Update: Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Language 2.0

We are providing full support to help colleges, schools, students and parents:

For colleges and schools:

• We are already in touch with a number of schools and colleges who had entries for this year’s exam and we will continue to be in touch with all schools and colleges directly.
• We have set out information below about how grade boundaries for Pearson Edexcel GCSE English 2.0/1EN2 were set in 2024. This follows information shared with all heads of schools and colleges on Wednesday 21 August.
• We encourage you to please contact Mark Howlett, Head of Standards via teachingenglish@pearson.com to discuss your students’ results.
• You can also find information and support about results and post-results on our post-results services web page.

For students / parents:

Our advisors will be on hand to offer advice on next steps. This dedicated support line is available by calling 0345 618 0440 and selecting option 1.

Further information for teachers about setting grade boundaries for GCSE English 2.0/1EN2 in 2024

Grade boundaries play a critical role in maintaining a national standard in qualifications that is fair to all students. They are set each exam series, after the completion of marking, to ensure the same standards across all awarding bodies.

Occasionally, grade boundaries may vary more than anticipated, for example where the design of a paper has changed or following a detailed review of the quality of work in a subject. When this happens, we know that it can be surprising and disappointing on results day for those students, teachers and parents/guardians who do not receive the grades hoped for.

This year we also carried out a detailed review exercise once marking was complete. Until we had completed that work, and discussed it with the senior examining team, we didn’t know precisely where the grade boundaries would be. We understand the impact this may have on schools and colleges, and also the importance of keeping you informed that grade boundaries may vary.  

As context, grade boundaries for grade 4 across all GCSEs and in all subjects varied by –9.3% to +8.3% in 2024 compared to 2023. The grade boundary for the 1EN2 specification at grade 4 differed by +6.9% from 2023. 

Any variance in the grade 4 boundary on 1EN2 will affect proportionately more post-16 students than those sitting other GCSE English Language specifications. That’s because the majority of students taking 1EN2 are post-16 students who are required to re-sit because they achieved below a grade 4 at the end of year 11. This means students in FE colleges tend to be clustered around the grade 4 boundary.  

About GCSE English 2.0/1EN2

In 2022, we awarded our new GCSE English language specification (1EN2) for the first time. It measures the same English language skills and assessment objectives as other English language specifications, but in slightly different contexts. 1EN2 has been designed to engage and motivate students through a choice of contemporary texts, relatable modern themes, and skills-based writing tasks.

It is critical that the quality of work for a particular grade is the same across all GCSE English language specifications, so it’s no easier nor more difficult to get a grade on one specification than the other. 

When GCSE English 2.0 was first awarded in 2022, this was at the time when Ofqual instructed exam boards to be more generous, to take account of the first summer exams after the pandemic. The general approach was to use a midpoint of 2021 and 2019. In 2023, grading returned to normal but the approach included some protection to recognise the disruption that students had faced.

How we set the grade boundary for GCSE English 2.0/1EN2 in 2024

With 2024 being the first year when grading is fully back to normal, we reviewed the standards in the 1EN2 specification. 

During this review, which took place after exams were marked, senior examiners compared the quality of work (performance standard) on the new specification with the national performance standard exemplified by our established specification.

We then used the evidence from this review to inform the normal process of grade boundary setting for 1EN2, which takes place each year after the marking of exams is complete. This enabled us to confidently set boundary marks that are appropriate, taking into account the review of quality of work, as well as other qualitative and quantitative data as we do each year. 

Kind regards

Mark Howlett
Head of Standards and Assessment Performance