Students in Sussex will be able to take exams online and get their results in minutes, thanks to a revolutionary internet-based assessment system.

The scheme is being pioneered by City and Guilds at Sussex Downs College in Lewes and Eastbourne.

Students can sit tests and exams in 21 City and Guilds information technology-related subjects, with plans to extend it into the motor vehicle, health and safety and electrical industries in the new year.

Eventually, it is hoped the system will be rolled out to all City and Guilds subjects.

Sussex Downs is one of 60 centres across the country to be using the system, called Global Online Learning Assessment (GOLA).

Students can sit exams whenever they want, provided invigilators are present to ensure there is no cheating.

City and Guilds also plans to develop the programme to enable students to get essays marked on-line and take mock exams from the comfort of their own home.

The idea behind the system is to make exams more accessible by enabling students to sit them at whatever time is most suitable.

Director of e-strategy and learning for City and Guilds Dr Geraldine Kenney-Wallace said: "City and Guilds' mission is to increase the number of people taking vocational qualifications in this country and we believe that GOLA can help us do this.

"By making testing quicker, easier and more accessible, online assessment systems can bring huge benefits to both training centres and students."

The software for the project has been created by US company Promissor.

Business manager for the firm Patrick Coates said: "At the moment, the programme is only suitable for multiple-choice exams but all that is changing and soon more complicated tests will be available online.

"The system uses a randomisation technique so that each student answers a different set of questions.

"That means there is no danger of passing on details of a test to someone who is sitting it a day later than you."

For more details, call the college on 01273 483188.