GCSE grades are changing GCSEs in England are being reformed and will be graded with a new scale from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest grade. English literature, English language and maths will be the first subjects to be graded in this way from August 2017. The subjects with the highest numbers of candidates (e.g. arts, humanities, languages) will follow in 2018 and most others in 2019. This is happening as GCSEs are being reformed to make them more challenging, to keep pace with employers’ and universities demands. In the first year each new GCSE subject is introduced, students who would have got a grade C or better will get a grade 4 or better. Students who would have got a Grade A or better will get a 7 or better in the first year. Grade 9 will be more difficult to achieve than a grade A*. The extra top grade will also make it easier for employers and universities to distinguish between the most able students To see how the numbered grades compare to the current A* to G system, click here or Google “ofqual 9 to 1 postcard”. More information about when subjects will switch to the new grades is available on the Ofqual website here.
GCSE KS4 Courses
| Subject | Course Title | Exam Board | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art | Art, Craft & Design section 3.4 | AQA | GCSE |
| Graphic Communication section 3.6 | AQA | GCSE | |
| DT | Design Technology: Product Design | AQA | GCSE |
| Design Technology from 2017 onwards | AQA | GCSE | |
| Design Technology: Technical Award Materials Technology | AQA | GCSE | |
| English | English Language | WJEC EDUQAS | GCSE |
| English Literature | WJEC EDUQAS | GCSE | |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | Food Preparation & Nutrition | WJEC EDUQAS | GCSE |
| French | French | WJEC EDUQAS | GCSE |
| Geography | Geography | OCR | GCSE |
| History | History | AQA | GCSE |
| Maths | Mathematics Linear A | EDEXCEL | GCSE |
| Media Studies | Media Studies | AQA | GCSE |
| Science | Combined Science: Trilogy | AQA | GCSE |
| Triple Science: Biology | AQA | GCSE | |
| Triple Science: Chemistry | AQA | GCSE | |
| Triple Science: Physics | AQA | GCSE |
Non-GCSE KS4 Courses
| Subject | Course Title | Exam Board | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Step up to English | AQA | Entry Level – Silver |
| PE | Edexcel BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Sport Course Specification | EDEXCEL | BTEC |
| Science | Entry Level Science | AQA | Entry Level |