Why percentages getting each grade differ between A level subjects, including French, German and Spanish

 

Thanks to David Blow, ALL Fellow,  for sharing this pdf document explaining why percentages getting each grade differ between A level subjects, including French, German and Spanish.  The explanation draws on Transition Matrices  relating to the A Levels taken in 2025. 

This information is published alongside the official DfE figures, so the 2026 information will be available late Autumn / early Spring.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xFt_uKwnaGyRPsuhqrPF29bIGMWW72qe/view?usp=sharing

Page 1 of the 4 page document is pasted below:

Why grade boundaries can be misleading, especially when there is a change in specification.

 

Around this time last year, I wrote this post: https://helenmyers.blogspot.com/2025/08/why-grade-boundaries-can-be-misleading.html

Below is a version revised for the context of the new GCSE specifications for French, German and Spanish in 2026.  

• I have added a section at the start to outline the new context. 
• The 'comparable outcomes' section has remained the same.  The GCSE specifications for French, German and Spanish  have changed, but no other subjects have changed.  The overall approach to grading is the same whether specifications have changed or not, with additional checks to ensure that candidates are neither advantage nor disadvantaged by the change.

What do we know already about the new GCSE 2026 for French German and Spanish?

In general candidates seem to have had a better exam experience this year It is hard to quantify, but the general vibe seems to have been that candidates were noticeably more positive compared with previous years when there was been widespread sense of candidates feeling demoralised as they left the exam hall.

The improvement makes sense, because in the new specification

a) questions are in English

b) exam boards are no longer required to include vocabulary not on the published specification word list.  A restricted defined vocabulary list was in place, so there should have been ‘no surprises.

This better exam experience aligns with the experience of teachers trialling sample assessments where candidates tended to achieve higher raw marks.

 However. it is really important to understand that …

 1.      Higher raw marks do NOT translate into higher grades, because that would unfairly advantage this cohort compared with previous years.

 2.      Grade boundaries are likely to be higher. As always, the conversion of raw marks to grades will vary between languages and between subjects and from year to year.

A potential concern…

The provisional entry data published by Ofqual suggests that significantly more students have been entered for Higher tier this year than previously. We strongly suspect that some schools have maintained similar patterns of entry, while others have made substantial shifts.

Until results are released, we cannot know what impact this change will have in practice. 

Comparable outcomes

In advance of the release of figures for GCSE on Thursday 20^th August 2026 and to avoid wasting time and drawing misleading conclusions, it’s important to understand the relationship between raw marks and grades and how grade boundaries fit into this.  The principles apply to both GCSE and A Level.

 Ofqual have released helpful posts to explain the situation to candidates.  I have copied and pasted these at the foot of this post.

 Ofqual on grade boundaries (in 2024): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/guide-to-as-and-a-level-results-for-england-summer-2024

Ofqual 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-a-level-grading-what-you-need-to-know/gcse-and-a-level-grading-what-you-need-to-know

Ofqual 2026: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofqual-guide-for-schools-and-colleges-2026/ofqual-guide-for-schools-and-colleges-2026#grading

 Therefore

1) Don’t look at grade boundaries in other subjects or in other languages

2) As far as any individual subject is concerned, because the national % getting each grade remains essentially constant, any change in grade boundaries will be a reflection of whether the pupils score more or fewer marks in the papers than in other years. 

It is tempting to want to talk about something which seems tangible (figures) but it can be  unhelpful when in fact the raw marks and boundaries do not tell you anything about standards from year to year,  from subject to subject , or paper to paper.

  

Copy and paste of Ofqual statements:

 Ofqual on grade boundaries (in 2024)

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/guide-to-as-and-a-level-results-for-england-summer-2024

Ofqual has said: “Exam boards have set grade boundaries this summer based on a combination of data and qualitative evidence. As in any year, there has been an important role for examiner judgement. Expert examiners have reviewed the quality of students’ work compared with previous years.

 Grade boundaries typically change each exam series and are often different between exam boards. This reflects any differences in the difficulty of the assessments. If an exam paper is harder the grade boundaries will be lower, and if an exam paper is easier the grade boundaries will be higher. This is important to ensure that students are not advantaged or disadvantaged based on the exam paper that they sit. This means that some grade boundaries are lower than 2023, while others are higher.

