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Timeline of changes to GCSEs, AS and A levels

This document gives an overview of the changes that will happen to GCSEs, AS levels and A levels up until 2020.

This document shows the status of the accreditation of GCSEs and A levels for teaching from 2018

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)
  • dance
  • drama and theatre
  • geography
  • modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish)
  • music
  • 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
  • archaeology
  • classical civilisation
  • design and technology
  • electronics
  • environmental science
  • film studies
  • further maths
  • general studies
  • geology
  • government and politics
  • history of art
  • information and communications technology (ICT)
  • law
  • maths
  • media studies
  • modern foreign languages (Chinese, Dutch, Italian and Russian)
  • music technology
  • philosophy
  • statistics

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
  • government and politics
  • history of art (A level only)
  • law
  • maths
  • media studies
  • modern foreign languages (Chinese, Italian and Russian)
  • music technology
  • philosophy
  • statistics

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 2018

As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will have the opportunity to take AS level exams in:

  • accounting
  • ancient history
  • classical civilisation
  • design and technology
  • electronics
  • environmental science
  • film studies
  • further maths
  • geology
  • government and politics
  • law
  • maths
  • media studies
  • modern foreign languages (Chinese, Italian and Russian)
  • music technology
  • philosophy
  • statistics

3.4 Summer 2019

As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will take exams for new AS and A levels in:

  • accounting
  • ancient history
  • classical civilisation
  • design and technology
  • electronics
  • environmental science
  • film studies
  • further maths
  • general studies
  • geology
  • government and politics
  • history of art (A level only)
  • information and communications technology (ICT)
  • law
  • maths
  • media studies
  • modern foreign languages (Chinese, Italian and Russian)
  • music technology
  • philosophy
  • statistics

3.5 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)

4.3 Summer 2019

As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will have the opportunity to take AS level exams in:

  • modern foreign languages (Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Greek, Japanese, modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish, Urdu)

4.4 Summer 2020

As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will take exams for 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)

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

5.2 Summer 2019

As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will take exams for 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

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)

6.2 Summer 2020

As well as the subjects introduced in previous years, students will take exams for new GCSEs, graded 9 to 1, in:

  • ancient languages (biblical Hebrew)
  • modern foreign languages (Gujarati, Persian, Portuguese, Turkish)

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