The following subjects will be first awarded in 2017. Subject Tiered Non-exam assessment Consultations and decisions Final rules Accredited specifications Comments English language No [footnote 1] None [footnote 2] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Spoken language skills Design rules for spoken language assessment Subject content ( DfE ) Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas Separate reported grade for spoken language. A statement from the school or college is required to confirm that spoken language opportunities have been provided. English literature No [footnote 1] None [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content ( DfE ) Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas Maths Yes None Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content ( DfE ) Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas

The following subjects will be first awarded in 2018. Subject Tiered Non-exam assessment Consultations and decisions Final rules Accredited specifications Comments Art and design No 100% Subject content( DfE ) Asessment arrangements Design rules Subject content( DfE ) Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas Biology Yes None [footnote 3] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arangements Assessing practical work Design rules Subject content ( DfE ) Design rules AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas At least 8 mandatory practical activities, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of practical work. 10% of exam marks test maths skills. Chemistry Yes None [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Assessing practical work Design rules Subject content ( DfE ) Design rules AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas At least 8 mandatory practical activities, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of practical work. 20% of exam marks test maths skills. Citizenship studies No None [footnote 4] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Pearson School statement confirming opportunities for citizenship action. 15% of exam marks for ‘citizenship action questions’. Classical Greek No None Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules OCR Combined science Yes None Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Assessing practical work Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA (synergy) AQA (trilogy) OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas New subject. Double award: grades from 9-9 to 1-1. At least 16 mandatory practical activities, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of practical work. 20% of exam marks test maths skills. Computer science No 20% Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas New subject. Dance No 60% [footnote 5] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA Drama No 60% [footnote 6] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas Food preparation and nutrition No 50% Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR WJEC Eduqas New subject French Yes 25% [footnote 7] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA Pearson WJEC Eduqas Geography No [footnote 1] None [footnote 3] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson A Pearson B WJEC Eduqas A WJEC Eduqas B School statement confirming opportunities for fieldwork. Minimum 15% of exam marks for ‘fieldwork questions’. German Yes 25% [footnote 7] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA Pearson WJEC Eduqas History No None [footnote 3] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas Latin No [footnote 1] None Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules OCR WJEC Eduqas Music No 60% [footnote 8] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas Physical education No 40% [footnote 7] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas Physics Yes None [footnote 3] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Assessing practical work Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas At least 8 mandatory practical activities, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of practical work. 30% of exam marks test maths skills. Religious studies No None Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA A AQA B AQA (short course) OCR WJEC Eduqas Spanish Yes 25% [footnote 7] Subject content( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA Pearson WJEC Eduqas

The following subjects will be first awarded in 2019. Subject Tiered Non-exam assessment Consultations and decisions Final rules Accredited specifications Comments Ancient history No None [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules OCR Astronomy No None [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules Pearson Mandatory observational work, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of observational work. 20% of exam marks test maths skills. Business No None [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas Classical civilisation No [footnote 1] None [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules OCR Design and technology No 50% [footnote 7] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas 15% of exam marks test maths skills. Economics No None Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Electronics No 20% [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules WJEC Eduqas Engineering No 40% [footnote 7] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA 20% of exam marks test maths skills. Film studies No 30% [footnote 9] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules OCR WJEC Eduqas Geology No None [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules WJEC Eduqas School statement confirming opportunities for fieldwork. Minimum 15% of exam marks for geological skills and techniques. 10% of exam marks test maths skills. Media studies No 30% [footnote 7] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules WJEC Eduqas Modern foreign languages (Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Modern Greek, Modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Polish, Russian, Urdu) Yes 25% [footnote 7] Design rules Subject content Design rules Arabic (Pearson) Bengali (AQA) Chinese (AQA) Chinese (Pearson) Italian (AQA) Italian (Pearson) Japanese (Pearson) modern Greek (Pearson) modern Hebrew (AQA) Polish (AQA) Panjabi (AQA) Russian (Pearson) Urdu (AQA) Urdu (Pearson) Physical Education (short course) No 40% [footnote 7] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules Pearson WJEC Eduqas Psychology No None Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA OCR Pearson 20% of exam marks test knowledge and understanding of research methods. 10% of exam marks test maths skills. Sociology No None Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA WJEC Eduqas 15% of exam marks test knowledge and understanding of research methods. Statistics Yes None [footnote 3] Subject content ( DfE ) Assessment arrangements Design rules Subject content Design rules AQA Pearson

