Guidance
Timings for the withdrawal of legacy GCSEs, AS and A levels
Dates for last teaching, last exams and resits in legacy GCSEs, AS and A levels.
Applies to England
Introduction
As reformed qualifications are introduced in England, legacy GCSEs, AS and A levels are being withdrawn.
We have now taken decisions on the re-sit arrangements for legacy GCSEs, AS and A levels.
This document explains - for legacy GCSE, AS and A level subjects:
- when the last courses begin (assuming a two-year course of study for GCSEs, and a coupled two-year course of study for AS and A level, with AS exams taken at the end of year 12 or 13, and A level exams taken at the end of year 13)
- when the last exams will take place, and the arrangements for students to re-sit their exams
- which (if any) reformed qualification will replace it
- if a subject is not being replaced, the reason why
Legacy GCSEs
| Subject | Last GCSE courses begin | Last exam (1st sitting) | Re-sits available1 | Replaced by | Reason for withdrawal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications of mathematics | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | November 2016 Summer 2017 |
Mathematics | |
| Digital communication2 | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | n/a3 | English language | |
| English | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | November 2016 Summer 2017 |
English language | |
| English language | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | November 2016 Summer 2017 |
English language | |
| English literature | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | n/a 3 | English literature | |
| Mathematics | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | November 2016 Summer 2017 |
Mathematics | |
| Methods in mathematics | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | November 2016 Summer 2017 |
Mathematics | |
| Additional applied science | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a 3 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Additional science | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | No later than Summer 2018 | Combined science (double award) | |
| Art and design | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Art and design | |
| Biology | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Biology | |
| Catering | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Food preparation and nutrition | |
| Chemistry | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Chemistry | |
| Citizenship studies | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Citizenship studies | |
| Classical Greek | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a2 | Classical Greek | |
| Computer science | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Computer science | |
| Computing | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Computer science | |
| Dance | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Dance | |
| Design and technology (food technology) | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Food preparation and nutrition | |
| Drama | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Drama | |
| Expressive arts | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| French | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | French | |
| Further additional science | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Geography | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Geography | |
| German | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | German | |
| History | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | History | |
| Home economics: Food and nutrition | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Food preparation and nutrition | |
| Hospitality and catering | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Human health and physiology | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Humanities | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Latin | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Latin | |
| Music | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Music | |
| Performing arts | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Physical education | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Physical education | |
| Physics | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Physics | |
| Religious studies | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Religious studies | |
| Science | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | No later than Summer 2018 | Combined science (double award) | |
| Spanish | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | n/a3 | Spanish | |
| Ancient history | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Ancient history | |
| Applied business | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Applied information and communication technology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Arabic | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Arabic | |
| Astronomy | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Astronomy | |
| Bengali | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Bengali | |
| Business and communication systems | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Business communications | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Business studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Business | |
| Business studies and economics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Chinese | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Chinese | |
| Classical civilisation | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Classical civilisation | |
| Design and technology (all other routes) | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Design and technology | |
| Dutch | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | No specifications have been or are currently being developed in this subject |
| Economics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Economics | |
| Electronics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Electronics | |
| Engineering | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Engineering | |
| Environmental and land-based science | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam board proposal rejected by Ofqual: lack of confidence that content could be developed |
| Environmental science | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Film studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a2 | Film studies | |
| General studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a2 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Geology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Geology | |
| Health and social care | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam board proposal rejected by Ofqual: lack of confidence that content could be developed |
| Home economics: Child development | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a2 | n/a | Exam board proposal rejected by Ofqual: lack of confidence that content could be developed |
| Home economics: Textiles | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Hospitality | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Information and communication technology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Department for Education announced content development has ceased |
| Italian | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Italian | |
| Japanese | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Japanese | |
| Law | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a33 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Leisure and tourism | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Manufacturing | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Media studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Media studies | |
| Modern Greek | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Modern Greek | |
| Modern Hebrew | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Modern Hebrew | |
| Panjabi | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Panjabi | |
| Polish | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Polish | |
| Psychology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Psychology | |
| Russian | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Russian | |
| Sociology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Sociology | |
| Statistics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Statistics | |
| Urdu | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | n/a3 | Urdu | |
| Biblical Hebrew | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | n/a3 | Biblical Hebrew | |
| Gujarati | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | n/a3 | Gujarati | |
| Persian | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | n/a3 | Persian | |
| Portuguese | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | n/a3 | Portuguese | |
| Turkish | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | n/a3 | Turkish |
1Students taking re-sits in November must have taken the qualification previously, have a good reason not to have taken it when planned (such as illness), or have been aged 16 or above on 31 August in the year of the last scheduled sitting.
Students taking re-sits in the summer must have been aged 16 or over on 31 August in the previous year.
