National 14-16 Qualifications
Our reformed National Qualifications, comprising GCSEs, VCSEs, Foundation qualifications and the Skills Suite, help young people in Wales prepare for life, further learning and work.
Young people in Wales will soon be able to choose from a range of exciting new qualifications when making their choices for Year 10.
The National Qualifications are a comprehensive, relevant and equitable set of qualifications, ranging from Single and Double Award GCSEs in subjects such as Cymraeg, English, maths and science, to the new work-related VCSEs in subjects such as public services and engineering. There is also a suite of Foundation qualifications, as well as an assortment of Skills for Life and Work units and a Personal Project.
The National Qualifications support the aims and purposes of the Curriculum for Wales.
Centres will be able to offer a bespoke combination of these new qualifications to support their learners in achieving their individual goals for life, learning and work.
As well as providing opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and understanding across a diverse range of subject and sector areas, the National Qualifications will also:
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- make best use of digital technology
- provide skills that Welsh employers are calling for
- increase opportunities for hands-on learning
- offer a greater mix of assessment methods
- have value within and outside of Wales
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We’re ensuring that young people in Wales will become qualified for the future.
Centres can now access a guide to the National Qualifications
The guide has been designed to help educational professionals understand the changes to qualifications provision for 14 to 16-year-olds from September 2025 and aid centres’ continuing preparation.
It also includes a toolkit to help centres communicate the new qualifications to learners, and their parents or carers, governors and other key local stakeholders.
Reformed qualifications for 14 to 16-year-olds in Wales
Levels of learning
The National Qualifications will provide assessment opportunities at Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2.
Creating a cohesive course of study
The National Qualifications have been designed to support breadth and depth in both learning and progression.
Each of the four types of qualification serve different, and often multiple, purposes. Learners are encouraged to study those qualifications on offer at their centre that will provide them with the best learning experience based on their strengths, interests and aspirations.
Timetable for qualification implementation
The reformed qualifications are being introduced in a manageable and sustainable way, in three waves.
Wave 1 qualifications |
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For first teaching from September 2025 |
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*Most appropriate programme of study for the majority of learners
Wave 2 qualifications |
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For first teaching from September 2026 |
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*Most appropriate programme of study for the majority of learners
Wave 3 qualifications |
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For first teaching from September 2027 |
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More on the Curriculum for Wales
The Curriculum for Wales provides a framework that supports each centre to develop its own curriculum and choose its qualifications offer. Arrangements for school evaluation, improvement and accountability are also changing. School performance will be evaluated based on a broad and balanced range of evidence, with less exclusive emphasis on qualification results, giving more freedom to prioritise learners’ needs when designing new qualifications.
The National Qualifications have been developed with the new curriculum in mind.
Find out more about the Curriculum for Wales
Support for centres
There are a number of stakeholders working together to realise the Curriculum for Wales’ ambition, and you can see what our roles and responsibilities are below.
- Welsh Government: sets education policy
Oversees the education system and the role of qualifications within it, setting policy direction and providing guidance.
- Qualifications Wales: independent regulator for publicly funded 14-19 qualifications in Wales.
Sets out the design requirements, approves, monitors and evaluates qualifications to align with the Curriculum for Wales.
- Awarding bodies: develop the qualifications in line with Qualification Wales’ design requirements.
WJEC is developing the new GCSEs and related qualifications, while a range of awarding bodies will develop the VCSEs, Foundation qualifications and Skills Suite.
Our approach to qualification development
We have involved a range of partners, teachers, learners, expert advisers, employers, colleges, training providers and universities to aid the design of the new qualifications.
Before each qualification is taught in classrooms, we go through an extensive process of research, consultation and work on qualification development with awarding bodies.
Timeline of project delivery
2019
We delivered our first public consultation to establish the outline guiding principles that should shape the reformed qualifications. Stakeholders were specifically asked what should happen with GCSEs and the Skills Challenge Certificate.
Read the decisions report
We completed research into the perceptions and experiences of teachers and learners regarding non-exam assessment.
Read the research report
We commissioned research into international educational assessment systems and their involvement of teachers.
Read the research report
2021
We delivered our second public consultation asking for views on the integral skills within the Skills Challenge Certificate, as well as the range of subjects that should be available for GCSEs.
Read the decisions report
We also published our decision on Welsh language qualifications at GCSE.
2022
We delivered our third public consultation specifically relating to our subject proposals for GCSEs.
Read the decisions report
Read a summary of the decisions report
Read the consultation outcomes by subject
Read the youth-friendly report
We published a number of additional documents relating to these decisions:
Regulatory approach
Co-creation vision
Consulting methodology
Applying the Curriculum for Wales cross-cutting themes
Integrated impact assessment
Overarching consultation themes
Analysis of learner outcomes in science
2023
We delivered a number of webinars to present the consultation outcomes and subject-level decisions:
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- Full Consultation Report – Watch and Presentation
- Humanities Decisions - Watch and Presentation
- Mathematics and Numeracy Decisions - Watch and Presentation
- Science and Technology Decisions - Watch and Presentation
- Health and Wellbeing Decisions - Watch and Presentation
- Languages, Literacy and Communication Decisions - Watch and Presentation
- Expressive Arts Decisions - Watch and Presentation
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We delivered our fourth public consultation to establish views on the reformed vocational qualifications offer.
Read the decisions report
Read a summary of the decision report
Read the youth-friendly report
2024
We published approval criteria for all reformed GCSEs.
We published revised qualification-level Approval Criteria and Conditions and Requirements for National GCSE qualifications.
We published our Statement of Policy Intent for National 14-16 Qualifications
WJEC published specifications for Wave 1 GCSEs.
We delivered our public consultation on our proposed approach for designating qualifications for 14 to 16-year-olds.
Read the decisions report
Read the summary of consultation responses
Read the updated integrated impact assessment
Read the FAQs for awarding bodies
Read the FAQs for schools
We also published revised rules in our Designation Handbook.>
We published our Designation Handbook which combines our previously published:
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- Designation Policy
Rules about Applications for Designation of Qualifications
Awarding Body Guide to Designation
- Designation Policy
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Included on our Designation Handbook is the process we will follow to Designate National 14-16 Qualifications.
We published final approval criteria for National Qualifications being taught from 2027.
Read the decisions report
Read the VCSEs approval criteria
Read the general Foundation qualifications approval criteria
Read the work-related Foundation qualifications approval criteria
Read the Skills for Life and Skills for Work approval criteria
Read the Personal Project approval criteria
We published our Vision for National 14-16 Qualifications.
2025
Wave 1 GCSEs will be taught in schools for the first time.
WJEC to publish specifications for wave 2 GCSEs.
Awarding bodies to develop specifications for VCSEs, Foundation qualifications and the Skills Suite.
2026
Wave 2 GCSEs will be taught in schools for the first time.
Awarding bodies to develop specifications for VCSEs, Foundation qualifications and the Skills Suite.
2027
Wave 1 GCSEs will be awarded for the first time.
VCSEs, Foundation qualifications and the Skills Suite will be taught in schools for the first time.
Awarding will begin for certain VCSEs, Foundation qualifications and Skills Suite qualifications.
2028
Wave 2 GCSEs will be awarded for the first time.
Get involved
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, open consultations and review closed activities on our Have Your Say platform.
You can also ask any queries you may have about qualification reform for 14 to 16-year-olds, and our Qualification Managers will get back to you directly.
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