 Grading has taken place as normal this summer and standards have been maintained from summer 2023. Students can therefore be confident in the grades they receive, irrespective of the grade boundaries or how they compare to last year.”

 [my summary] In practice, the process of maintaining similar percentages getting each grade in each subject (subject to entry profile changes) has been in operation for nearly 15 years and is referred to as “comparable outcomes”

 Ofqual 2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-a-level-grading-what-you-need-to-know/gcse-and-a-level-grading-what-you-need-to-know

 Grade boundaries change from year to year 

If an exam is easier than in previous years, the grade boundaries for that paper will be higher. If it is harder, the grade boundaries will be lower. 

The difficulty of exam questions varies year to year, even though exam boards try to keep the level of demand consistent. That’s because it is impossible to determine how difficult students will find a paper until it is taken. 

This is why new grade boundaries are set each year – to reflect the difficulty of that particular paper, and to ensure that it is no easier or harder to get a grade in any given year.  

 The standard of work needed to get each grade remains comparable year on year 

The quality of a student’s work in their exams determines the grade they get and no-one is advantaged or disadvantaged by the year in which they happen to sit the exam​. There are no quotas for the number of students who must pass or fail a subject each year, and no cap on the number of students that can get each grade.  

The fact the number of top grades awarded is relatively stable from year to year reflects the fact that student performance is typically relatively stable too. ​ 

Grade boundaries are set with the aim of maintaining standards over time, not to ensure that the same proportion of students get a particular grade. 

 Grade boundaries are decided after students take exams and when marking is nearly complete 

Exam boards set grade boundaries by analysing data about the students taking the qualification and comparing it with those that have taken it previously. This data is used to identify potential grade boundaries, which reflect whether students found the exam slightly harder or easier than the previous year.  

Senior examiners then scrutinise samples of work from students who have achieved marks on and around these potential grade boundaries. This is compared with work of students from the previous year who were on the same grade boundaries.  

Those scripts are studied to determine if the standard of work at the potential grade boundary is appropriate. Senior examiners use the evidence from their scrutiny in combination with the data, to recommend final grade boundaries. 

 The number of students achieving each grade can differ between exam boards offering the same qualification 

Grade boundaries typically differ between exam boards, because grading reflects the level of difficulty of each particular paper. All exam boards must cover the same subject content and assessment objectives, and follow the same rules. But there are often small differences between the type of questions they ask or the balance of different types of questions in a particular paper. 

Similarly, while exam boards try to keep levels of demand consistent year-on-year, this is also very difficult to do in practice.  

Where grade boundaries increase between one year and the next, or are higher with one board than another, it does not mean it is more difficult to achieve a grade. Rather, it reflects that that exam paper was easier. Equally, where grade boundaries are lower with one exam board than another that reflects that the paper was harder, not that it is easier to get a particular grade. 

 Ofqual 2026: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofqual-guide-for-schools-and-colleges-2026/ofqual-guide-for-schools-and-colleges-2026#grading

Grading for GCSEs, AS or A levels in 2026

Ofqual oversees exam boards to ensure that it is no more difficult to achieve a grade in a subject from one year to the next, and between different exam boards. This means that the standard of work to achieve a particular grade in 2026 will be comparable to summer 2025.  

Grade boundaries often vary year to year, to reflect fairly any changes in how difficult the paper is. The quality of a student’s work in their exams determines the grade they get and no-one is advantaged or disadvantaged by the year in which they happen to sit the exam. 

There are no quotas for the number of students who must pass or fail a subject each year, and no cap on the number of students that can get each grade. The proportion of students receiving different grades does vary a little each year. But the standard of work required to receive a particular grade remains comparable.   

More information about how grading works in GCSE, AS and A levels can be found in Ofqual’s Understanding grading toolkit for schools and colleges.

And finally .... please join ALL if you are not already a member!

ALL is extremely grateful to the volunteers who carry out work freely on behalf of all language teachers. There is, of course, a cost to the Association in running  services - coordinating activities, managing website content, organising events and webinars - and this is funded by member subscriptions.

Many colleagues benefit from ALL’s analysis, advocacy and resources without realising that these are produced by volunteers who themselves pay to be members. In an era when people increasingly expect everything “for free”, it is worth remembering the value of belonging to a professional organisation that works year‑round to support language education nationally.

