Although the school assessment context in England relies heavily on externally imposed forms of testing, it also takes many different forms, including the use of examinations with pre-release materials. These examinations allow teachers and students early access to materials that will be used during assessments at a later date. This project uses a focus on validity and effects on motivation to explore this under-theorised assessment form. Data were gathered from six secondary schools that were using pre-release materials in advance of a General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) geography examination. These data were collected via teacher interviews, lesson observations, and a questionnaire to students. Study findings suggest that the pre-release examination mode was beneficial in terms of: motivation; providing a positive learning experience; and facilitating the assessment of higher order types of skills to those often tested by other exams. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)