New GCSEs

Why are GCSEs in England changing?

We are committed to driving the highest standards in schools. That’s why we have revised our GCSE qualifications in England to make them more demanding. We have done this so our young people have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in 21st century Britain, and to match those of their peers in high-performing education systems elsewhere in the world.

The new, more challenging GCSEs will help young people‎ develop the skills that employers tell us they need.

When are they changing?

From August 2017, the new qualifications will start to be awarded with number grades, rather than letters. The new grading scale runs from 9 to 1 instead of A* to G, with 9 the highest grade.

Not all GCSEs are changing at once – English language, English literature and maths are changing first, with students sitting these exams this summer. By 2020, all GCSEs in England will be reformed and graded using numbers instead of letters. However, most GCSEs taken by students at schools in Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to be graded A* to G. Ofqual, the exams regulator, have produced guidance which helps explain the differences and similarities between GCSE qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Why is the grading scale changing?

The new scale is intended to recognise more clearly the achievements of high-attaining students.

Changing from letters to numbers will also allow anyone – for example an employer – to see easily whether a student has taken a new, more challenging GCSE, or an old GCSE.

What will the impact be on grades?

The old and new GCSE grading scales do not directly compare but, as the diagram below shows, there are three points where they align:

• The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A;
• The bottom of grade 4 is aligned with the bottom of grade C; and
• The bottom of grade 1 is aligned with the bottom of grade G.

Although the exams will cover more challenging content, this won’t mean students get a lower grade than they might have under the old system. Ofqual will ensure that broadly the same proportion of students will get grades 1, 4 and 7 and above in any subject as would have got grades G, C or A and above respectively in the old system, other things being equal. However, the highest grade – 9 – will be awarded to fewer students than a current A* as it represents a higher standard.

What will be considered as a “standard” or “strong” pass?

The Department for Education will recognise grade 4 – broadly the equivalent of the bottom two thirds of a current grade C – as a “standard pass”. This is the minimum level that students need to reach in English and maths: otherwise they will need to continue to study these subjects as part of their post-16 education. There is no re-take requirement for other subjects.

The Department will recognise a GCSE grade 5 or above as a “strong pass”. The proportion of students achieving at least a grade 5 in English and maths will be one of the headline performance measures for schools, reflecting our ambition to raise standards in schools. This is in line with the expectations of top performing education systems around the world.

The new qualifications have been designed to ensure young people have the knowledge and skills they need and meet the needs of employers, universities and colleges, who will continue to set the GCSE grades they require for employment or further study.

Find out more about how the reforms will affect you…