I encourage those who are not yet members, but who benefit from our work, to join ALL - whether as individual members (giving you voting rights and personal copies of our publications) or as group members. Join here: https://www.all-languages.org.uk/join/become-a-member/

 

 

A Level MFL results 2026

JCQ

I attended the JCQ briefing for stakeholders on Thursday 13th August on behalf of The Association for Language Learning (ALL).  

Each year the quality of presentation, preparation and documents improves, and there were many expressions of thanks at the end.  It is extremely helpful to receive the data an hour in advance of the meeting (-there is a strict embargo until 9.30 am) as this gives us the chance to  check any hypotheses we may have formed and to prepare relevant questions.  In particular this year, I commend JCQ on two new aspects:

(1) The new page Exam results data from which you can easily access current and past data by selecting the year of interest: https://www.jcq.org.uk/exam-results-data/

(2) The provision of a grade breakdown for each of the languages within the overall category ’Other Modern Languages’ in GCE Miscellaneous, 2026 (Table 3, Tab 3d): https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Table-3-GCE-Miscellaneous-2026.xlsx  This has been very helpful re: AL Chinese which we are continuing to follow up with Pearson.

 Thank you, JCQ!

ALL follow up work

ALL has issued a statement which gives key data, presidential comments and links.  https://www.all-languages.org.uk/news/all-statement-on-2026-a-level

Over the coming weeks, we will follow up issues or concerns expressed by our members.  It is invaluable to have direct contact with our corporate members, especially at this time, including exam boards and representatives (including data specialists) who are keen to engage with us and to offer clarification or pursue concerns further.

Extract from statement: Analysis

I have copied and pasted below elements relating to analysis which may be particularly useful to teachers and managers analysing their own results.  Many thanks to David Blow, ALL Fellow, whose spreadsheets make it easier to quickly extract percentages and raw numbers from the tables and track them from year to year.

The number of students studying A level languages continues to be a matter of grave concern. Whilst the overall number of A level entries for all subjects has increased substantially since 2019 (906,425 v 804,851) the total number taking French, German or Spanish has actually declined (17,616 v 20,013; 1.9 % of total v 2.5%).  

• The overall number of entries for all subjects has increased by 2.9% since 2025.  
• The increase in German entries, which exceeds this, is welcome, but it is still down by 25% compared with the 2019 entry numbers.  
• Although Spanish and French entries have increased by 1.3% and 0.4% respectively, these rises are lower than the overall increase. 

This raises concerns about the UK’s ability to produce enough qualified linguists for the country’s needs. It is vital that steps are taken to ensure students get a broader and richer post-16 experience including a language.

These low numbers studying French, German and Spanish at A level reinforce the need for the continuing severe grading in ML at GCSE to be addressed by Ofqual and DfE so that more students are encouraged to continue with a language to GCSE and then on to A level.  Systematically, arising from an historical anomaly, students on average get half a grade lower in their GCSE ML compared with their other EBacc subjects, leading to a false perception that they are not as good at ML as at other subjects.  They are therefore less likely to take it at A level. We appeal to all stakeholders to keep raising this matter, especially in this year when there are new GCSEs specifications being examined for the first time in French, German and Spanish. It is important to remember that however pedagogy and the nature of exams may change, the approach of comparable outcomes means that severe grading will persist.

Appendix with detailed numbers

The overall number of A level entries in all subjects has increased by 2.9% to 906,425 in 2026 from 882,509 in 2025, having decreased by 0.5% from 886,514 in 2024. The 2026 overall entry figures have increased from 804,851 in 2019 (13% increase).

French entries have increased by 0.4% to 6,888 in 2026 from 6,858 in 2025, having decreased by 9.8% from 7,544 in 2024.

German entries have increased by 3.1% to 2,294 in 2026 from 2,224 in 2025, having decreased by 8.5% to 2,224 in 2025 from 2,431 in 2024.

Spanish entries have increased by 1.3% to 8,434 in 2026 from 8,325 in 2025, having increased by 1.1% to 8,325 in 2025 from 8,238 in 2024.

‘Other Modern Languages’ entries have increased by 4.1% to 6,944 in 2026 from 6,672 in 2025, having increased by 3.8% to 6,672 in 2025 from 6,429 in 2024.

This is all in the context of a demanding subject such as Further Mathematics having over 21,000 entries.

