A Guide to Changes in GCSE Grading
From the summer of 2017, the grading of GCSE will begin to change.
This section explains the changes that are happening to GCSE grading.
Changes to GCSE grading in Northern Ireland will happen from the summer of 2017 to the summer of 2019.
What is the change?
Learners in Northern Ireland can access Letter (A*-G) and Number (9-1) graded GCSEs. Learners can access 9-1 graded qualifications from AQA, OCR, Pearson or Eduqas (a part of WJEC).
WJEC qualifications will continue to use the original A*-G grading model and will no longer be available to learners in Northern Ireland. WJEC will offer 9-1 graded qualifications through its subsidiary company, Eduqas.
There are no changes to A-level (GCE) grading.
Summer 2017
In summer 2017, almost all learners received A*-G qualifications, and saw no change in the way their GCSEs were graded.
Some learners received 9-1 grades. These learners took one of a small number of 9-1 graded GCSEs available.
Summer 2018
In summer 2018, the majority of learners received A*-G qualifications, and saw no change in the way their GCSEs were graded.
More 9-1 graded subjects were introduced and more learners received 9-1 grades.
Summer 2019
In summer 2019, the grading changed for all CCEA GCSE qualifications.
The vast majority of learners will have noticed a change in the way that GCSEs are graded. The C* appeared in the grading for the first time and there was a decrease in the number of learners achieving an A* overall.
Almost all other GCSEs will be graded 9-1.
Summer 2020
By summer 2020, the remaining 9-1 graded subjects will be introduced.