Withdrawal of GCSE Sociology (J696)

Following a review of the qualifications available for redevelopment for first teaching in 2017, we have made the difficult decision not to redevelop GCSE Sociology (J696).

We offer a broad a range of qualifications to support teachers and students and we regret the loss of any subject from our qualifications. We recognise that Sociology makes a unique social and educational contribution to the curriculum. Despite this, on-going reform by government and the exams regulator, coupled with economic challenges, means that GCSE Sociology will no longer be available through OCR following the final assessment series in summer 2018. We realise this will be disappointing news for teachers and the wider Sociology community and it was not a decision taken lightly. 

We continue to be fully committed to our exciting new AS and A Level Sociology qualifications and will be focusing our efforts on creating even more new resources, including further Delivery Guides, to support the teaching of these new specifications. 

Please sign up to receive the latest sociology updates.

GCSE arrangements:

We will continue to support and assess the current qualification up to the conclusion of the final assessment series:

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. 

We have redeveloped a range of other GCSE subjects for first teaching in 2015 and 2016. We are currently developing other AS, A Level and GCSE subjects for first teach in 2017. 

If you have any queries about this notice, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 01223 553998 or email OCRSociology@OCR.org.uk.