Changes to GCSE
As part of the reform of 14 to 19 education, we are currently reviewing GCSE qualifications. This is to ensure that content supports the aims of the revised secondary curriculum and that assessment continues to stimulate good teaching and learning.
The main changes
- Replacing coursework with controlled assessment where it is the best way of assessing subject-specific skills.
- Examination papers with a broad range of question styles to enable all students to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do.
- Applied and general pathways within the same qualification where possible and appropriate.
- Incorporating functional skills into GCSEs in English, ICT and mathematics to ensure that students have skills employers regard as essential.
- Incorporating recommendations of the Dearing Review of Languages into GCSEs in modern foreign languages to increase engagement and participation in language learning.
Timelines
2008: Most subjects were reviewed for first teaching from September 2009.
2008: Science GCSEs that are not based on the science programmes of study - for example human physiology and health - were reviewed for first teaching from September 2009.
2009: English, English literature, ICT and mathematics will be reviewed for first teaching from September 2010.
Controlled assessment
The biggest change to GCSEs is the introduction of controlled assessment in place of coursework. Controlled assessment retains the advantages of coursework while ensuring that work submitted is the student’s own. A key feature will be students’ active engagement in the learning process. The following list gives the percentage of marks that controlled assessment contributes to the total in the revised specifications.
Subjects without controlled assessment
Classical Greek
Economics
Latin
Law
Maths
Psychology
Religious studies
Sociology
Subjects with 25 per cent controlled assessment
Business
Classical civilisation
Geography
History
Humanities
Statistics
Subjects with 60 per cent controlled assessment
Applied business
Art and design
Citizenship studies
Construction and the built environment
Dance
Design and technology
Drama
Engineering
Expressive arts
Health and social care
Home economics
Hospitality and catering
Leisure and tourism
Media studies
Manufacturing
Modern foreign languages
Music
Physical Education
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