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Explains impact on curriculum planning, released time, required observational activities, and the wider range of question types and longer-answer questions.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/gcse-astronomy-2017-opening-up-the-universe-to-students-changes-to-gcse-astronomy/622510/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/gcse-astronomy-2017-opening-up-the-universe-to-students-changes-to-gcse-astronomy/622510.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Terk","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-20",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":30},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"What are the main changes to GCSE Astronomy under the 2017 reforms?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"GCSE Astronomy becomes fully linear with a new 9-1 grading scale, and it is assessed by written exam only, with controlled assessment removed. Observational and mathematical skills are assessed within the written exam papers using minimum mark proportions.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"How are observational and mathematical skills assessed in the reformed GCSE Astronomy exams?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"Observational skills are assessed in the written exam papers with a minimum of 15% of the marks. Mathematical skills are assessed with a minimum of 20% of the marks.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"When will the new GCSE Astronomy be first taught and first assessed?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"The new, reformed GCSE is taught starting with the first teaching of a 2-year GCSE, and the last assessment for the current GCSE Astronomy is June 2018. The reformed GCSE Astronomy is reported in the 2019 performance tables.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},622510,1792502182,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,94,99,104,109,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & 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qualification  \n• Overview  \n• Content  \n• Observational activities  \n• Assessment  \n• Support  \n• Contact details and next steps  \nCSE Business subject update l March 2016  \nGCSE Astronomy 2017-“Opening up the Universe to students”  \n• Builds on students’ innate fascination for space  \n• Develops ideas that help enrich your science curriculum  \n• Clear specification and assessments for all students  \n• Integrates accessible and engaging observational activities  \n• Trusted expert support when you need it  \nCSE Business subject update l March 2016  \nGCSE Reforms  \nOverview of the changes  \n• GCSE Astronomy is one of the subjects in the final phase of GCSE reform  \n• Updated subject content from the DfE and assessment requirements from Ofqual  \n• Fully linear structure  \n• New 9 to 1 grading scale, with 9 the top level  \n• External assessments only – no controlled assessment for Astronomy  \n• All new GCSEs should be 120 – 140 guided learning hours  \nCSE Business subject update l March 2016  \nThe new 9-1 grading scale  \n• Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade Cand above  \n• Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 7 and above as currently achieve a grade A and above  \n• The bottom of grade 1 will be aligned with the bottom of grade G  \nCSE  \nBusinessSubrjt:update l March 2016 [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fi](https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fi)le/465873 /your_qualification_our_regulation.pdf  \nGCSE timeline  \n\n|  | June 2016 | June 2017 | June 2018 | June 2019 |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Current specification | Summer series as normal | Summer series as normal | Final\u003Cbr>assessment |  |\n| New\u003Cbr>specification |  | First teaching of 2-year GCSE |  | First\u003Cbr>assessment |\n\n• The last available assessment for the current GCSE in Astronomy will be June 2018  \n• The reformed GCSE in Astronomy will be reported in the 2019 performance tables  \nCSE Business subject update l March 2016  \nChanges to  \nGCSE Astronomy  \nNew DfE / Ofqual criteria  \n• New subject content for GCSE Astronomy  \n• Removal of controlled assessment – GCSE Astronomy now assessed by written exam only  \n• Assessment of observational skills within written exam papers (minimum of 15% of the marks)  \n• Assessment of mathematical skills within written exam papers (minimum of 20% of the marks)  \n• Revised assessment objectives  \n9GCSE Business subject update l March 2016  \nImpact of these changes  \n• The new content increases depth and breadth, covering a range of new areas of the subject  \n• The removal of controlled assessment means:  \n• some curriculum time will be released to cover the new content requirements  \n• however, there is still a requirement for students to undertake at least two observational activities  \n• increase in examination time in order to test these skills  \n• Written exam papers will have a wider variety of question types, including some longer-answer questions  \nSE Business subject update l March 2016","cbCaikDseUAHIEIX","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaikDseUAHIEIX","pdf",528846,44,"English","# Agenda\n## The GCSE reforms – a reminder\n## Introducing the new GCSE (9-1) qualification\n# Overview of the changes\n## The new 9-1 grading scale\n# GCSE timeline\n## Current vs new specification\n## Assessment reporting\n# Changes to GCSE Astronomy\n## New DfE / Ofqual criteria\n## Impact of these changes\n# Support and next steps","[{\"question\":\"What are the main changes to GCSE Astronomy under the 2017 reforms?\",\"answer\":\"GCSE Astronomy becomes fully linear with a new 9-1 grading scale, and it is assessed by written exam only, with controlled assessment removed. Observational and mathematical skills are assessed within the written exam papers using minimum mark proportions.\"},{\"question\":\"How are observational and mathematical skills assessed in the reformed GCSE Astronomy exams?\",\"answer\":\"Observational skills are assessed in the written exam papers with a minimum of 15% of the marks. Mathematical skills are assessed with a minimum of 20% of the marks.\"},{\"question\":\"When will the new GCSE Astronomy be first taught and first assessed?\",\"answer\":\"The new, reformed GCSE is taught starting with the first teaching of a 2-year GCSE, and the last assessment for the current GCSE Astronomy is June 2018. The reformed GCSE Astronomy is reported in the 2019 performance tables.\"}]","GCSE Astronomy 2017 - Opening up the Universe to students - Changes to GCSE Astronomy | PDF",1792466754,111]