Regulation

GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing)

Updated 6 March 2024

Applies to England

Introduction

About this document

This document is part of a suite of documents which sets out the regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering reformed A levels and AS qualifications.

We have developed all our requirements for GCE qualifications with the intention that AS and A level qualifications should fulfil the purposes set out below.

For A levels to:

• define and assess achievement of the knowledge, skills and understanding which will be needed by students planning to progress to undergraduate study at a UK higher education establishment, particularly (although not only) in the same subject area;
• set out a robust and internationally comparable post-16 academic course of study to develop that knowledge, skills and understanding;
• permit UK universities to accurately identify the level of attainment of students;
• provide a basis for school and college accountability measures at age 18; and
• provide a benchmark of academic ability for employers.

For AS qualifications to:

• provide evidence of students’ achievements in a robust and internationally comparable post-16 course of study that is a subset of A level content; and
• enable students to broaden the range of subjects they study.

Requirements set out in this document

This document sets out the GCE Subject Level Conditions for Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing). These Conditions will come into effect at 2:00pm on 6 March 2024 for the following qualifications:

• all GCE A levels in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) awarded on or after 1 April 2020; and
• all standalone GCE AS qualifications in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) awarded on or after 1 April 2019.

A ‘Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing)’ is defined in Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))5.1.

It also sets out our requirements in relation to:

• assessment objectives – awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))1.2; and
• assessments – awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))2.1.

With respect to these qualifications, awarding organisations must also comply with:

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications;
• our GCE Qualification Level Conditions and Requirements; and
• all relevant Regulatory Documents.

Subject Level Conditions

GCE Subject Level Conditions for Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing)

Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))1: Compliance with content requirements

GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening,reading, writing)1.1

In respect of each GCE Qualification in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must –

1. (a) comply with the requirements relating to that qualification set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Modern foreign languages (smaller cohorts) GCE AS and A level subject content’, document reference DFE-00079-2017,
2. (b) have regard to any recommendations or guidelines relating to that qualification set out in that document, and
3. (c) interpret that document in accordance with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))1.2

In respect of each GCE Qualification in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must comply with any requirements, and have regard to any guidance, relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for that qualification which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))2: Assessment

GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))2.1

An awarding organisation must ensure that in respect of each assessment for a GCE Qualification in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) which it makes available it complies with any requirements, and has regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))3: Access to dictionaries

GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))3.1

An awarding organisation must take reasonable steps to ensure that no Learner has access to a dictionary –

1. (a) when taking any assessment for a GCE Qualification in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) which it makes available, or
2. (b) during any period of formal preparation time prior to such an assessment.

GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))3.2

For the purposes of this Condition, ‘formal preparation time’ is a period of time immediately prior to the assessment, or a task within an assessment, during which the Learner is provided with previously unseen information relating to the assessment or task and is allowed to prepare for the assessment or task under conditions (including conditions as to supervision) which have been specified by the awarding organisation.

Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))4: Titling

GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))4.1

An awarding organisation must ensure that, for the purposes of compliance with Condition E2.1(d), the title on the Register of each GCE Qualification in Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing) which it makes available indicates the content of that qualification in the following manner, as appropriate –

1. (a) Arabic (listening, reading, writing),
2. (b) Bengali (listening, reading, writing),
3. (c) Gujarati (listening, reading, writing),
4. (d) Modern Greek (listening, reading, writing),
5. (e) Modern Hebrew (listening, reading, writing),
6. (f) Japanese (listening, reading, writing),
7. (g) Panjabi (listening, reading, writing),
8. (h) Persian (listening, reading, writing),
9. (i) Polish (listening, reading, writing),
10. (j) Portuguese (listening, reading, writing),
11. (k) Turkish (listening, reading, writing), or
12. (l) Urdu (listening, reading, writing).

Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))5: Interpretation and definitions

GCE(Modern Foreign  Languages(listening, reading, writing))5.1

In these Conditions the following words shall have the meaning given to them below (and cognate expressions should be construed accordingly) –

Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing)

A language –

1. (a) which is one of the following languages –
   1. i. Arabic,
   2. ii. Bengali,
   3. iii. Gujarati,
   4. iv. Greek,
   5. v. Modern Hebrew,
   6. vi. Japanese,
   7. vii. Panjabi,
   8. viii. Persian,
   9. ix. Polish,
   10. x. Portuguese,
   11. xi. Turkish,
   12. xii. Urdu,
2. (b) which is in everyday spoken use,
3. (c) with respect to which an awarding organisation has chosen to comply with the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Modern foreign languages (smaller cohorts) GCE AS and A level subject content’, document reference DFE-00079-2017.

