Reform update: Changes to GCSEs, AS and A Levels from September 2017
02 May 2017
Reform update: Changes to GCSEs, AS and A Levels from September 2017
September 2017 sees the launch of the third tranche of reformed GCSE (9–1), AS and A Level qualifications. If your centre is teaching a two-year GCSE (9–1), AS or A Level, or a one-year AS Level course in the 17/18 academic year in any of the tranche three subjects, you need to be teaching the new reformed specifications.
The following provides an overview of the changes for schools, colleges and training providers. Separate updates have been produced for maintained sector providers in Northern Ireland and Wales. Further information on GCSE, AS and A Level changes in England, Northern Ireland and Wales is available on the OCR website.
What is changing from September 2017?
Subjects that are changing from September 2017 are:
| AS and A Level subjects | GCSE subjects |
|---|
| Accounting | Business |
| Classics (incl. Ancient History and Classical Civilisation) | Child Development |
| Critical Thinking | Classics (Ancient History and Classical Civilisation) |
| Design and Technology | Design and Technology |
| Dutch | Dutch |
| Electronics | Economics |
| General Studies | Engineering |
| Geology | Environmental and Land-Based Science |
| Government and Politics | Health and Social Care |
| Health and Social Care | ICT |
| Home Economics (Food, Nutrition and Health) | Law |
| Humanities | Leisure and Tourism |
| ICT | Manufacturing |
| Law | Media (Film Studies and Media Studies) |
| Leisure and Tourism | Psychology |
| Mathematics (incl. Quantitative Methods and Statistics) | |
| Sociology |
| Media (Film Studies and Media Studies) | |
| Science (Applied) | |
Further information on changes in each subject area, including replacement provision, final assessment and resit availability for the current GCSE, AS and A Level qualifications can be found in the 'Changes to GCSEs, AS and A Levels’ tables on the OCR website.
We have also created the Qual Change Planner, an online tool designed to support schools and colleges in changing from the qualification currently being delivered to one of our new reformed qualifications or alternative provision. You can search a current qualification by subject or entry code to find out more about final assessment opportunities and replacement qualifications. The Qual Change Planner is available on the GCSE and A Level reform pages of the OCR website.
Teach with OCR
If you’re interested in offering OCR qualifications, or you would like more information and support from our Subject Advisors, please complete the following form. It’s recently been launched, is simple to complete and allows you to select up to three qualifications in one submission.
Information and support
Our aim is to help you at every stage of the introduction of a new specification and we’re working hard to provide a practical package of support in close consultation with teachers and other experts. To find out more about our resources and support please visit the qualification pages for the new reformed qualifications on the OCR website.
For the latest news and guidance on the reform of general qualifications please visit our dedicated GCSE and A Level reform pages on the OCR website.
If you have any queries about this notice, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 01223 553998 or email general.qualifications@ocr.org.uk.