January 2024 Languages Update
Dear colleagues,
Happy new year. I hope you have had an enjoyable and relaxing break.
Please remember that you can get in touch with me using the details at the bottom of this page. I am available for all your questions about our languages qualifications.
Best wishes
Rebecca Waker
Subject Advisor for Languages
It's coming up to options evenings, so we have put together this collection of resources that we hope you'll find helpful. The collection includes both videos and printable materials so there should be something you can use both on the night and in class.
We know that at this time of year you will be supporting students with their GCSE options. We have created this video and downloadable slides to help explain the new specifications to students and their parents.
Watch on YouTube
Download narrated slides
Download slides only
We have now launched more face to face and online dates for our Getting Ready to Teach training for the GCSE French, German and Spanish 2024.
These are all free of charge.
Delegates will:
- develop understanding of the specification content and requirements (e.g. thematic contexts, vocabulary and grammar)
- deep dive into the new elements of the qualification and better understand their mark schemes
- find out more about the support available
- have the opportunity to discuss best practice and share ideas with other teachers.
Acting on feedback you have given us during our Getting Ready to Teach events we have arranged a new phonics training session.
In this session we will explore a range of teaching and learning strategies that can be used for both introducing and recycling phonics knowledge in the Modern Languages classroom from KS3. We will explore common challenges of the new Read Aloud and Dictation tasks and help you develop students’ phonic abilities in these areas.
We are offering a new training event in January related to the new GCSE writing paper.
In this event, we will focus on exploring key features of the question paper and mark criteria in the new Pearson Edexcel (2024) Paper 4, Writing, for French, German and Spanish, with a particular focus on:
• comparing the structure of the paper with the existing AQA structure, to support the centres who are switching to our qualification
• understanding application of the best fit mark criteria for writing tasks
• understanding the Pearson Edexcel approach for marking the translations
• considering teaching and learning approaches to best prepare your students for the examination.
For all the important details about conducting our exams please see our newly updated Administrative Support guides:
You may also be interested in our remote London Centre Orals service for GCE A Level.
We have arranged a range of training for the speaking exams. You can attend our regular speaking exam conduct training or one of my drop in sessions. My sessions will be short, 30 minute sessions with some top tips followed by time for your questions.
We'll also be sharing the updated versions of our Administrative Support Guide and London Centre Orals documents shortly.
GCSE Drop in sessions
GCSE exam conduct training
All languages 14th December
Spanish 5th March
French 6th March
A Level Drop in sessions
A level exam conduct training
28th February
I have created a playlist of support for the GCE A Level speaking exams. These videos go over the common issues with the conduct of the exams and answer the most frequently asked questions.
I will soon be creating these videos for GCSE, followed by our International GCSE and International A Level qualifications. I will share these on my February update. To be informed as soon as these are posted the best place to check is our Facebook Support Group.
As you know we are developing new resources for the 2024 GCSEs in French, German and Spanish. You can view the following videos to learn more about these.
To make sure you are kept up to date, register your interest in our resources.
From 1 January 2024, we are pleased to confirm that there will be a new web form for centres and private candidates to use when they wish to submit an application to appeal or request a review of an administrative decision. Using this web form will help to guide centres and private candidates in the information that needs to be provided in an application to appeal. This will help us to ensure we can process all applications promptly
The web form will be available on our main Post-results web page and on our Post-results services web page for T levels, and will be operational by 1 January 2024. From that date onwards we will no longer accept appeal applications that are made directly to our appeals email inbox. Appeals submitted to the inbox prior to 01 January 2024 will be processed. We will return any applications to appeal that are sent to our appeals inbox from 01 January 2024 to you with a request to submit them using the web form.
Centres and private candidates must use the web form to submit appeals related to:
1. the outcome of reviews of marking/moderation (within 30 calendar days of the date of the decision)
2. the decisions made in relation to student or centre malpractice (within 14 calendar days of the date of the decision)
3. the decisions made in relation to access arrangements, special consideration, reasonable adjustments (within 14 calendar days of the date of the decision)
4. the outcome of a preliminary appeal in any of the areas above. An application for an appeal hearing must only be made once a preliminary appeal has been conducted and must be made within 14 calendar days of the date of the preliminary appeal decision.
Centres and private candidates must also use the web form to request the review of an administrative decision in areas such as decisions made in relation to very late arrivals and where we have issued an aegrotat (estimated grade).
Further information on the appeals process can be found in the JCQ Appeals Booklet 2023.
Further information on appeals, including fees, can also be found on our website. Our website will be fully updated by 1 January 2024 to refer centres and private candidates to our webform.
General queries about issues that are not appeals should not be submitted on the appeals webform as we will not be able to process them. If you need help with a matter that is not an appeal, please contact our customer services team for assistance. This will ensure your query can be routed to the appropriate team without delay.
Subject advisor
Rebecca Waker
Languages
