LONDON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Cheating by high school students in England has increased, figures by the examinations regulator Ofqual revealed Friday.

Students having access to cell phones and other mobile devices in exam centers was the main reason for penalties issued, said Ofqual.

During the summer exam season in 2017, a total of 2,715 penalties were issued to students, up from 2,180 in 2016.

Almost 900 teachers also received penalties, said Ofqual, up from 360 in 2016, but this represents a very small proportion of the total number of 350,000 teaching staff in England.

A total of 120 penalties were issued to schools or colleges, down from 155 in 2016.

Half of the cheating involved unauthorized materials being used in exams, dominated by students using mobile phones or study guides.

A spokesperson for Ofqual said: "The most common category of malpractice in 2017 was the introduction of unauthorized materials into the exam room. In most cases, this was a mobile phone or other electronic communications device."