General Qualifications Bulletin International Issue 71
Welcome to the December qualifications bulletin. It’s hard to believe that we’re nearly at the end of another year. I do hope you will be able to have a break over the next few weeks.
In this month’s bulletin we have information about new statistics from Ofqual on Access Arrangements for GCSE, AS and A level for you to read. A final call for feedback on our October and November exam series, new ‘Bitesize‘ training events for exams officers, plus some important information about our new Digital Sequencing Tool for the UK GCSE French, German and Spanish (2026) speaking exams.
We’ve also got information on our new Pearson Edexcel Facebook Group. Read more about this below.
In this months update:
- Key dates
- Ofqual publish official statistics on Access Arrangements for GCSE, AS and A level
- October and November series post-results support
- Help shape future exams - October and November 2025 exam series feedback survey
- October and November 2026 final timetables
- January 2027 provisional timetables
- Support and training for Exams Officers this autumn and winter
- Subject spotlight
- Join our new Pearson Edexcel Facebook group
Date |
Exam Series |
Description |
|---|---|---|
7 January 2026 |
November 2025 |
Restricted results day: GCSE November 2025 results released to centres |
8 January |
November 2025
|
Results day: GCSE November 2025 results released to learners |
21 January |
October and November 2025
|
Restricted results day: International A level and International GCSE November 2025 results released to centres |
22 January |
October and November 2025
|
Results day: International A level and International GCSE November 2025 results released to learners
|
Download a spreadsheet with all the key dates for the 2025/26 academic year
You can also take a look at our interactive Qualifications Key Dates Calendar. It can also be downloaded and syncronised seamlessly with your own personal calendar, such as MS Outlook.
You can get a detailed breakdown of your students’ results through ResultsPlus, our online results analysis service.
You can also watch our ResultsPlus video that provides you with an overview of how ResultsPlus can help you learn more about how your students’ performance compares with class and Pearson Edexcel national averages.
You can view your candidates’ marked scripts online or download as a PDF, using our Access to Scripts service.
Help shape future exams - October and November 2025 exam series feedback survey
If you’ve not yet had chance to provide feedback on the October and November exam series, we’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts on our International A level and International GCSE exams.
Your feedback helps us improve. It’s shared directly with our senior examiners and subject teams, and it plays a key role in shaping future assessments and making the exam experience even better for students.
It only takes a few minutes, and your insights make a real difference.
Thanks so much for being part of this — we truly value your input.
October and November 2026 final timetables
The final timetables for International A level, GCSE and International GCSE for October and November 2026 are now available on our Exam timetables page.
Take a look at the finalised dates
January 2027 provisional timetables
The provisional timetables for the International A level series in January 2027 are now available on our provisional timetables page.
View the provisional timetables
The feedback window will run until Friday 19th December. Please send any feedback to timetables@pearson.com.
Support and training for Exams Officers this autumn and winter
We’ve pulled together everything you need for the Autumn and Winter 2025/26 exam series — from key dates and deadlines to extra guidance — in one handy place.
Explore the EO Support: Autumn & Winter Essential Information
This academic year we’re running a series of webinars for International Exams Officers. These are short, focused online sessions designed to simplify the key administrative steps and essential information for our qualifications. They are intended to help educators and support staff confidently navigate processes, meet requirements, and provide better support to their learners.
Take a look at the upcoming events and book your place
If you’re unable to attend, you can view recordings of all the events in your own time.
Meet Rebecca Waker - your Languages Subject Advisor
Rebecca is your go-to expert for all our modern language qualifications. Rebecca is here to support you with resources, training and updates that make a real difference in the classroom.
Each month, Rebecca sends out a newsletter packed with useful content — and if you’re not already signed up, now’s a great time to join the list.
- Digital Sequencing Tool Demo Walkthrough video (UK GCSE French, German and Spanish 2024)
- Specimen papers for GCSE (2024) French, Spanish and German
- Speaking mats for the picture task in paper 1 GCSE (2024) French, Spanish and German, plus lots more.
Read Rebecca’s December Subject Advisor update
Sign up for Rebecca’s Languages newsletter today
If your centre is entering students for these subjects, you’ll be using our new Digital Sequencing Tool for speaking exams. It’s designed to make admin lighter and life easier.
Why act now?
Everyone who needs access to the tool - from exams officers to Heads of Department and teachers - must have it and know how to use it before the thematic context selection window opens in March 2026 so the process runs smoothly. That means checking you can log in via the Pearson portal (which may require some additional permissions) and have multi-factor authentication (MFA) set up.
The simplest way to stay ahead? Try it out now and tick it off your to-do list.
Our Digital Sequencing Tool article has everything you need:
- Step-by-step user guides
- Support videos
- A link to try out the demo tool.
Explore the tool and make sure you’re all set
Please note this is for UK GCSE 2026 qualifications and NOT International GCSE.
GCSE and International GCSE Art and Design Component 2
2 January will see the release of the GCSE and International GCSE Art and Design Component 2 externally set assignment (ESA) paper. This will be available for secure download from the course materials pages under Exam Materials.
Full details for accessing these as well as Component 2 planning resources can be found in Jaclyn’s December update
The Component 2 release date for A level Art and Design is 1 February.
Join the final January Challenge 2026!
Pearson is proud to partner with 64 Million Artists for the last-ever January Challenge – a free programme of daily creative prompts throughout January. Perfect for classrooms, staff rooms, and whole-school activities.
This year the theme is ‘Courageous Change’ with each of the prompts designed to help us get a new perspective, build our courage and help us collaborate so that we can be more prepared for this ever changing world.
At Pearson, we've helped create the schools resource pack again this year and two prompts were written by your Subject Advisors!
To get involved, you can:
- Sign up to receive daily creative prompts in January
- Download the schools pack
- Use the schools pack to help your school get creative and make change.
Last year 360,000 people took part and we’re hoping to make the last one the biggest and best. There’s no better time to make change than now, so sign up and take part, and we’ll see you there!
Sign up for the January Challenge 2026
Download the Schools pack for the January Challenge
Creative Minds, Brighter Futures campaign
You told us that there needs to be more emphasis on creativity in the curriculum to enable all students to develop and thrive.
We listened and we are working to make the creative curriculum more inclusive and authentic for all students.
Find out more about cultivating a creative curriculum
How do you stay up to date with all the news and information about the subjects you teach?
By signing up to receive a monthly newsletter from your Subject Advisor you’ll be kept informed of all the key information you need to know throughout the year.
Join our new Pearson Edexcel Facebook group
Do you follow our Pearson Edexcel page on Facebook? From the 19 December, our Pearson Edexcel page will be closing, but you can still find the same great content on our new Pearson Edexcel Facebook group.
The group will be a space for sharing examiner recruitment opportunities, important information published in our Pearson General Qualifications Bulletin, support documents for students, parents and carers and much more.
Join our new Facebook Group today
Please note, this change does not affect any of our subject groups. To join your Pearson Edexcel subject group, go to the Pearson Facebook page, About and scroll down to Groups to find your Pearson Edexcel subject group.