After five years of secondary school study, Year 11 students are taking their GCSE examinations this summer term.
So when exactly are these exams taking place, and are they similar to last year’s GCSEs?
Here’s your handy guide to what teachers and leaders need to know: from the dates to keep in mind (including dates for key subjects), any changes to know about, and how resits and appeals work.
Most students are taking a combination of subjects including English and mathematics. The key exam dates for these subjects are as follows:
Changes to GCSE exams in 2024
Will the 2024 GCSE exams cover the full syllabus?
Yes. Unlike GCSEs in 2022 and 2021, when only certain elements of subjects were included, in 2024 - as in 2023 - exams will include the full subject content for all papers.
Will there be larger gaps between exams with two or more papers in the same subject?
No - the gaps between exam papers have been reduced this year. The longer gaps used in the 2023 exam series do not appear on the 2024 GCSE exam timetable.
Will the grading be adjusted to bring the 2024 results in line with 2023?
With GCSE exams in 2024 being conducted in the same way as before the pandemic, Ofqual has said that grading this year will be “normal” and that “now we’re back to normal…we don’t need that sort of protection”.
Why were GCSE exams in 2022 and 2023, different to 2019?
GCSE grades were much higher in 2020 and 2021 because exams had to be cancelled due to the pandemic, with teacher assessment being used instead.
Therefore, to make sure that students taking GCSEs in 2022 were not disadvantaged, Ofqual made some changes to the way exams were taken in that year, and then also made adjustments to some grade boundaries.
If a student misses an exam because they are unwell, then paperwork needs to be completed to ensure they still receive a grade.
A grade will then be calculated using either the marks from the other papers taken or their non-exam components (if applicable).
If a student has long Covid, they may be allowed special consideration depending on whether or not their condition has worsened during the exam period.
Students who are unhappy with their results will be able to ask for a re-mark, otherwise known as a “review of marking”. Students also have the option to appeal their grades.
In the first instance, schools can request a review of marking. This means that an examiner will check the original marking of the paper to see if it is within their range of “tolerance”. Grades can go up or down as a result of a review.
Students can take a GCSE again if they are unhappy with their grade. If a student fails to achieve at least a grade 4 in English language or literature, or in maths, then they must resit the GCSE or obtain an equivalent qualification.
There is an opportunity to resit English language and maths in November. However, students who fail to obtain a grade 4 in these exams will then be entered for the summer exam series.
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