GCSE, AS and A level reform: regulations for modern foreign languages
Applies to England
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
We have decided to adopt most of our consultation proposals unchanged, but have made changes to our guidance to be clear that we expect exam boards to ensure assessments are equally demanding in all languages.
This means that:
- the same rules apply to all GCSEs in modern foreign languages, and to all AS and A levels in modern foreign languages - and exam boards are free to develop GCSEs, AS and A levels which meet these rules in any modern foreign language
- the titles for GCSEs, AS and A levels in Chinese must indicate whether students have been assessed using spoken Mandarin or spoken Cantonese
Feedback received
Detail of feedback received
There were 30 responses to the consultation – 19 from individuals and 11 from organisations. One of the organisations did not comment directly on our proposals, but instead provided general comments on the reform of modern foreign languages.
Respondents broadly supported our proposals, but views were mixed in some areas, most notably:
- the applicability of our rules and guidance to languages other than French, German and Spanish,
- our proposed approach to the length of translation exercises and extended written texts
- our proposed approach to titling Chinese qualifications.
Original consultation
Consultation description
This consultation builds on our earlier decisions on the rules and guidance for new GCSEs in French, German and Spanish, and the corresponding decisions for new AS and A levels in those subjects. It sets out:
- the approach we plan to take for regulating new GCSEs, AS and A levels in other modern foreign languages
- the rules and guidance we plan to put in place to implement that approach
Documents
Updates to this page
Last updated 18 April 2016 + show all updates
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Published public feedback and consultation outcome
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Corrected closing date in consultation document.
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First published.