Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to retain the international GCSE on school league tables in order to encourage take-up of that qualification.

The Government announced on 24 July 2014 that the only English and mathematics qualifications that will count in the 2017 secondary school performance tables will be reformed GCSEs in those subjects or qualifications reformed to meet the same standards and expectations. The decision was taken following advice from Ofqual, the independent regulator, about the specific challenges of the first awards of reformed GCSEs in summer 2017. That advice is published online at:

www.ofqual.gov.uk/news/advice-ministers-performance-tables-2017

The present arrangements for recognising current level 1/level 2 certificates, such as IGCSEs, will end with the introduction of reformed GCSEs in all subjects.

Following the first exams in the new GCSEs, exam boards will be able to propose alternative academic qualifications for inclusion in performance tables. Any such qualifications will need to be accredited by Ofqual and be at least as demanding as and share key characteristics with the new GCSEs. New alternative academic qualifications could be recognised in performance tables from 2018.