2 Exam boards may continue to make this qualification available to schools and colleges that already offer it for an additional year. That is, to students that will start new two year courses in September 2015. Schools and colleges should contact their exam board to find out if they still plan to offer the specific qualification they want to teach.
3 For these subjects, we have chosen not to require exam boards to offer a re-sit opportunity. However, exam boards may choose to offer a single re-sit opportunity in the academic year following the last scheduled sitting. Schools and colleges should contact their exam board to find out if they plan to offer a re-sit opportunity in these subjects.
Legacy AS and A levels
| Subject | Last AS and A level courses begin | Last exam (1st sitting) | Re-sit opportunity4 | Replaced by | Reason for withdrawal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied art and design5 | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Art and design | |
| Applied business5 | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Business | |
| Art and design | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Art and design | |
| Biology | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Biology | |
| Business studies | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Business | |
| Chemistry | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Chemistry | |
| Computing | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Computer science | |
| Economics | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Economics | |
| Economics and business5 | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Economics | |
| English language | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | English language | |
| English language and literature | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | English language and literature | |
| English literature | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | English literature | |
| History | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | History | |
| Human biology5 | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Biology | |
| Physics | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Physics | |
| Psychology | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Psychology | |
| Sociology | September 2014 | Summer 2016 | Summer 2017 | Sociology | |
| Classics: Classical Greek | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Classical Greek | |
| Classics: Latin | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Latin | |
| Dance | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Dance | |
| Drama and theatre studies | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Drama and theatre | |
| French | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | French | |
| Geography | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Geography | |
| German | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | German | |
| Music | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Music | |
| Performance studies | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Performing arts | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Physical education | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Physical education | |
| Religious studies | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Religious studies | |
| Spanish | September 2015 | Summer 2017 | Summer 2018 | Spanish | |
| Accounting | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Accounting | |
| Anthropology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Applied information and communication techology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Applied science | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Archaeology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | No specifications have been or are currently being developed in this subject |
| Chinese | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Chinese | |
| Citizenship studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Classical civilisation | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Classical civilisation | |
| Classics: Ancient history | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Ancient history | |
| Classics: Classical civilisation | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Classical civilisation | |
| Communication and culture | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Creative writing | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Department for Education announced content development has ceased |
| Critical thinking | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Design and technology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Design and technology | |
| Dutch | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | No specifications have been or are currently being developed in this subject |
| Electronics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Electronics | |
| Engineering | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Environmental studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Environmental science | |
| Film studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Film studies | |
| Further mathematics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Further mathematics | |
| General studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Geology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Geology | |
| Global development (AS only) | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam board proposal rejected by Ofqual: lack of confidence that content could be developed |
| Government and politics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Politics | |
| Health and social care | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Department for Education announced content development has ceased |
| History of art | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | History of art (A level only) | No specifications have been or are currently being developed at AS level in this subject |
| Home economics: Food, nutrition and health | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Humanities | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Information and communication technology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Department for Education announced content development has ceased |
| Italian | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Italian | |
| Law | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Law | |
| Leisure studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Mathematics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Mathematics | |
| Media studies | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Media studies | |
| Media: Communication and production | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Moving image arts | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Subject or content too similar |
| Music technology | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Music technology | |
| Philosophy | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Philosophy | |
| Pure mathematics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Quantitative methods (AS only) | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Russian | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Russian | |
| Science (AS only) | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Science in society | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Statistics | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | Statistics | |
| Travel and tourism | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| Use of mathematics (AS only) | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam boards did not propose to develop reformed content |
| World development | September 2016 | Summer 2018 | Summer 2019 | n/a | Exam board proposal rejected by Ofqual: lack of confidence that content could be developed |
| Arabic | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Arabic | |
| Bengali | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Bengali | |
| Biblical Hebrew | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Biblical Hebrew | |
| Gujarati | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Gujarati | |
| Greek | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Greek | |
| Modern Hebrew | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Modern Hebrew | |
| Japanese | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Japanese | |
| Panjabi | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Panjabi | |
| Persian | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Persian | |
| Polish | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Polish | |
| Portuguese | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Portuguese | |
| Turkish | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Turkish | |
| Urdu | September 2017 | Summer 2019 | Summer 2020 | Urdu |
4 Re-sits will only be available to students who have taken the qualification previously, or had a good reason not to have taken it when planned (such as illness).
5 Exam boards may continue to make this qualification available to schools and colleges that already offer it for an additional year. That is, to students that will start new two year courses in September 2015. Schools and colleges should contact their exam board to find out if they still plan to offer the specific qualification they want to teach.
Updates to this page
Published 15 December 2015
Last updated 11 August 2017 + show all updates
Last updated 11 August 2017 + show all updates
-
Removal of paragraph containing historical information.
-
Updated to include qualifications being reformed for first teaching from September 2018
-
Updated following our decisions on re-sits for legacy GCSEs, AS and A levels
-
First published.