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Frequently asked questions on the changes to GCSEs in England

Tuesday, 13 December 2011 16:19

A series of questions and answers regarding the changes to GCSEs in England.

We have updated these FAQs as a result of our consultation and discussions with awarding organisations.

We have also published a timeline detailing the introduction of changes to GCSEs.

Does the new 100% terminal requirement apply from the date a student starts the course, or the date of first examination entry, or the certification date?
The new rules apply to the certification date. Candidates who enter for subject awards in summer 2013 (or earlier) can still enter in a modular way. Candidates who enter for subject awards in summer 2014 onwards will have to sit all their exams at the end of the course.
The Secretary of State’s announcement stated that courses starting in September 2012 would be linear (all exams sat at the end of the course). Will this affect the new specifications for sciences?
Yes. The changes apply to all specifications. Centres should contact awarding organisations for information about particular specifications.
Once the changes take effect, if a student is awarded a GCSE in a particular subject, can that student re-take the whole qualification?
Yes. Candidates will be able to re-take whole GCSEs. Linear GCSEs for all subjects will be available in summer only. For English, English language and mathematics, there will also be a November series.
How do these changes affect students in Year 9 who started three-year GCSE courses in September 2011?
The changes mean that candidates sitting GCSEs in 2014 will have to sit all their exams at the end of the course. Students who started three-year courses in September 2011 will be expecting to apply for subject awards in summer 2014 and so will need to enter for all units in May/June 2014.
Will the changes mean there are more examinations in the summer examination series?
No. All units are currently offered in the June series so there will be no more exams in the timetable than there are at the moment.
Will candidates be allowed to sit all units and apply for certification in the January series (as well as June)?
In January 2013 yes they will be able to do this. After January 2013 the January series won’t be used for GCSEs
Will these changes affect A level arrangements?
No. The changes only apply to GCSEs.
Will it still be possible for students to enter early for a GCSE providing they sit all the units for the qualification in the same examination series?
Yes.
How will these changes affect the UMS system used for the current specifications?
There will be no change to the UMS system.
How will these changes affect controlled assessment?
The substance of controlled assessments will not change. Centres can still schedule the controlled assessments when they wish, but the controlled assessment unit(s) will need to be entered at the same time as the student is sitting the written exams. Where controlled assessment tasks are changed regularly, centres will need to make sure they use the appropriate task(s) for the year of GCSE entry.
If students sit modular exams in 2013 will there be a re-sit opportunity for them?
In most subjects, students who sit GCSEs in summer 2013 and then want to re-sit will need to re-take the qualification in a linear way. They will have to sit all the exams at the same sitting. They will be able to carry forward their result(s) from any controlled assessment unit(s). In GCSE English, English language and mathematics, there will be a unitised re-sit opportunity in November 2013 but students must certificate their results in this series. From 2014 onwards, the November series for English, English language and mathematics will be linear only.
Why can’t learners sit exams in November for all subjects included in the English Baccalaureate, such as GCSE sciences?
The November series is limited to GCSE English, English language and mathematics because these key qualifications support learners progressing to further programmes of study
Are there any plans to allow modular re-sits for subjects other than English, English language and mathematics, for students who take exams in summer 2013?
All exams in summer 2013 will be modular. Modular resits are available only in these key subjects in November 2013.
Will independent schools/part-time learners be able to use unitised specifications (such as those available in Wales) instead of the new linear specifications?
No. Centres in England cannot use unitised GCSE specifications approved for use in Wales and/or Northern Ireland only. All learners in England must enter the new linear specifications. Each awarding organisation has further information about its specifications on its website.
Is the move to linear assessment likely to impact on procedures for learner access arrangements/special consideration procedures?
The changes won’t affect Access Arrangements Online, the system administered by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) to arrange relevant assessment alterations.
Are the current access arrangements for SEN/disability going to remain in place?
Yes.
Will there be any specific accommodation arrangements put in place for EAL learners in relation to SPaG requirements?
No, although the current JCQ access arrangements will continue.
How will question papers indicate to candidates which questions will involve the assessment of accurate spelling, punctuation and use of grammar?
This information will be in the rubric on the front of the question papers.
Why is SPaG weighting at 5%?
We proposed a 5% weighting for SPaG, to make clear the importance of these skills but without making them so important that they overshadow the subject knowledge. More than half of the responses to our consultation supported the 5% weighting.
Why will spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) only be assessed in English literature, history, religious studies and geography?
The Secretary of State asked us to consider how we could strengthen the assessment of SPaG in GCSEs. We recommended adding assessment in a small number of subjects and that those should be subjects which did not already include the separate assessment of SPaG.
Will there be the opportunity for students to re-sit their GCSE geography units beyond summer 2013?
No, there will be no re-sit opportunity for the current geography specifications. New GCSE geography qualifications will be studied by all students from September 2014 onwards for examinations in summer 2014. Therefore, students will have to sit all the external assessments (examinations) of the new qualifications. Students may be able to carry forward controlled assessment results from the previous specification if the tasks are similar, but they should check with their awarding organisation to see if this is allowed.
Will there be the opportunity for students to re-sit their GCSE English literature and history qualifications from summer 2014?
No, summer 2014 will be the last examination series for the current GCSE qualifications in English literature and history. New GCSE English literature and history qualifications will be studied by all students from September 2013 with the first examinations in summer 2015. Students may be able to carry forward controlled assessment results from the previous specification if the tasks are similar, but they should check with their awarding organisation to see if this is allowed.
Last Updated on Thursday, 24 May 2012 11:03 Tags: Ofqual, education, examination regulation, qualifications, assessments E-mailPDFPrint

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