Last updated: 01 Oct 2008

QCA and the regulators for Wales (DCELLS) and Northern Ireland (CCEA) have worked with teachers, awarding bodies, subject associations, higher education and other interested parties to revise the subject criteria for GCSEs in English, mathematics and ICT.

QCA carried out an online consultation on the subject criteria from Thursday 26 June until 30 September 2008. DCELLS and CCEA carried out similar consultations in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Subject criteria contain set out the knowledge, understanding, skills and assessment objectives for specifications in each subject. As part of the consultation, we asked whether the draft GCSE subject criteria only include assessment requirements essential to each subject, and therefore not put unnecessary barriers in the way of students with disabilities.

Consultation documents

The online questionnaires are no longer available, but the consultation documents can still be downloaded from the 'Related documents' section on the right-hand side of this page

English, English language and English literature

The draft subject criteria for GCSEs in English, English language and English literature and a supporting paper on the proposals for GCSEs in English

ICT

The draft subject criteria and draft controlled assessment regulations for ICT.

Mathematics

The draft subject criteria for mathematics and the ACME draft criteria and Ofqual response.

Next steps

The regulators will use the results of this consultation to develop criteria for GCSE qualifications in these subjects for first teaching from 2010. The criteria are scheduled to be published in December 2008 and awarding bodies will submit specifications to the regulators for accreditation against these criteria in spring 2009. The new specifications will be accredited in autumn 2009 for teaching from September 2010.

Please email GCSE2010@qca.org.uk if you have any queries about this consultation or the draft subject criteria.