Withdrawal of GCSE, AS and A Level French, German and Spanish

Following careful deliberation OCR has made the difficult decision not to continue the redevelopment of GCSEs, AS and A Levels in Modern Foreign Languages (French, German and Spanish). We will therefore withdraw from provision of these qualifications at the conclusion of the final assessment series. 

We know that teachers will be finalising their choice of awarding body and starting to prepare to teach new reformed specifications for the next academic year. Therefore, we have reluctantly taken this decision now so that teachers can make alternative plans for teaching in September 2016. 

While qualification reform provided an exciting opportunity to innovate and offer new qualifications designed to stimulate language teaching and learning in this country, accreditation has been challenging and we haven’t been able to get the suite accredited in time for centres to make a considered choice about new qualifications for this September. 

In line with the qualification reform timetable, OCR’s existing range of Modern Foreign Language GCSEs, AS and A Levels will be withdrawn, with last assessments in 2017, and final resits in A/AS Level only in 2018. While we regret the loss of these qualifications from our portfolio, we will still offer a broad range of qualifications. 

We will of course continue to support and assess the current OCR French, German and Spanish GCSE, AS and A Level qualifications up to the conclusion of the final assessment series.

French

German

Spanish

GCSEs, AS and A Levels in French, German and Spanish are being developed by other awarding bodies. Information on providers of general qualifications and the GCSEs, AS and A Levels in these subjects accredited for first teaching from September 2016, can be found on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications or the QiW for centres in Wales.

Modern Foreign Languages qualifications will also continue to be available through our sister exam board, Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) with Cambridge IGCSEs, Cambridge International A Levels and the Cambridge Pre-U. For further information please see the CIE website. 

For further information on deadlines for submitting entries, entry amendments/withdrawals and the submission of marks for internal assessment please see the Admin guide: 14-19 qualifications.

If you have any queries about this notice, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 01223 553998 or email the languages team: MFL@ocr.org.uk