GCSE and A Level Reforms and How They Affect Retakes

The UK has slipped in the Global Education Rankings and the Government is keen to redress the balance.  GCSE and A Level Reforms are aimed at moving the UK higher in the global education tables.

GCSE Exam Grades Have Greater Significance

GCSE C grade in English or English Language is compulsory for Apprenticeships.  A minimum C grade in English, Mathematics and Science is essential for university admission, teaching, and in many cases, employment.

GCSE Reforms means that some familiar examinations will be disappearing.  These examinations are offered as a ‘final re-sit opportunity’ in June 2017 exam series. The new (9-1) specifications are very different, for example, the new GCSE Mathematics qualification comprises 3 papers, as opposed to the current 2 papers.

A few of the most popular examinations being withdrawn in June 2017 are listed below, (this is by no means an exhaustive list):

GCSE Mathematics

Edexcel: 1MA0

AQA: 4365, 4360, 9370 and 9365

OCR: J562, J567

GCSE Science

The current specifications are being replaced with Combined and Single Science New Specifications

GCSE English

Edexcel:  5EH2H

AQA:  ENG1F, ENG 1H

OCR:  J350, J351

A Level Reforms

Quite a number of “Old Specifications” for AS and A2 are being withdrawn and replaced with “New Specifications”.  These include:

Legacy specifications:

Biology 1411, 2411

Chemistry 1421, 2421

Physics 1451, 2451

This is also the final opportunity to carry-forward ISA marks from previous A Level examinations.