The Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents the UK s eight biggest exam boards, said there would not be extra marks for pupils who missed lessons because of staff shortages .
The call by the National Education Union last night to reject a new pay offer sparked fears that pupils could face more misery less than two months before some sit their GCSE exams.
Civil servants in Swansea, Birmingham and Liverpool will continue their strikes today over their working conditions and wages against inflation as the UK continues to reel from strike action.
National Education Union (NEU) joint general secretary Mary Bousted was on a cruise on the Norwegian fjords when the Government offered formal talks to pre-empt strike action.