The following subjects will be first awarded in 2020. Subject Tiered Non-exam assessment Consultations and decisions Final rules Accredited specifications Comments Biblical Hebrew No None Design rules Subject content Modern foreign languages (Gujarati, Persian, Portuguese, Turkish) Yes 25% [footnote 7] Design rules Subject content Design rules This is a change from legacy GCSEs ↩ ↩ 2 ↩ 3 ↩ 4 ↩ 5 Legacy GCSEs in both English and English language use 40% ↩ Legacy GCSEs use 25% ↩ ↩ 2 ↩ 3 ↩ 4 ↩ 5 ↩ 6 ↩ 7 ↩ 8 ↩ 9 ↩ 10 ↩ 11 ↩ 12 ↩ 13 Legacy GCSEs use 40% ↩ Legacy GCSEs use 80% (as well as the mandatory 60% controlled assessment, legacy GCSEs also include an externally-assessed performance unit - this is also a form of non-exam assessment) ↩ Legacy GCSEs use between 60% and 100% (as well as the mandatory 60% controlled assessment, some legacy GCSEs also include an externally-assessed performance unit - this is also a form of non-exam assessment) ↩ Legacy GCSEs use 60% ↩ ↩ 2 ↩ 3 ↩ 4 ↩ 5 ↩ 6 ↩ 7 ↩ 8 ↩ 9 ↩ 10 Legacy GCSEs use between 60% and 80% (as well as the mandatory 60% controlled assessment, some legacy GCSEs also include an externally-assessed composition unit - this is also a form of non-exam assessment) ↩ Legacy GCSEs use 50% ↩

Guidance

Summary of changes to GCSEs from 2015

Updated 31 March 2017

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-changes-a-summary/summary-of-changes-to-gcses-from-2015

1. Taught from 2015

The following subjects will be first awarded in 2017.

Subject	Tiered	Non-exam assessment	Consultations and decisions	Final rules	Accredited specifications	Comments
English language	No^{[footnote 1]}	None^{[footnote 2]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules Spoken language skills Design rules for spoken language assessment	Subject content (DfE) Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas	Separate reported grade for spoken language. A statement from the school or college is required to confirm that spoken language opportunities have been provided.
English literature	No^{[footnote 1]}	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content (DfE) Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Maths	Yes	None	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content (DfE) Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas

2. Taught from 2016

The following subjects will be first awarded in 2018.

Subject	Tiered	Non-exam assessment	Consultations and decisions	Final rules	Accredited specifications	Comments
Art and design	No	100%	Subject content(DfE) Asessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content(DfE) Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Biology	Yes	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arangements Assessing practical work Design rules	Subject content (DfE) Design rules	AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas	At least 8 mandatory practical activities, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of practical work. 10% of exam marks test maths skills.
Chemistry	Yes	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Assessing practical work Design rules	Subject content (DfE) Design rules	AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas	At least 8 mandatory practical activities, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of practical work. 20% of exam marks test maths skills.
Citizenship studies	No	None^{[footnote 4]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson	School statement confirming opportunities for citizenship action. 15% of exam marks for ‘citizenship action questions’.
Classical Greek	No	None	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	OCR
Combined science	Yes	None	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Assessing practical work Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA (synergy) AQA (trilogy) OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas	New subject. Double award: grades from 9-9 to 1-1. At least 16 mandatory practical activities, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of practical work. 20% of exam marks test maths skills.
Computer science	No	20%	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas	New subject.
Dance	No	60%^{[footnote 5]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA
Drama	No	60%^{[footnote 6]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Food preparation and nutrition	No	50%	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR WJEC Eduqas	New subject
French	Yes	25%^{[footnote 7]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Geography	No^{[footnote 1]}	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson A Pearson B WJEC Eduqas A WJEC Eduqas B	School statement confirming opportunities for fieldwork. Minimum 15% of exam marks for ‘fieldwork questions’.
German	Yes	25%^{[footnote 7]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA Pearson WJEC Eduqas
History	No	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Latin	No^{[footnote 1]}	None	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	OCR WJEC Eduqas
Music	No	60%^{[footnote 8]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Physical education	No	40%^{[footnote 7]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Physics	Yes	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Assessing practical work Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR A OCR B Pearson WJEC Eduqas	At least 8 mandatory practical activities, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of practical work. 30% of exam marks test maths skills.
Religious studies	No	None	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA A AQA B AQA (short course) OCR WJEC Eduqas
Spanish	Yes	25%^{[footnote 7]}	Subject content(DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA Pearson WJEC Eduqas

