes being made, says the Department of Education, to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic on education as it recognises that this year's exam students have, like so many pupils, been affected by school closures during lockdown and by ongoing absences and isolation periods caused by the virus.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: "Exams are the best and fairest form of assessment, and we firmly intend for them to take place this summer, giving students a fair chance to show what they know.

"We know students have faced challenges during the pandemic, which is why we’ve put fairness for them at the forefront of our plans. The information to help with their revision published today, as well as the range of other adaptations, will make sure they can do themselves justice in their exams this summer."

While students are to be given some information as to what their tests may contain, a common set of principles, says exam regulator Ofqual, has been established to make sure that there will not be so much detail that answers could be pre-prepared or memorised.

Instead the information provided, will look different for each subject and its exam board - reflecting the nature of those subjects and the type of testing being conducted.

Ofqual also has a plan for grading this year to be more generous - to recognise the challenges students taking exams this year have faced. The regulator says it wants to get back to normal grading but over a two-year period and so therefore views this summer as a transition year in order to be fair to this year’s intake of students.

Examiners, it says, will be asked to be more generous when setting grade boundaries, to provide a safety net for students who might otherwise just miss out on a higher grade.

Ofqual Chief Regulator Dr Jo Saxton explained: "Students have shown so much resilience during the pandemic and we know that they are seeking certainty. Advance information published today is one of the ways we are supporting students to have that certainty as they prepare to show what they know and can do.

"We are also ensuring there is a safety-net for students with a generous approach to grading."