Consultation outcome

GCSE, AS and A level reform: regulations for engineering and design and technology

From:
Ofqual
Published
17 December 2015
Last updated
1 March 2016 — See all updates

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Decisions on Conditions and guidance for GCSE engineering, and for GCSE, AS and A level design and technology

Ref: Ofqual/16/5844

PDF, 201 KB, 12 pages

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Analysis of Responses to our Consultation on Conditions and Guidance for GCSE Engineering, and GCSE, AS and A level Design and Technology

Ref: Ofqual/16/5843

PDF, 499 KB, 27 pages

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Detail of outcome

In response to consultation feedback, we have made changes to our approach to assessing mathematical skills in new engineering GCSEs, and in new design and technology GCSEs, AS and A levels. We have also made some changes to the arrangements for non-exam assessment in AS design and technology to reduce the risk of overly predictable assessments.

We have now published final versions of our:

GCSE engineering

Our new rules will require reformed GCSEs in engineering to:

  • comply with the Department for Education’s subject content for GCSE engineering, and our assessment objectives
  • include a single non-exam assessment task (weighted at 40% of total marks) which tests students’ practical engineering skills by requiring them to produce an engineered product from a set brief
  • allocate 20% of exam marks to assessing mathematical skills

Our guidance explains:

  • how to interpret our assessment objectives

GCSE design and technology

Our new rules will require reformed GCSEs in design and technology to:

  • comply with the Department for Education’s subject content for GCSE design and technology, and our assessment objectives
  • include a single non-exam assessment task (weighted at 50% of total marks) which tests students’ designing and making skills in response to a contextual challenge
  • allocate 15% of exam marks to assessing mathematical skills

Our guidance explains:

  • how to interpret our assessment objectives

AS and A level design and technology

Our new rules will require reformed AS and A levels in design and technology to:

  • comply with the Department for Education’s subject content for AS and A level design and technology, and our assessment objectives
  • at AS, include a single non-exam assessment task (weighted at 50% of total marks) which tests students’ designing and making skills in response to a contextual challenge
  • at A level, include a single non-exam assessment task (weighted at 50% of total marks) which tests students’ designing and making skills in a more substantial, self-directed, task
  • allocate 25% of exam marks to assessing mathematical skills in the ‘design engineering’ option
  • allocate 15% of exam marks to assessing mathematical skills in all other options

Our guidance explains:

  • how to interpret our assessment objectives

Original consultation

Summary

A consultation on rules and guidance for new GCSEs in engineering, and for new GCSEs, AS and A levels in design and technology

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

This consultation is about the rules and guidance we plan to put in place for new GCSEs in astronomy. These rules will apply to the following new GCSEs, AS and A levels that will be taught in schools in England from September 2017:

  • GCSE design and technology
  • GCSE engineering
  • AS and A level design and technology

This consultation takes forward decisions made following our earlier consultation ‘Development of new GCSEs and A levels for teaching from 2017’, and is part of Ofqual’s work supporting the government’s changes to GCSEs, AS and A levels.

Documents

GCSE Engineering, GCSE, AS and A level Design and Technology - Consultation on Conditions and guidance

Ref: Ofqual/15/5816

PDF, 844 KB, 90 pages

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Updates to this page

Published 17 December 2015
Last updated 1 March 2016 + show all updates

  1. Published consultation outcome

  2. First published.

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