GCSE ENGLISH 2010Updates

New GCSE English ‘Suite’ from September 2010

GCSE English

1 GCSE

GCSE

Language

GCSE

Literature2 GCSEs

GCSE English

GCSE

Digital Comms

2 GCSEs

GCSE English

Language

GCSE Literature

GCSE

Digital Comms

3 GCSEs

Impact on Students and Reporting

• 5 A*- C (incl) = English

or

English Language + Literature

• Whole School CVA – Data shows that ‘legacy’ Literature has been key GCSE in ‘best 8’

• Inclusion - Students who need 5 GCSEs for college places often rely on Literature

Impact on Curriculum

Each GCSE should provide students with

between 120 -140 guided learning hours

(Departments may struggle to deliver

Language + Literature in 3 hours per week.)

Changes in Assessment

• Change in balance of assessment between external and ‘controlled’ and no ‘cross – over’ pieces of assessment

• Assessment in January and June

English / English Language60% controlled assessment40% external assessment

English Literature25% controlled assessment 75% external assessment

Managing Controlled Assessment

• CA rules are broadly similar to conduct of exam rules – there should be silence and no contact between students

• No teacher intervention concerning the task during or between sessions

• Brief notes may be used but for writing tasks – no dictionaries, spell checkers, thesauri

• Any adult authorised by the centre may supervise

• Students undertake the CA – in a classroom or an exam hall.

Impact of Controlled Assessment

controlled assessment should free up time – endless coursework re-drafting goes

the timing of controlled assessment is in the centre’s control – teachers need to use right tasks for year!

if students fail to achieve satisfactory results (i.e. the centre’s internal marking suggests that) then they may try again as long as they use a different task – BEFORE any entry

English CA is more substantial and demanding than that of other subjects, and will need SLT support (e.g. absences, liaison with exams officer, timetabling of assessments)

Implications on Entry Policy

• English or Language + Literature?• Modular or Linear?• Decisions regarding when to do/enter CA and exam • Candidates may re-sit a unit once only• Candidates must take units comprising at least 40% of

the total assessment in the series in which they enter for certification.

• Achieving ‘target grades’ versus ‘grades in the bank’ (impact on University offers)

• Transition from Legacy specs to new specs

Impact on Planning and Resourcing

Strategic Planning:• Planning of course and assessment opportunities• Routes and pathways for different groups including impact on post 16

choices

Financial and Staffing considerations:• New resources and clean copies of texts for assessment• Staffing/timetable allocations • Moderation of CA across course• Monitoring and tracking of controlled assessment

This term:• Choice of exam board/specification• Preparation for this in Key Stage 3• Training and development (Exam board ‘prepare to teach’ - and LA planning

17th June)