Changes to GCSEs, AS and A levels that will affect each current school year group
Updated 5 September 2017
Applies to England
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This document gives an overview of the changes that will happen to GCSEs, AS levels and A levels. Go to the heading for your child’s current year group (for the academic year that started in September 2017) to see what the changes will be for them.
1. Left school in summer 2017
1.1 Summer 2018
Last opportunity to resit exams for legacy AS and A levels in:
- ancient languages (classical Greek, Latin)
- applied art and design
- applied business
- dance
- drama and theatre
- economics and business
- geography
- human biology
- modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish)
- music
- performance studies
- performing arts
- physical education
- religious studies
2. Year 13
2.1 Summer 2018
As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will take exams for new AS and A levels in:
- ancient languages (classical Greek, Latin)
- dance
- drama and theatre
- geography
- modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish)
- music
- physical education
- religious studies
2.2 Summer 2019
Last opportunity to resit exams for legacy AS and A levels in:
- accounting
- ancient history
- anthropology
- applied information and communication technology
- applied science
- archaeology
- citizenship studies
- classical civilisation
- communication and culture
- creative writing
- critical thinking
- design and technology
- electronics
- engineering
- environmental science
- film studies
- further maths
- general studies
- geology
- global development
- government and politics
- health and social care
- history of art
- humanities
- information and communications technology (ICT)
- law
- leisure studies
- maths
- media: communication and production
- media studies
- modern foreign languages (Chinese, Dutch, Italian and Russian)
- moving image arts
- music technology
- philosophy
- pure mathematics
- quantitative methods
- science
- science in society
- statistics
- travel and tourism
- use of mathematics
- world development
3. Year 12
3.1 September 2017
As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will start studying new AS and A levels in:
- accounting
- ancient history
- classical civilisation
- design and technology
- electronics
- environmental science
- film studies
- further maths
- geology
- history of art (A level only)
- law
- maths
- media studies
- modern foreign languages (Chinese, Italian and Russian)
- music technology
- philosophy
- politics
- statistics
In these subjects, students will have the opportunity to take AS level exams from summer 2018, and A level exams in summer 2019.
3.2 November 2017
First opportunity for students to resit exams for new GCSEs in English language and maths. Students will also be able to resit these subjects in summer 2018, and in November or summer of subsequent years.
3.3 Summer 2020
Last opportunity to resit exams for legacy AS and A levels in:
- ancient languages (biblical Hebrew)
- modern foreign languages (Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Greek, Japanese, modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish, Urdu)
4. Year 11
4.1 Summer 2018
As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will take exams for new GCSEs, graded 9 to 1, in:
- ancient languages (classical Greek, Latin)
- art and design
- biology
- chemistry
- citizenship studies
- computer science
- dance
- combined science (double award)
- drama
- food preparation and nutrition
- geography
- history
- modern foreign languages (French, German and Spanish)
- music
- physical education
- physics
- religious studies
4.2 September 2018
As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will start studying new AS and A levels in:
- ancient languages (biblical Hebrew A level only)
- modern foreign languages (Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Greek, Japanese, modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish, Urdu)
In these subjects, students will have the opportunity to take AS level exams from summer 2019, and A level exams in summer 2020.
5. Year 10
5.1 September 2017
As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will start studying new GCSEs, graded 9 to 1, in:
- ancient history
- astronomy
- business
- classical civilisation
- design and technology
- economics
- electronics
- engineering
- film studies
- geology
- media studies
- modern foreign languages (Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, modern Greek, modern Hebrew, Polish, Panjabi, Russian and Urdu)
- psychology
- sociology
- statistics
Students will take exams in these subjects in summer 2019.
6. Year 9
6.1 September 2018
As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will start studying new GCSEs, graded 9 to 1, in:
- ancient languages (biblical Hebrew)
- modern foreign languages (Gujarati, Persian, Portuguese, Turkish)
Students will take exams in these subjects in summer 2020.
7. Already implemented
7.1 September 2015
Students started studying new GCSEs, graded 9 to 1, in:
- English language
- English literature
- maths
Students started studying new AS levels and A levels in:
- art and design
- biology
- business
- chemistry
- computer science
- economics
- English language
- English language and literature
- English literature
- history
- physics
- psychology
- sociology
7.2 Summer 2016
First new AS level exams in subjects listed in section 7.1.
7.3 September 2016
Students started studying new GCSEs, graded 9 to 1, in:
- ancient languages (classical Greek, Latin)
- art and design
- biology
- chemistry
- citizenship studies
- computer science
- dance
- combined science (double award)
- drama
- food preparation and nutrition
- geography
- history
- modern foreign languages (French, German and Spanish)
- music
- physical education
- physics
- religious studies
Students started studying new AS levels and A levels in:
- ancient languages (classical Greek, Latin)
- dance
- drama and theatre
- geography
- modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish)
- music
- physical education
- religious studies
7.4 Summer 2017
First new GCSE and A level exams in subjects listed in section 7.1.
First new AS level exams in subjects listed in section 7.3.
Last resits for legacy GCSEs (graded A* to G) in maths, English and English language.
Last resits for legacy AS and A levels in:
- art and design
- biology
- business
- chemistry
- computer science
- economics
- English language
- English language and literature
- English literature
- history
- physics
- psychology
- sociology