Summer 2021 Adaptions for the five GCSE Subjects Outstanding

The changes will reduce the number of examinations students are required to take and help to lessen the assessment burden.

Details of the adaptations for each qualification are noted below. Further information is also available on the subject microsites.

GCSE Religious Studies, Statistics and Government and Politics

• In GCSE Religious Studies, Statistics and Government and Politics, candidates will be permitted the option of completing the examination for one assessment unit and a controlled assessment task for the second unit, as an alternative to the second examination.
• Candidates will not have the option of completing both examination units and the assessment task in these three subjects, as this option would increase the assessment burden, which is contrary to the policy intent.
• The controlled assessment tasks in these three subjects will be set by CCEA, internally marked by teachers using assessment criteria provided by CCEA, and then externally moderated by CCEA.
• The controlled assessment task will be considered to be equivalent to 10% of the original assessment in each qualification, meaning candidates taking this, along with the examination will complete 60% of total assessment. 

GCSE Food and Nutrition and Health and Social Care

In GCSE Food and Nutrition and GCSE Health and Social Care there will be a reduction in the content and word limit for the controlled assessment task currently in place, which will continue to be worth 50% of the qualification.  Candidates in these subjects must complete the controlled assessments based on the reduced content and word limit – they will not have the option of completing the original controlled assessment task.