Comparing entry numbers between 2026 and 2019 (pre-pandemic) there is a clear decline. French has dropped by 17.6%, German by 24.4%, Spanish by 2.2% and ‘Other Modern Languages’ by 16.2%.  By contrast, in the same period, Economics has risen by 53% to 47,157, and Psychology by 22.6 % to 79,201.

These numbers are taken from the JCQ UK cumulative figures published Thursday 13th August 2026.

Appendix with links

JCQ has created a new page named ‘Exam results data’ from which you can access current and past statements and data by selecting the year in which you are interested. https://www.jcq.org.uk/exam-results-data/

Direct links to the press notice (pdf) and 3 results tables relevant to Modern Languages (Excel spreadsheets) are as follows:

(3) Level 3 Press notice 2026: https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/L3-Press-notice-2026.pdf

(4) A level by subject age sex country, 2026 (Table 1): https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Table-1-A-level-by-subject_age_sex_country-2026.xlsx

(5) AS level by subject sex country, 2026 (Table 2): https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Table-2-AS-level-by-subject_sex_country-2026.xlsx

(6) GCE Miscellaneous, 2026 (Table 3) [Note that this includes data about ‘Other Languages’ in Tab 3d]: https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Table-3-GCE-Miscellaneous-2026.xlsx

(7) A level interactive results dashboard: https://www.jcq.org.uk/a-level-interactive-results-dashboard/

Ofqual, Pearson – A level Chinese.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ofqual-fines-pearson-2-million-for-rule-breaches-affecting-thousands-of-students

Ofqual has shared a range of comments and analysis as follows (links embedded):  

• Ofqual blog
• Summer results: 2026 statistical release 
• Interactive analytics for A levels, VTQ Performance Table qualifications and Technical Qualifications

Please join ALL! https://www.all-languages.org.uk/join/become-a-member/

ALL is extremely grateful to the volunteers who carry out this work freely on behalf of all language teachers. There is, of course, a cost to the Association in running these services - coordinating activities, managing website content, organising events and webinars - and this is funded by member subscriptions.

Many colleagues benefit from ALL’s analysis, advocacy and resources without realising that these are produced by volunteers who themselves pay to be members. In an era when people increasingly expect everything “for free”, it is worth remembering the value of belonging to a professional organisation that works year round to support language education nationally.

I encourage those who are not yet members, but who benefit from the work of ALL, to join us - whether as individual members (giving you voting rights and personal copies of our publications) or as group members. Join here: https://www.all-languages.org.uk/join/become-a-member/

Love Languages 2026 – A happy celebration of creativity, courage and communication

 

Ms Noelle, Ms Lewis, Mrs Hankin and Dr Palomo López.

Friday 6th February 2026

What an honour it was to be invited to serve as one of the judges at this year’s Love Languages competition -  an annual celebration open to all schools, generously held at City of London Freemen’s School.

I spent the day surrounded by enthusiastic language teachers and learners from Years 5 to 8, and I left absolutely buzzing with renewed missionary zeal. If ever there were a perfect formula for giving learners - and their teachers - a tangible, joyful purpose for language learning, this is it. It is fully inclusive, endlessly creative, and really uplifting.

A competition with purpose and heart

Each year, schools enter groups of students who create a performance around a shared theme. Last year’s theme was food and drink; this year, it was fashion. The brief is gloriously open: music, drama, dance, comedy, storytelling - anything goes, as long as languages are at the heart of it.

One of the loveliest aspects is that pupils are both performers and audience. Teachers set a wonderfully positive tone, reminding everyone that taking part is what matters most. Anyone who makes it to the stage is already a winner in my eyes: they have created something from scratch, rehearsed, learned lines, collaborated, problem‑solved, and - judging by the smiles - had a thoroughly good time doing it.

And what a variety we enjoyed.

