Let’s talk about non-examination assessment within new GCSEs
Senior Qualifications Manager, Oliver Stacey, talks through some of the changes to non-exam assessment that teachers can expect to see as part of the suite of new National 14-16 Qualifications being introduced from 2025.
We reached another milestone on the National 14-16 Qualifications journey, when WJEC published the specifications for 18 new GCSEs. This exciting range of new qualifications has been designed to relate to, and support Curriculum for Wales and will be taught in schools across the country from September 2025.
So, what’s different about these qualifications?
One of the changes is that many - but not all - of these new GCSEs have varied assessment methods and include non-examination assessment (NEA).
By NEA, we mean any type of assessment that is not an exam taken by all candidates at the same time under controlled conditions. NEA includes a range of assessment activities, such as oral assessments, fieldwork, portfolio work and practical assessments.
In some subjects, the proportion of NEA has remained the same as, or similar to, that in current specifications, while in other subjects (for example GCSE Business and GCSE History) the proportion of NEA has increased noticeably. Within our approval criteria for each GCSE, we specified the proportion of NEA that WJEC should include. WJEC then developed the assessment tasks for each subject in accordance with these proportions.
Why has NEA increased in some subjects?
Before publishing our approval criteria, we conducted extensive research with learners and teachers around their perceptions and experience of NEA within the existing GCSEs. This research identified many benefits of NEA.
Three of the most cited benefits overall were that NEA tasks:
- were a more valid and authentic way of assessing some aspects of a subject than a timed written examination
- were more engaging and motivating for some learners than exams
- provided a different way for learners to evidence what they know, understand and can do in a subject than a timed exam
In developing our approval criteria, we adopted an extensive co-creation process involving teachers and other key stakeholders. Together, we carefully considered the proportion of NEA within each subject, as well as the balance between how engaging, manageable, reliable and valid the overall assessment would be for each qualification.
Another advantage of NEA within the context of the Curriculum for Wales, is the potential it affords (in some subjects) for schools to consider local contexts to a greater extent than would be possible in an exam. One example of this is in GCSE Business, where one of the NEA tasks requires learners to learn about a business operating in their local area.
This enables learners to engage with business concepts and topics in a relatable and relevant way.
Supporting centres through change
We are aware that centres may have questions about some of the NEA requirements within new GCSEs. With this in mind, we are working closely with WJEC and Welsh Government to support centres in the delivery of the new specifications.
For example, WJEC is producing a planner which will outline how assessments can be spread over Years 10 and 11, including when tasks and stimulus will be released and the submission window. We are currently looking at how the uploading of digital evidence, necessary for a range of qualifications, could be made more manageable for centres.
Importantly, we have specified that some NEA needs to be externally marked to reduce the time centres need to spend on marking.
Further information will follow when WJEC publishes its sample assessment materials (including NEA) for the Wave 1 GCSEs in December 2024. We believe this information will give centres a clearer picture of what the NEA will look like in practice.
We also want to continue to listen to your views about the new GCSEs and look forward to hearing your centre’s thoughts - which can be submitted via our Have Your Say platform.