A quick comparison: GCSE French, German Spanish (2024) and International GCSEs
Discover the key differences and similarities of the Pearson-Edexcel International GCSEs in Chinese, French, German and Spanish and GCSE French, German & Spanish (2024).
Our GCSEs in French, German and Spanish (2024) and the 2017 specification International GCSE qualifications in Chinese, French, German and Spanish have the same level of demand and are designed to accommodate a variety of different learners. Each of these qualifications rewards candidates with 9-1 grades and shares important similarities.
Both sets of qualifications:
- have the same level of demand and can be aligned to qualification levels 1 and 2 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- cover all four language skills: Listening, speaking, reading and writing
- allocate a 25% weighting to each skill in terms of the total qualification marks
- are 100% externally marked by Pearson-Edexcel examiners
- enable students to have some element of ‘content control’ in the speaking test
Apart from enjoying the above similarities and the same status, the two qualifications are quite distinctive and are aimed at different types of learner. The International GCSEs, for example, are primarily intended for those studying at international centres but many independent UK schools, seeking an alternative to GCSE, also choose to offer them. The GCSEs are developed in response to Department of Education subject criteria and are subject to Ofqual approval. These are primarily intended for secondary school students in England but have also proved popular internationally.
Their key differences can be seen below:
* Foundation tier papers are targeted at grades 1-5 and Higher tier papers at grades 4-9
| International GCSE features | GCSE features |
|---|---|
|
|
| International GCSE topic areas and subtopics | GCSE thematic contexts and subjects |
|---|---|
Home and Abroad
Education and Employment
Personal life and relationships
The world around us
Social activities, fitness and health
*Sub-topics A3, C3, C5, D2 and E4 not assessed in Paper 3: Speaking |
The vocabulary in this qualification enables students to communicate across a range of engaging and relatable thematic contexts, which are relevant to their current and future needs. We asked students and teachers about the subjects that were meaningful and interesting to them, and selected the following six broad thematic contexts to provide a focus for the teaching and learning of the vocabulary and grammar listed:
Within our thematic contexts, students could use the specified vocabulary and grammar to listen to, read, speak and write about the following subjects:
This list of subjects is not exhaustive and is intended to support planning of teaching and learning. |
| International GCSE | GCSE |
|---|---|
Paper 1 Listening 30 minutes - 40 marks
Paper 2 Reading and writing 1hour 45 mins – 80 marks
Paper 3 Speaking 8-10 mins (no preparation time) – 40 marks |
Paper 1 Speaking 50 marks Foundation 7-9 minutes Higher 10-12 minutes 15 minutes preparation time
Paper 2 Listening 50 marks Foundation 45 minutes Higher 60 minutes
Paper 3 Reading 50 marks Foundation 45 minutes Higher 60 minutes
Paper 4 Writing 50 marks Foundation 1 hour 15 minutes Higher 1 hour 20 minutes |
Subject advisor
Rebecca Waker
Languages