 A catwalk of creativity: highlights from the day

• Choosing the perfect outfit for the Oscars, complete with a very dapper fashion designer in suit and bow tie.
• A fashion show through the ages, beginning with a hilariously expressive Stone Age man who managed to tell us he was chaud and brun — and the transition to each age was punctuated by audience chanting a refrain
• A designer seeking looks for a spring/summer collection to feature in Paris Match. (Spoiler: the pigeon‑inspired outfit triumphed!)
• An international conference debating the perfect uniform, cleverly weaving multiple languages together with a natural role for translators.
• A Spanish fashion show featuring some truly mouth‑watering costumes.
• A catastrophic last‑minute shopping trip before going on holiday -chaos, comedy, and linguistic confusion galore.
• A fashion show disrupted by mixed‑up language instructions, ultimately resolved in a joyful dance together.
• A debate on school uniform, transformed into a dramatic demonstration of the different viewpoints - from “Non à l’uniforme, ne soyez pas conforme!” (a wonderfully authentic use of the imperative) to a sensible compromis that conveniently rhymed with vendredi -- the chosen non-uniform day!
• Models from three different countries proudly presenting the qualities of their national fashion, ending with a celebration of difference.
• A shopping scenario featuring increasingly disgruntled customers speaking a range of languages to an increasingly frazzled monolingual German shop assistant - until translators swooped in to save the day.
• And finally, a rousing performance of “Fliegerlied”, complete with animal costumes, dancing, and a delighted audience singing along with the famous la la la la laaaaa…

The costumes and props were fabulous  - all inventive, colourful, and clearly crafted with care.

A school that welcomes you in

City of Freemen’s School deserves huge thanks for organising everything with such warmth and professionalism. From refreshments (including some very tasty cookies) to beautifully designed programmes, prizes, and even themed outfits, every detail was thoughtfully prepared. Their charming Sixth Form guides ensured we judges never lost our way.

The staff are keen to share their expertise so that similar competitions can flourish elsewhere - and I sincerely hope they do.

 Judging the unjudgeable

Of course, choosing winners was extremely difficult. The good news is that everyone went home with a certificate and some form of reward - and rightly so. The courage, creativity, and linguistic flair on display were extraordinary.

I had the pleasure of judging alongside Mr Jim Davis, who has supported the competition for many years. It is always inspiring to have a 'real live' (!) example of someone who has used languages beyond the classroom — in his case, German opening doors to a banking career that took him to Germany, France, and Austria. His delightful summaries of each performance highlighted what he especially appreciated, and added a lovely touch of theatre of his own.

A legacy to be proud of

A special moment came with the awarding of the Hankin Cup, presented by Mrs Sarah Hankin, former Head of Languages and the founder of the competition. She must feel immensely proud of what her vision has grown into: a celebration of languages that is happy and  inclusive.  (And she would love to have more entries from state schools please!)

Why this matters

What struck me most was the sheer joy of hearing so many languages spoken with confidence, humour, and purpose. This competition isn’t about perfection; it’s about communication - getting a message across in whatever language you have, in a way that engages others. And every group achieved that beautifully.

So let me stress this: if you take part, it can only be a positive experience, whether or not you take home a cup. You will have created something meaningful, shared it with others, and discovered the power of languages to connect, entertain, and inspire.

 And that, surely, is the heart of language learning.

'Succeeding as an MFL Teacher', Silvia Bastow & Jennifer Wozniak-Rush: review

I was delighted to be invited to review an advanced copy of 'Succeeding as an MFL Teacher' by Silvia Bastow & Jennifer Wozniak-Rush.

Both committed members of The Association for Language Learning, I have always thoroughly appreciated their work and their willingness to share their practice and ideas at various events.  It's great to see a book which encapsulates not only their own ideas, but also those of other popular speakers and practitioners.

Approach

From the outset, the authors speak directly to the reader with warmth and clarity. You can almost hear them presenting at a conference - grounded, encouraging, and practical. Their aim is clear: to offer research-informed strategies that are immediately usable. As they put it, “The tips and strategies here are not just theoretical; they have been tested and proved by teachers who have been through it all, from inspiring moments to the toughest challenges.”

Written from a UK perspective, the book is especially relevant to teachers working within the constraints of limited exposure to language outside the classroom and a highly accountable framework of inspection and testing. The authors are well known in UK networks such as the Association for Language Learning, and their practical experience shines through.

Structure and Scope

The book is organised into 11 readable chapters. The first eight focus on supporting learners - covering curriculum design, teaching and learning strategies, assessment, and enrichment. The final three turn to the teacher’s development: professional growth, team-building, and departmental leadership.  The authors share their own principles and practices, and also draw on those of a rich network of fellow practitioners.

