Consultation outcome

GCSE, AS and A level reform: regulations for modern foreign languages

From:
Ofqual
Published
22 February 2016
Last updated
18 April 2016 — See all updates

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Download the full outcome

Decisions on changes to Conditions and guidance for GCSE, AS and A level modern foreign languages

Ref: Ofqual/16/5934

PDF, 245 KB, 5 pages

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Detail of outcome

We have decided to adopt most of our consultation proposals unchanged, but have made changes to our guidance to be clear that we expect exam boards to ensure assessments are equally demanding in all languages.

This means that:

  • the same rules apply to all GCSEs in modern foreign languages, and to all AS and A levels in modern foreign languages - and exam boards are free to develop GCSEs, AS and A levels which meet these rules in any modern foreign language
  • the titles for GCSEs, AS and A levels in Chinese must indicate whether students have been assessed using spoken Mandarin or spoken Cantonese

Feedback received

Analysis of Responses to our Consultation on Changes to Conditions and Guidance for GCSE, AS and A level Modern Foreign Languages

PDF, 457 KB, 20 pages

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Detail of feedback received

There were 30 responses to the consultation – 19 from individuals and 11 from organisations. One of the organisations did not comment directly on our proposals, but instead provided general comments on the reform of modern foreign languages.

Respondents broadly supported our proposals, but views were mixed in some areas, most notably:

  • the applicability of our rules and guidance to languages other than French, German and Spanish,
  • our proposed approach to the length of translation exercises and extended written texts
  • our proposed approach to titling Chinese qualifications.

Original consultation

Summary

A consultation on our approach to regulating new GCSEs, AS and A levels in modern foreign languages.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

This consultation builds on our earlier decisions on the rules and guidance for new GCSEs in French, German and Spanish, and the corresponding decisions for new AS and A levels in those subjects. It sets out:

  • the approach we plan to take for regulating new GCSEs, AS and A levels in other modern foreign languages
  • the rules and guidance we plan to put in place to implement that approach

Documents

GCSE, AS and A level Modern Foreign Languages – Consultation on Conditions and guidance

Ref: Ofqual/16/5838

PDF, 887 KB, 80 pages

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Published 22 February 2016
Last updated 18 April 2016 + show all updates

  1. Published public feedback and consultation outcome

  2. Corrected closing date in consultation document.

  3. First published.

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