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Ofqual launches consultation on GCSEs, AS and A levels for 2017

Ofqual launches consultation on GCSE, AS and A level subjects for 2017

Ofqual is today (16 July) launching a consultation about the design and assessment of some of the new GCSE and A level qualifications that will first be taught from September 2017.

These qualifications are GCSEs in astronomy, business, economics, engineering, geology, psychology and sociology and AS and A levels in design and technology, environmental science, history of art, music technology and philosophy.

We would like to know your views on the assessment arrangements and assessment objectives for these new qualifications and on whether the qualifications should be tiered.

View our consultation. The closing date for responses is 24 September 2015.

After the end of this consultation, we will make decisions on the structure and assessment of these qualifications in light of the responses received. We will then consult on the technical regulatory requirements that exam boards wishing to design, deliver and award the qualifications must meet.

Exam boards will then develop new qualifications in the subjects listed above ready for first teaching by schools and colleges from September 2017. The exam boards’ specifications, to be taught from that date, should be available to schools and colleges from autumn 2016.

The Department for Education (DfE) are consulting at the same time as us on proposed content in these subjects.


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Published 16 July 2015