Each chapter follows a consistent and helpful structure:

1. Introduction

2. Key ideas with practical illustrations

3. A bank of additional strategies

4. Reflection questions to consolidate learning

5. Summary

6. A case study from real classroom practice /school experience written by an invited author 

7. Further reading 

This format makes it easy to dip in and out, while also encouraging deeper reflection. 

A QR code at the start of the book links to ready-made resources

Pedagogy in Practice

The chapter on Applying the Science of Learning and SLA in the MFL Classroom distils key principles into actionable strategies. For example:

• Focus on meaningful input: “You could use www.thenounproject.com for images to use with the new vocabulary that you introduce.”

• Focus on meaningful output: A classroom routine encourages students to express how they’re feeling, why, and what they’ll be doing - supporting natural, purposeful interaction.  A visual of the supporting slide is shared.

As the authors write, “Imagine reading a tip and thinking, ‘This will work perfectly with my Year 9s tomorrow!’ That is exactly what we’re aiming for.” And they deliver.

The chapter on curriculum sequencing offers a wealth of ideas for integrating skills and content. Activities range from playful read-aloud games (“in the style of a robot, a mouse, a singer, a monster”) to phonics exercises and mini whiteboard writing tasks. Ideas are drawn from a variety of trainers including Martine Pillette, and are both engaging and effective.

In Enhancing Language Learning through Retrieval Practice, the authors provide a toolkit of retention strategies -quizzes, flashcards, and questioning techniques - alongside a thoughtful breakdown of modelling approaches. The section on “live modelling, thinking aloud, worked examples” is especially useful, helping teachers to develop this core teaching skill and a shared metalanguage for classroom practice.

Inclusion

Three chapters are devoted to inclusive teaching, with strategies for SEND learners and higher attainers. The emphasis is on knowing your students, anticipating their responses, and adapting in real time. Tracy Williams’ case study, Adaptive Teaching in Action, captures this beautifully: “Improving learning through intentional monitoring.”

The advice is relevant to all learners. As one section puts it, “It’s important to foster a classroom culture where effort is celebrated and mistakes are viewed as a valuable part of the learning process.” Risk-taking and persistence are encouraged, helping to build confidence and resilience.

Assessment

Assessment is treated realistically. Chapter 7 offers a practical checklist for formative assessment and excellent tips for reducing workload in summative tasks - such as using visualisers and training students to proofread.

Culture

Authentic materials are championed throughout. As one quote reminds us, “A song, a story, a news article – they’ll remember that much more than a worksheet.” Chapter 8, on enrichment, is a highlight. It offers a rich menu of in-class and out-of-school activities—from festivals and recipes to competitions and clubs. The exchanges and trips section gives sound, practical advice to support what can appear a daunting responsibility.  Suzi Bewell’s case study, Finding Time for Cultural Enrichment, rounds off the section with warmth and wisdom: “Little and often and going for gold.”

Teacher Development

The final chapters support teachers in any subject, with particularly strong advice for MFL specialists. Joining a subject association is recommended - and warmly endorsed: through ALL, I count many of the contributors as colleagues and friends, even though we’ve never worked together in a school.

The chapter on leading a department includes valuable guidance on advocacy - engaging the wider community, building support from home, and celebrating success.

Final Thoughts

Debates about theory are stimulating, but it’s the practice which is the proof of the pudding. This book is full of tangible success stories. The authors and the people they have invited to contribute have lived the challenges and found solutions. What shines through is a genuine passion for teaching and a desire to pass on the love of languages to all learners.

Reflecting on your own practice is essential to staying effective and sharing what works. This book supports that process superbly - and it doesn’t end with the final page. You’ll be able to stay connected with these practitioners and continue the journey alongside them.

Practical advice on grade estimation and tiering for June 26 GCSE FGS

Many thanks to Catherine Ames,  convener of ALL's Subject Leader Group, for initiating a meeting where we could consider ''Practical advice on grade estimation and tiering for June 26 GCSE FGS + Exam Board FAQs'.  There was  a great deal of interest in the webinar, and a good crowd turned out on a Monday night to find out more.

