Language GCSE exam entry 2018

From 2018, learners taken GCSE exams for the first time in most subjects will have their GCSE results recorded using grades 9 to 1

For most languages, and for resits in all subjects, the existing GCSE structure will operate and the results will be recorded as A* to G

The differences between the old and new grading systems are not in themselves a reason to exclude languages from being taken until the reformed exam is introduced. Both are still GCSEs and will appear on students’ certificates. Further information is available on the Gov.uk website.

This has been confirmed by AQA as well as by Ofqual. If your pupils are finding it difficult to be entered for Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Modern Greek, Gujarati, Italian, Modern Hebrew, Japanese, Panjabi, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Urdu there are a number of things you should do, immediately:

1. Use the attached template letter to write to the mainstream schools your pupils attend (you will need to fill in relevant information about your language) which has been kindly provided by the Polish Educational Society.
2. Contact the exam board to find out where they can take the exam.
3. Let us know (by logging in and leaving a comment below or by emailing me  Pascale), NRCSE has been developing contacts with schools that will accept external entrants, we are also campaigning for more consistent information to be sent out to all language departments and for schools to understand the importance of facilitating access to language exams.