Changes to the GCSE Syllabus 2017 to 2019
1st March, 2016.
1. GCSE – new courses to be taught from September 2015 and first examined in June 2017
- Maths, English language and English literature (no single English)
- More content, more demanding, more extended writing
- Exam at the end of the course in June 2017, November resit for sixth- formers
2. GCSE 2018
only
– further new courses to be taught from September 2016 and first examined in June
- Science (double and triple), Modern and Ancient Languages, History, Geography, Computer Science, Art and Design, Design & Technology, Drama, Dance, Physical Education, Citizenship, Music, Religious Studies
- Internal teacher assessment/coursework only where essential
- More content, more emphasis on literacy and numeracy
- Exam at the end of the course in June 2018, no resits except for English and Maths for sixth-formers
3. GCSE – final group of new courses to be taught from September 2017 and first examined in June 2019
– further new courses to be taught from September 2016 and first examined in June
- All remaining subjects
- Similar approach in terms of teacher assessment, content and emphasis on literacy and numeracy
- Exam at the end of the course in June 2019, no resits except for English and Maths for sixth-formers
4. Grading of new GCSEs
- 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest) will replace current grades A* to G in the new courses only between 2017 and 2019
- Top 20% of those awarded a 7 or above will be awarded a 9
- 4 roughly equivalent to a C
- 7 and above roughly equivalent to an A and above
How will they affect your child?
- He/she will take the new GCSE courses in Maths and English being first taught from September 2015
- His/her other GCSE courses will be the current, unreformed courses
- His/her grades for Maths and English in June 2017 at the end of the course will be shown as 9 to 1
- His/her grades in all other subjects will be published as A* to G
If your child is currently in Year 8:
- He/she will take the new GCSE courses in Maths and English and in those GCSE subjects that are being reformed for first teaching in September 2016
- Depending on his/her GCSE options choice, he/she may also be taking a subject or subjects that are not being reformed for first teaching until September 2017
- For all the new courses, the grades at the end of the course in June 2018 will be expressed as 9 to 1. If he/she is also taking an unreformed course the grading will be A* to G
If your child is currently in Year 7:
- All the GCSE subjects will have been reformed in time for September 2017. Therefore, he/she will be taking the new courses in every subject
- His/her grades in every subject will be expressed as 9 to 1 when the results are published in the summer of 2019
Table Showing the Breakdown of how the new GCSE syllabus grading works in relation to the old system of 'letters'
