GCSEs are changing

What's happening to GCSEs?

Following a review of 14–19 education and the Secondary Curriculum Review, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) has revised the subject criteria for GCSEs, for first teaching in September 2009. This applies to all awarding bodies.

All of our proposed specifications submitted to QCA have now all been approved.

We are now offering 93 new GCSE qualifications in 52 different subjects. They have more up-to-date content and are designed to encourage the development of personal, learning and thinking skills in students.

The changes we've made will offer greater control of assessment activities and make the assessment process more manageable for teachers and students. We've also made the course content more interesting, relevant to daily life. There is more stimulating content across all subjects.

What about GCSEs in Maths, English and ICT?

GCSEs in Maths, English and ICT are working to a different timescale. Draft specifications will be released during summer 2009 and final, accredited specifications launched during winter 2009.

The new GCSEs in Maths, English and ICT will commence first teaching in September 2010. These three subjects will be related to a new qualification called Functional Skills, which is currently being piloted and will also be introduced in September 2010. You are invited to join our Functional Skills pilot and help shape how this new qualification is developed over the forthcoming months.

Changes for the better

We have revised and revamped all of our GCSEs to meet the changing needs of a modern world. As one of the country's leading awarding bodies, OCR has already taken this opportunity to improve the quality of our GCSEs for teachers and pupils for first teaching in September 2009. We are inviting you to take this first opportunity to download the final accredited specifications of all our 93 GCSE qualifications.

What are the improvements? We've made improvements in three key areas: updated and relevant content, a focus on developing students' personal, learning and thinking skills and flexible assessment, so teachers can choose the best learning approach for the job. We have also introduced a new concept of Controlled Assessment to replace GCSE coursework, which addresses the concerns teachers expressed to us about coursework authenticity and issues surrounding plagiarism.

How can you find out more? We want to make the introduction of these new GCSEs as easy for teachers to manage as possible and invite you to attend our 400 free GCSE Get Ready events to learn first hand about all the improvements and fresh content that are being introduced to our new 2009 GCSE qualifications. You will have direct access to subject experts at these Get Ready INSET events in order to answer all your questions about the new qualifications.

Please note that not all GCSEs are changing in 2009. There are a few exceptions: the new Science GCSEs were introduced in 2006. New English, ICT and Maths GCSEs will also be improved and offered for first teaching in 2010. We will be providing regular updates about wider educational reforms later on this year, so make sure you register now.

Supporting you through the changes: We've also provided sample assessment materials for you to consider so that you can easily make your own decisions on which OCR GCSEs to teach from September 2009.

 

Making sure the change is easy for you

We want to make the changes as easy as possible for you to manage by:

• Keeping you up to date with the latest information – sign up to our email alerts
• Providing online versions of the final accredited at least 12 months ahead of first teaching so you have plenty of preperation time
• Providing summaries of the new specifications for you to easily make your own decisions
• Launching new GCSE OCR Networks to help you share best practice and innovative teaching ideas amongst your peers
• Offering you FREE nationwide training events until December 2009
• Creating a range of OCR support materials for you, including schemes of work and sample assessment materials
• Making OCR’s publisher partner resources – tailored to the new specifications – available from January 2009
• Endorsing a variety of published resources, giving you a wider choice of quality support materials.

The main changes

1. 1) Controlled assessment will be a feature of most GCSEs
   Following a coursework review by QCA, controlled assessment is being introduced as part of nearly all GCSEs, to replace coursework.

   High, medium or low control levels are set for each of the controlled assessment processes – task setting, task taking and task marking. For each stage, the level of control will ensure reliability and authenticity, and make assessments more manageable for teachers and students.

   Weighting of controlled assessments will depend on individual GCSE subjects, will be 0%, 25% or 60%. We will review controlled assessment tasks every two years.

   Specifications with 0% controlled assessment

   For some subjects it is more appropriate to assess entirely through external examinations. These subjects include Law, Psychology, Sociology, Latin, Classical Greek and Religious Studies.

   Specifications with 25% controlled assessment

   This group of subjects have just one controlled assessment unit or component, which will be moderated and awarded as a single entity. QCA is recommending these tasks to require about 2,000 words or equivalent.

   Specifications with 60% controlled assessment

   This group of subjects include those that are more practical or creative. They may have one, two or three controlled assessment units or components which will be moderated and awarded separately. For these tasks there will be recommended time limits rather than word limits.

2. 2) How will functional skills fit with GCSEs

   The functional skills standards are likely to be incorporated into the revised GCSE specifications for English, mathematics and ICT for first teaching from September 2010. A pass in the functional skills assessments at Level 2 is likely to be a requirement for the awarding of the respective GCSEs (English, mathematics and ICT) at grade C and above from 2012 (ie for candidates starting the revised GCSEs in 2010).

   Functional skills are practical skills in English, Maths and ICT that help learners gain the most out of work, education and everyday life. Visit the functional skills section of the OCR website for more information

The main changes

We conducted our own extensive research into how teachers and students would like the new qualifications structured and designed. By listening to you, we have shaped our specifications to meet your requirements and the varying needs your students. Over the last two years, we involved teachers directly in the development process; they helped to write the course specifications and sample assessment materials. To make sure we got it right, we referred to support and advice from various bodies.

Our direct involvement with teachers and students also ensures that we are aware of your concerns, so we can address them. Now that the final accredited specifications are available, and as we work on the accompanying support materials, we'll continue to consult everyone involved. The QCA public consultation on the proposed criteria for GCSE English, Maths and ICT ends in September 2008 and your important feedback to the qualifications regulator will also help shape these three GCSE subjects, which will be launched for first teaching in September 2010.

Printed versions of the 2009 GCSE subject specifications are being delivered directly to all exams officers at all schools, colleges and centres before autumn half term. Ask your exam officer for your copy or download copies here.

GCSE Networks

We've listened to your feedback and understand that you would like more opportunities to network with your peer groups and additional colleagues in other schools. New for 2008 are our GCSE OCR Networks, where you'll:

• Receive additional support for the new GCSEs, including how to approach Controlled Assessment
• Have direct access to subject specific guest speakers and organisations
• Exchange teaching ideas to help you support each other, share best practice and innovative ideas
• Benefit from examiner presentations for each subject.

To find out more about the new OCR GCSE Networks or to join, email networkandregionals@ocr.org.uk or phone 02476 496396.