An Overview Of The New A-level And Gcse & Igcse Exams.

The Department for Education has pushed through big changes to GCSE, AS and A-level exams, aimed at making them more fit for purpose . In practice most of the changes make exams tougher. From a student s perspective the most challenging reform is the abolition of modular examining. All exams are taken at the end of the course, and retaking bits of the exam to improve overall grades is no longer possible.

AS exams continue but do not count towards A-level marks.

The new A and AS specifications are being introduced in four stages, key subjects first. Teaching started in September 2015, and first new-style A-level exams took place in summer 2017. The final subjects to change will start teaching in September 2018, with first exams in summer 2020. Most of the `old` A level subjects continue in new form. A few have been dropped (eg Environmental Studies and Human Biology) You can find full details on the OFQUAL website.

A and AS keep the same A*-E pass marks, but exams include a wider range of question types, and coursework is examined only if it is essential to assessing the subject.

A levels not deemed to be key subjects have undergone a ratification process which see most of them survive albeit often in a tougher form.

GCSE exams have already gone linear, and are changing further, with revised and often harder content and exam questions, and a new 9 (best) to 1 grading system. Coursework has been cut back (for instance GCSE Maths now doesn`t involve any) and fewer subjects now offer tiered exams (different exam papers aimed at higher / lower achievers).

Key features of the new A levels.

They are designed to pose the same general standard of difficulty as current A levels, though the review of content will make some subjects tougher.They are linear, ie the whole content is examined at the end of the course. The `old` A levels were modular and students usually took exams in a couple of AS level modules half-way through the A-level course. New AS results won t count towards the A-level grade at all (at the moment AS results count for 50%).Exams make greater use of synoptic questions, and there is greater variety of question types (eg multiple choice).Coursework has been reduced. OFQUAL states: We expect assessment to be mainly by exam. Non-exam assessment should only be proposed when it is the only valid way to assess essential elements of the subject. For example, in English, History and Computer Science, the amount of coursework possible has been reduced from 40% to 20%.The assessment of practical work in Science does not not contribute to the final A-Level mark but is to be reported separately in a certificate of endorsement.A student wishing to retake A level will have to retake the entire theory exam in June (January retakes ceased in 2013), though it will be possible to carry forward internally assessed marks.It will still be possible to complete an A-level course in one year, so long as all the assessments are completed at the end.New A levels will be graded with the same A* to E pass marks as currently used.OFQUAL say that, while new exams generally cause a dip in students` `raw` marks, exam boards` grade awarding processes should ensure that the percentage of students getting each grade will not change significantly with the new exams, subject to some technical considerations. In practice this involves adjusting downwards the number of `raw` marks required to get each grade.In key subjects universities contribute to the new specifications via the A Level Content Advisory Board.Change is being introduced in phases as described later in this article. This makes for a transition period from September 2015, when teaching the first new specification started, to June 2019 when the very last of the old style A-level exams will be sat (but see further on in this article about final retake opportunities).During the transition period many students` courses include at least one subject aiming at a new `linear` exam (in which AS results won`t count towards A level grade), and at least one which is still being examined in the current `modular` style (with AS contributing 50% to A level).
Key features of the new GCSEs.

From September 2012 all GCSEs moved to linear syllabuses (but still with controlled assessment as relevant). June 2013 was the last session for modular GCSE exams. GCSE is also in the midst of further substantial change, with overhauled content and exams, and a new grading system:

There will be a new 1-9 grading scale for GCSE exam results: 9 is top mark, aimed at around half of the students who currently get an A* , and broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above. Does this mean that the new grade 4 will be equivalent to the current C grade? As OFQUAL explain, it`s not that simple! The word on the street is that, in Maths at least, it will be harder to get a 4 than it is to get a C at the moment. But OFQUAL say that the proportion achieving a 4 or better will be the more or less the same as in 2016. The first set of exam results (due on 24 August 2017) are awaited with interest and anxiety!In some subjects a percentage of the marks will be allocated to accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG). 20% in Eng lang, 5% in Eng LitNew GCSEs are intended to have more demanding content. Maths is reckoned to require more teaching time than at presentExams will be the preferred method of assessment - except where they cannot provide valid assessment of the skills required. So, for example, the new GCSE Maths has no coursework at all. Non-exam assessment will be determined on a subject-by-subject basis. Tiering (ie different exam papers aimed at higher / lower achievers) will stop in some subjectsA November GCSE exam will remain available in English Language, English Literature and Maths only.See final section of this article for final retake opportunities in `old` GCSE qualifications.In 2017 the first group of students sat new GCSE exams. Problems with the new GCSE exams, written a few weeks before GCSE results day, summarises the plus and minus points.