Here are other links we promised during the session:

• Recording, presentation, session information, links to exam support resources (from boards and Helen) and chat 

• Register for our January event

• Join ALL (we offer these links freely, but hope you will feel it is “the right thing to do” to support this volunteer organisation)

• Register for Language World 2026

• List of past webinars (with links to recordings and resources)

• ALL London Events page

In addition, here are links to downloads prepared by David and by me:

• Excel spreadsheet with grids comparing performance in Fr, Gn, Sp versus  Ma, En Jun25 grids (Thanks to David's friends at  SMID)

• GCSE 9-1 French AQA Foundation Formative Assessment Grids

• GCSE 9-1 French AQA Higher Formative Assessment Grids

• GCSE 9-1 French AQA Full-mark answer samples analysed by Helen, 'Criteria Unpacked!' and ridiculously long mnemonic for remembering structures

• GCSE 9-1 2024 French Edexcel Foundation Formative Assessment Grids - updated July 2025

• GCSE 9-1 2024 French Edexcel Higher Formative Assessment Grids - updated July 2025

Maiastra concert - December 2025

 

I have just come home from an absolutely WONDERFUL Maiastra concert and just have to urge anyone who lives in or near Cobham Surrey to go to the free repeat concert on Sunday 7th Dec 25 (tomorrow) at 4pm at St Andrew's Church. I'll be there again! Schulhoff 'Five pieces for string quartet, Smetana string quartet no 2 and Beethoven 'the Harp' quartet - really exciting and impressive works.

After an intensive week long course, three brilliant music students (Yixuan Kassia Ren, violin, Jemimah Quick, viola and Gabriel Webb - cello) performed with the amazing course coach, Bartosz Woroch who led on 1st violin and they somehow just played 'as one' ... chords melting into the next chord - virtuosic passages played apparently effortlessly in every work (note to self: just practise those scales Helen!) - subtle changes of tempi / rubato all precisely together - the changes in dynamics perfectly executed - beautiful - and even the silences were perfect.

I loved every movement - but perhaps my favourite was the 2nd movement of the Beethoven - adagio ma non troppo. Being on the front row (a perk of being there very early!) I could see Bartosz almost wince at the beauty of those chords (and I admired his lovely jacket)! What a privilege to have been there - the audience was just buzzing at the end! Hope to see some of you there tomorrow!

Here's the link again for more information.

Here's a YouTube video of the 2nd movement played by the Calidore String Quartet:

Why grade boundaries can be misleading

In advance of the release of figures for GCSE tomorrow and to avoid wasting time and drawing misleading conclusions, it’s important to understand the relationship between raw marks and grades and how grade boundaries fit into this.  The principles apply to both GCSE and A Level.

Ofqual have released helpful posts to explain the situation to candidates.  I have copied and pasted these at the foot of this post.

 Ofqual on grade boundaries (in 2024)

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/guide-to-as-and-a-level-results-for-england-summer-2024

Ofqual 2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-a-level-grading-what-you-need-to-know/gcse-and-a-level-grading-what-you-need-to-know

 Therefore

(1)   Don’t look at grade boundaries in other subjects or in other languages

(2)   As far as any individual subject is concerned, because the national % getting each grade remains essentially constant, any change in grade boundaries will be a reflection of whether the pupils score more or fewer marks in the papers than in other years.

 It is tempting to want to talk about something which seems tangible (figures) but it can be  unhelpful when in fact the raw marks and boundaries do not tell you anything about standards from year to year,  from subject to subject , or paper to paper.

Practical suggestions for grading your Year 10 students taking the new GCSE ML

Updated 26.06.25. to include guidance on Tiering.

 It's the time of year when teachers ask questions on various fora about how to interpret assessment data and how to respond to management, pupil and parental expectations regarding predicted grades.

Pasted below is the advice shared by David Blow, (Executive Head of South-East Surrey Schools Education Trust) at the ALL London June Event 2025.  A download of the document is available here.  A version including how to deal with Tiering is available here.

Gaël Faye: Petit Pays

Un grand merci à Romain Devaux, qui m'a offert le livre 'Petit Pays' par Gaël Faye.  I read it all in one go today and I can see why it was awarded the Prix Goncourt des lycéens.  I suggest that it would be an excellent recommendation to any serious students of French who want to expand their knowledge of language and francophone history and culture.  

