GCSE Changes to the Curriculum Starting from September 2015 - Year 9 Pupils

11 September 2015

Dear Parent/Carer

GCSE changes to the curriculum starting from September 2015 - Year 9 Pupils

As you will be aware, there are many changes to the curriculum starting from September 2015. In the case of your child, this will mean studying the new GCSEs or BTEC in all subjects apart from Religious Studies. Your child will take a new style of examination at the end of the course in the aforementioned subjects.

The new series of GCSEs have not only increased in content but have also introduced more demanding ideas and concepts. Due to the challenging content and the new assessment (mainly by exam) the students will need to be exceptionally literate. Please note that any student who does not achieve a grade 5 or higher in English and Mathematics will be required to continue to pursue them in post-16 learning.

The most significant change to the GCSE series is the grading system. The old system awarded pass grades from A*-G. The new GCSE system awards grades from Grade 9 down to Grade 1. The DfE has published guidelines regarding assessment and how the new system compares to the previous one. Grade 1 is equivalent to grades F and G, Grade 4 is equivalent to Grade C and Grade 7 is equivalent to Grade A. This means that the top grade (Grade 9) is higher than the current A*. Here at Mossbourne, we have worked hard to convert your child's grades over to the new system in order to report their progress as accurately as possible. There is one exception to this: the GCSE short course in Religious Studies, which will continue with the old A*-G grades for one further year.

If you have any questions that you wish to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us at the Academy.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome your children back to the Academy and to wish them a successful year.

Yours sincerely

Mrs J. SamesMr S. Jones

Vice PrincipalAssistant Vice-Principal

New GCSEs

The main features of the new GCSEs are:

1. A new grading scale of 9 to 1 will be used, with 9 being the top grade. This will allow greater differentiation between students and will help distinguish the new GCSEs from previous versions.

1. Assessment will be mainly by exam, with other types of assessment used only where they are needed to test essential skills.

1. There will be new, more demanding content, which has been developed by the government and the exam boards.

1. Courses will be designed for two years of study – they will no longer be divided into different modules and students will take all their exams in one period at the end of their course.

1. Exams can only be split into ‘foundation tier’ and ‘higher tier’ if one exam paper does not give all students the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities.

1. Resit opportunities will only be available each November in English Language and Maths.