3. Taught from 2017

The following subjects will be first awarded in 2019.

Subject	Tiered	Non-exam assessment	Consultations and decisions	Final rules	Accredited specifications	Comments
Ancient history	No	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	OCR
Astronomy	No	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	Pearson	Mandatory observational work, confirmed by school statement. 15% of exam marks test understanding of observational work. 20% of exam marks test maths skills.
Business	No	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Classical civilisation	No ^{[footnote 1]}	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	OCR
Design and technology	No	50%^{[footnote 7]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson WJEC Eduqas	15% of exam marks test maths skills.
Economics	No	None	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR
Electronics	No	20%^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	WJEC Eduqas
Engineering	No	40%^{[footnote 7]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA	20% of exam marks test maths skills.
Film studies	No	30%^{[footnote 9]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	OCR WJEC Eduqas
Geology	No	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	WJEC Eduqas	School statement confirming opportunities for fieldwork. Minimum 15% of exam marks for geological skills and techniques. 10% of exam marks test maths skills.
Media studies	No	30%^{[footnote 7]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	WJEC Eduqas
Modern foreign languages (Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Modern Greek, Modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Polish, Russian, Urdu)	Yes	25%^{[footnote 7]}	Design rules	Subject content Design rules	Arabic (Pearson) Bengali (AQA) Chinese (AQA) Chinese (Pearson) Italian (AQA) Italian (Pearson) Japanese (Pearson) modern Greek (Pearson) modern Hebrew (AQA) Polish (AQA) Panjabi (AQA) Russian (Pearson) Urdu (AQA) Urdu (Pearson)
Physical Education (short course)	No	40%^{[footnote 7]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	Pearson WJEC Eduqas
Psychology	No	None	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA OCR Pearson	20% of exam marks test knowledge and understanding of research methods. 10% of exam marks test maths skills.
Sociology	No	None	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA WJEC Eduqas	15% of exam marks test knowledge and understanding of research methods.
Statistics	Yes	None^{[footnote 3]}	Subject content (DfE) Assessment arrangements Design rules	Subject content Design rules	AQA Pearson

4. Taught from 2018

The following subjects will be first awarded in 2020.

Subject	Tiered	Non-exam assessment	Consultations and decisions	Final rules	Accredited specifications	Comments
Biblical Hebrew	No	None	Design rules	Subject content
Modern foreign languages (Gujarati, Persian, Portuguese, Turkish)	Yes	25%^{[footnote 7]}	Design rules	Subject content Design rules

This is a change from legacy GCSEs ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
Legacy GCSEs in both English and English language use 40% ↩
Legacy GCSEs use 25% ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³
Legacy GCSEs use 40% ↩
Legacy GCSEs use 80% (as well as the mandatory 60% controlled assessment, legacy GCSEs also include an externally-assessed performance unit - this is also a form of non-exam assessment) ↩
Legacy GCSEs use between 60% and 100% (as well as the mandatory 60% controlled assessment, some legacy GCSEs also include an externally-assessed performance unit - this is also a form of non-exam assessment) ↩
Legacy GCSEs use 60% ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰
Legacy GCSEs use between 60% and 80% (as well as the mandatory 60% controlled assessment, some legacy GCSEs also include an externally-assessed composition unit - this is also a form of non-exam assessment) ↩
Legacy GCSEs use 50% ↩

Summary of changes to GCSEs from 2015

Applies to England

1. Taught from 2015

2. Taught from 2016

3. Taught from 2017

4. Taught from 2018

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Applies to England

1. Taught from 2015

2. Taught from 2016

3. Taught from 2017

4. Taught from 2018

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