NEW GCSEs & GRADING

You may be aware that the GCSE qualifications studied by students have undergone a period of reform. New GCSEs are graded 9-1. All subjects now delivered, unless they are a Technical Award, are using the new grading system.

Statements such as "more rigorous" and "harder" have been used to describe the new GCSEs. In some subject areas the content requirements have increased too. In many curriculum areas the weightings on examination components have also changed; in many cases the theory element has increased, whilst a practical element may have decreased in weighting. It is difficult to match old grades to the new numbers, as the qualifications are so different and how they are assigned has changed.

WHY DID GCSEs CHANGE?

Firstly, it is to provide differentiation between higher-achieving students, there are now six grades (4-9) where there used to be four (A*-C). Secondly, it is about raising national standards. Ministers believe that a C was too easy to achieve. As such the new grade 5 has become the benchmark grade. Only the top third of students who would have achieved a grade C will achieve a grade 5. Ministers believe that this will bring England’s exam benchmark up to the standards of the world’s leading economies. How does this look statistically? How does this compare with the old grading system?

• Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve grade 4 and above as those who previously achieved grade C and above

• Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve grade 7 and above as those who previously achieved grade A and above

• Only the top 20% of those who get grade 7 or above will get grade 9

• The new maths GCSE is tiered, with grades 4 and 5 available through both tiers.

• English is not tiered and is now 100% examination based.