Introduction

Qualifications Wales must ensure that qualifications awarded by recognised awarding bodies meet the needs of learners in Wales and that there is public confidence in them.

This work includes ensuring that qualifications meet any criteria that we set, that they are valid, reliable and fit for purpose and that they are comparable to qualifications elsewhere.

Our general qualifications strategic plan sets out our priorities for regulating GCSEs, A levels and the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales.

Over the next few years, we will focus on:

  • securing standards
  • evaluating change
  • improving public understanding
  • increasing the availability of qualifications through the medium of Welsh
  • adopting an incremental approach to future changes

The plan also identified the key challenges we will face in achieving the aims we have set in each of these focus areas.

 

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GCSEs

GCSEs - General Certificates of Secondary Education - are available in a range of subjects. They are the main general qualifications taken by 16-year-old learners in Wales.

These qualifications can be used as a basis for further study or training, or direct entry into employment.

GCSEs across Wales, England and Northern Ireland are of the same size and rigour - with some key differences.

In Wales:

  • grading scales remain A* to G
  • some GCSEs are linear - with all exams taken at the end of the course - and others are modular
  • students must retake all of their exams when retaking a linear GCSE - non-exam assessment marks can be carried forward
  • students can only retake each unit once in modular GCSEs

In England:

  • grading scale is 9 to 1 (9 being highest grade)
  • all exams taken at the end of the course (linear qualifications)
  • students must retake all their exams when retaking the qualification - non-exam assessment marks can be reused

In Northern Ireland:

  • in general students may take GCSEs graded A* to G (including a new grade C*) and those graded 9 to 1

The comparison between the A*-G and 9-1 grading system is illustrated here.

Take a look at a visualisation of the changes in Wales, England and Northern Ireland, or read a detailed explanation of the changes.

 

AS and A levels

Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A) levels are the main general qualifications at Level 3 and are usually taken at age 16-19. They are used as a basis for admissions to higher education, further training or entry into employment.

A levels across Wales, Northern Ireland and England are of the same size, rigour, and portability - with some key differences.

In Wales, A level qualifications:

  • consist of AS and A2 units
  • AS is a stand-alone qualification and also contributes 40% towards the full A level 
  • share the same content as A levels in England - but include a Welsh perspective where appropriate
  • retain practical or non-examination assessments where they are assessing an important part of the subject - with these assessments contributing towards the final grade
  • individual units can only be retaken once
  • AS exams can be taken at the end of the AS course or alongside A2

Take a look at a visualisation of the changes in Wales, England and Northern Ireland, or read a more detailed explanation of the changes.

 

National 14-16 Qualifications

With the introduction of the National Qualifications, new GCSEs are being taught from September 2025 and September 2026. 

You can find out more about the new subjects and timeline for implementation here.  

Designed specifically for learners in Wales, these new qualifications will replace all approved and designated GCSEs currently available to learners, and will form the majority of GCSEs available for use on publicly-funded programmes of learning for 14 to 16-year-olds in Wales. 

You can find out more about our approach to designating 14-16 qualifications here.