Written in the first person, Gabriel/Gaby recalls his childhood in Burundi as the son of a French father and a Tutsi mother (a refugee from Rwanda), describing nature, friendships, neighbours, servants, family and recounting everyday life, including incidents of class, race and  political conflict.  Although not autobiographical, we know that the fictional Gaby is a contemporary of the author, Gaël Faye, and it must surely be this lived experience which makes the narrative so real and compelling, seeing the impact of the horrors of the 1994 genocide through the eyes of someone who was affected by it and experienced its consequences.

GCSE Results 2024

I was representing ALL at the well organised JCQ briefing this morning which included representation from Ofqual and it was very helpful to receive so much information, easily accessible.

I have brought together some detailed numbers and links which may be useful to those analysing ML results.

1 Press release from ALL

ALL has released the following Press release: 

Association for Language Learning Statement on GCSE results.

2. Detailed numbers

The overall number of GCSE entries in all subjects has risen by 4.8% to 6,186,879 in 2024 with an increase of 4.6 % in the 16-year-old population in 2024 compared with 2023. 91.4% of all entries were from 16 year-olds. Entries from students aged 17 and over are up 20.5% to 430,377 compared with 357,207 in 2023.  In 2024, students aged 17 and over represent 7.0% of all entries compared with 6.0% in 2023.

 In 2024, within a context where the 16-year-old population is bigger (by 4.6%) French entries increased by 2.8% from 130,901 in 2023 to 134,651 in 2024, German increased by 3.5% from 34,707 to 35,913, Spanish entries increased by 6.2% from 125,651 to 133,395 and and other languages by 8.1% from 39,896 to 43,121. 

Comparing entry numbers between 2024 and 2019 (pre-pandemic) French has increased by 3%, German has declined by 16.1%, Spanish has increased by 30.5% and other languages have increased by 34%.  

 These numbers are taken from the JCQ UK cumulative figures published Thursday22nd August 2024.

 

Subject	Year	Number Sat	7/A	4/C	1/G	U
French	2024	134651	28.4	71.7	98.6	100
French	2023	130901	26.6	71.2	98.2	100
French	2019	130831	24.3	70.4	98.6	100
German	2024	35913	32.5	77.8	99.1	100
German	2023	34707	28.2	77.2	98.9	100
German	2019	42791	24.7	76.0	98.7	100
Spanish	2024	133395	27.3	70.5	98.1	100
Spanish	2023	125651	26.8	70.0	97.9	100
Spanish	2019	102242	27.7	71.1	98.2	100
Other Modern Languages (5)	2024	43121	71.8	92.5	97.7	100
Other Modern Languages (5)	2023	39896	70.3	92.2	97.8	100
Other Modern Languages (5)	2019	32183	65.9	90.2	97.5	100

 

JCQ Table: GCSE Other Modern Foreign Languages Entries Summer 2023 and 2024:

 

 3. Links

a) JCQ has shared results tables and press releases here:

https://www.jcq.org.uk/gcse-level-1-and-level-2-results-summer-2024/

  

b) Ofqual has provided an  ‘Ofqual GCSE results update:

• Guide to GCSE results in England, summer 2024
• Guide to the 2024 Level 1/2, and Level 2 qualification results for Vocational and Technical Qualifications in England
• National Reference Test Results and annual statement 2024 
• Infographics showing GCSE outcomes this year
• Infographics showing VTQ outcomes this year
• Interactive analytics of GCSE outcomes over time, variability in centres’ results, and outcomes by county
• Interactive analytics of PTQ outcomes over time and by subject

 Ofqual adds that you may also find the following information useful:

• Ofqual Student Guide 2024, which includes details of the Exam Results Helpline and Ofqual’s contact details
• Exam Procedure Review Service (EPRS) guide
• National Careers Service - make choices after your exams

 

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c) A reminder about my recent blogpost: 

What to look out for in GCSE ML grading on Thursday 22nd August 2024

David Blow brings together 

• the Ofqual announcement about aligning grading standards in GCSE French and German with Spanish
• the FFT Datalab graphs on provisionalentries for GCSE languages 
• and a section on ‘Cohort prior attainment profile in each subject’, where he reminds us that it is misleading to look at raw % achieving grades in different GCSE subjects, because the ability profile taking each subject will differ.  He illustrates this by sharing graphs generated by the DfE Transition Matrices published in October 2023. 

When the DfE releases Transition Matrices for 2024, we will share a further analysis of the 2024 data.