Ofqual - Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation

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GCSE Unitisation - FAQs

Monday, 04 July 2011 00:00

We are currently consulting on the implementation of these proposed changes. In addition the regulators will be discussing with awarding organisations detailed plans for implementation. Should the answers below change as a result of the consultation and discussions, these FAQs will be updated to reflect any changes.

Does the new 100% terminal rule apply from the date a students starts the course, or the date of first examination entry, or the certification date?
The proposed change will apply to the certification date. Candidates who apply for certification of subject awards in summer 2013 (or earlier) will be permitted to enter in a modular way. Candidates who apply for certification in summer 2014 will be required to sit all their examinations at the end of the course.
The Secretary of State’s announcement stated that courses starting in September 2012 would be linear (all exams sat at the end of the course). Will this affect the new specifications for sciences?
Yes. All specifications will be affected by the proposed change.
Once the proposed change comes into effect, if a student is awarded a GCSE in a particular subject, can that student retake the whole qualification?
Yes. Candidates will be able to retake whole qualifications. We expect that there will be an opportunity in the autumn to re-take GCSEs in English, English language and mathematics.
How do these changes affect students in Year 9 starting three-year GCSE courses in September 2011?
The changes will mean that candidates sitting GCSEs in 2014 will be required to sit all their examinations at the end of the course. Students starting three-year course in September 2011 will be expecting to apply for certification in summer 2014 and therefore will need to enter for all units in June 2014.
Will the proposed change mean there are more examinations in the summer examination series?
No. All units are currently offered in the June series so there will be no additions to the summer examinations timetable.
Will candidates be allowed to sit all units and apply for certification in the January series (as well as June)?
We will be consulting on implementation of the proposed changes. One of the questions we will consider is whether there would still be a need for a January series for GCSE.
Will these changes affect A level arrangements?
No. These changes only apply to GCSEs.
Will it still be possible for students to enter early for a GCSE providing they sit all the units for the qualification in the same examination series?
Yes.
How will these changes affect the UMS system used for the current specifications?
There will be no change to the UMS system.
How will these changes affect controlled assessment?
The substance of controlled assessments will not change. Centres will still schedule the controlled assessments as appropriate, but the controlled assessment unit(s) will need to be entered at the same time as the student is sitting the GCSE. Where controlled assessment tasks are changed regularly, centres will need to make sure they are using the appropriate task(s) for the year of GCSE entry.
If students sit modular exams in 2013 will there be a re-sit opportunity for them?
Students who sit their GCSEs in summer 2013 (and who may have entered for one or more units in previous series) will be permitted to re-take the qualification in a linear way. However, they will have to sit all the external assessments (examination papers) at the same sitting. They will be able to carry forward their result(s) from any controlled assessment unit(s).
How can I comment on these changes?
Our consultation is open until 4 November 2011 at http://comment.ofqual.gov.uk/gcse-reform
Last Updated on Monday, 26 September 2011 13:20 Tags: Ofqual, education, examination regulation, qualifications, assessments E-mailPDFPrint

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