Assessment objectives

Assessment objectives – GCE Qualifications in Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing)

Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))1.2 allows us to specify requirements relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for GCE Qualifications in Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing).

The assessment objectives set out below constitute requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))1.2. Awarding organisations must comply with the requirements, as relevant, in relation to each GCE AS and A level qualification in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) they make available.

Assessment objective	Objective	Weighting (A level)	Weighting (AS)
AO1	Understand and respond in writing to spoken language drawn from a variety of sources.	20%	20%
AO2	Understand and respond in writing to written language drawn from a variety of sources.	30%	30%
AO3	Manipulate the language accurately, in written form, using a range of lexis and structure.	30%	30%
AO4 (AS)	Show knowledge and understanding of, and respond critically to, different aspects of the culture and society of countries or communities where the language is spoken.	n/a	20%
AO4 (A level)	Show knowledge and understanding of, and respond critically and analytically to, different aspects of the culture and society of countries or communities where the language is spoken.	20%	n/a

For AS qualifications in Japanese awarded from summer 2025 and for A level qualifications in Japanese awarded from summer 2026, across assessment objectives AO1 and AO2, no more than 40% of the total marks for the qualification may be used for responses in English, including translation into English.

For any other qualifications to which these conditions and requirements apply, across assessment objectives AO1 and AO2, no more than 10% of the total marks for the qualification may be used for responses in English, including translation into English^{[footnote 1]}.

Assessment requirements

Assessment requirements – GCE Qualifications in Modern Foreign Languages

Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))2.1 allows us to specify requirements and guidance in relation to assessments for GCE Qualifications in Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing).

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Modern Foreign Languages(listening, reading, writing))2.1 below.

Unless otherwise specified, all of the requirements below apply to both A level and AS qualifications in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

Grammatical content

The subject content for GCE Qualifications in Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing) is set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Modern foreign languages (smaller cohorts) GCE AS and A level subject content’, document reference DFE-00079-2017. Paragraphs 16 and 17 of that document state that:

16. AS and A level specifications must include lists of grammar and structures of the language, which represent a level of challenge and breadth that is comparable to the requirements for modern foreign languages.

17. AS and A level specifications will require students to know and understand the grammatical system and structures set out in these lists. Knowledge of the grammar and structures specified for GCSE is assumed. Specifications must require students to use, actively and accurately, grammar and structures appropriate to the tasks set, drawn from these lists. The mention of an item in these lists implies knowledge of both its forms and its functions at an appropriate level of accuracy and complexity.

In respect of each GCE Qualification in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must:

• set out in the specification for the qualification the knowledge and understanding of grammar that will be expected of Learners (the ‘Grammar Requirements’), and
• demonstrate to Ofqual’s satisfaction in its assessment strategy that it has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that, as far as possible, the Level of Demand of the Grammar Requirements is comparable to that of the grammar requirements specified for GCE Qualifications in French, German and Spanish in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Modern foreign languages GCE AS and A level subject content’, document reference DFE-00694-2014.

Vocabulary lists

Where an awarding organisation publishes any information about the words and/or forms of words which Learners will be expected to use and understand (a ‘vocabulary list’) for a GCE Qualification in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing) which it makes available, or proposes to make available, it must ensure that:

• any assessment for that qualification is not restricted to use of words and/or forms of words on the vocabulary list in such a way as to render the assessment predictable, and
• the vocabulary list is set out in the specification for the qualification.

Access to texts

An awarding organisation must take all reasonable steps to ensure that no Learner has access to any text, or any part of a text, which is listed for study in the specification when taking any assessment for a GCE Qualification in a Modern Foreign Language (listening, reading, writing), except where that text or part of a text has been provided as Stimulus Materials in respect of that assessment by the awarding organisation.

Appendix 1: Not in use

Appendix 2: Revisions to this document

The table below sets out when the GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing) initially came into force and when they were subsequently revised.

Revisions	Date in force
Assessment Objectives requirements amended to increase the permitted proportion of marks to be used for responses in English for AS and A level qualifications in Japanese.	6 March 2024
First edition	21 April 2017

1. These requirements take effect under both Condition GCE (Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing))1.1(c) and Condition GCE (Modern Foreign Languages (listening, reading, writing))1.2. ↩