Languages
March 2026 Languages Update
Welcome to the March 2026 Languages update. For some international qualifications, speaking exams are now getting underway, while for UK qualifications this is still a time to prepare and get everything in place.
Alongside speaking, this update also flags a small number of wider qualification updates and reminders worth knowing about now, with clear signposting to the support available, so you can focus on what matters most for you and your students.
Quick links
In this update you will find:
- Digital Sequencing Tool (live version): guidance and access
- A level Chinese: updated support and materials
- Speaking exams: guidance and admin support (all qualifications)
- International A Level Exemplar Materials
- Proactive Associate MFL: Credly badge (last chance)
- Become a Pearson Assessment Associate
- Summer 2026 entry deadline – international centres
- Pearson Revise – have your say
- Help Improve Exam Equity for Neurodivergent Students!
- Contact and support: Facebook group, 1 to 1 meetings and email
Digital sequencing tool – Live tool updates
We’ve now published guidance for the Digital Sequencing Tool (live version), including what to check so everyone who needs access has it in good time. It also clearly sets out how the live tool differs from the demo version, which is especially helpful for teachers and exams officers working together to make sure everything runs smoothly.
A Level Chinese
Alongside the new specification and SAMs for A level Chinese, we’ve updated existing support to reflect the latest amendment.
You can now access:
- An updated A level Chinese Getting Started Guide
- A summary of changes to the 2026 Sample Assessment Materials
- Teacher presentations for both set works, in Traditional and Simplified character versions
- Paper 2 and Paper 3 exemplars, published in 2025
Speaking exams: guidance and support for all qualifications
Whether you’re delivering GCSE, International GCSE, A level or International A level, support for speaking exams is in place across all our languages qualifications. You’ll find clear administrative guidance for each qualification, designed to help everything run smoothly and consistently.
Aside from GCSE French, German and Spanish, where the Digital Sequencing Tool is now used, all other languages qualifications continue exactly as before. The structure of the assessment, the conduct of the exam and the administrative processes remain unchanged, and the existing guidance continues to apply.
This section signposts you to the right support for your qualification, so you can focus on preparing students with confidence, knowing the processes you’re using are familiar, valid and fully supported.
International A Level Exemplar Materials
If you teach International A Level French, German or Spanish you may be pleased to know that we have recently published exemplars for unit 2. These can be found on the relevant qualifcation page in Teaching and Learning Materials, alongside the existing exemplar materials for the other units.
Proactive Associate MFL: last chance to earn your Credly badge
Assessment Associates have until the end of March to complete the required activities and earn the Proactive Associate MFL Credly badge. After this point, the badge will no longer be awarded as we will be approaching first assessment.
Those who’ve already taken part have told us how much they’ve valued the recognition, and that working towards the badge helped them engage more deeply with the training content. Many found it supported more thoughtful reflection on the specification and gave them greater confidence in their assessment decisions.
If you’re eligible and would like to take part but don’t have the information sheet needed to complete the reflection activities, please do get in touch. This is the final opportunity to gain this formal recognition for the professional learning you’ve already invested in for the GCSE (2024) specification.
Examiner Vacancies – Be Part of the Team That Shapes Language Learning
We’re currently recruiting for some exciting roles in our Languages examiner team, and we’d love you to consider joining us.
These roles are a chance to:
✔️ Make a real impact – Your insights help shape assessments that reflect what learners know and can do.
✔️ Grow professionally – You’ll deepen your understanding of assessment and gain valuable experience.
✔️ Join a supportive network – Work alongside experienced colleagues who care about language education as much as you do.
✔️ Fit it around your teaching – Many of our examiners teach full-time and find the role complements their classroom work brilliantly.
Whether you’re ready to step into a senior role or want to build your experience as an examiner, we’d love to hear from you.
Pearson Revise - Have your say
Help shape our next Complete Revision and Exam Practice resource (MFL)
We’re exploring ideas for a potential new Complete Revision and Exam Practice title for MFL, and we’d really value your voice. This short, 10‑minute survey asks for your honest first impressions on two things that matter in the classroom: the format and pricing of the resource, and how an eBook version could work as part of the package.
Your insight helps us make decisions that genuinely support teaching and learning—not just in theory, but in real classrooms with real students. As a thank you for your time, you’ll be able to receive a £10 Amazon voucher after completing the survey.
If you can spare a few minutes, we’d love you to take part and help shape what comes next.
Help Improve Exam Equity for Neurodivergent Students!
Pearson has partnered with the UCL Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), to look at how neurotypical and neurodivergent (e.g. those who are autistic/have ADHD) students answer GCSE exam questions (https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/project/examine-exam-inequality-for-neurodivergent-students).
We hope this will allow us to make our exams more accessible for all students.
We would be very grateful if centres would consider taking part in the next phase of this very important project.
Need a bit more support?
If you have questions, want to talk something through, or would just find it helpful to chat things over, there are a few easy ways to stay connected.
You’re very welcome to join our Pearson Edexcel Languages teachers Facebook group, which offers a supportive, professional space to share ideas, ask questions and learn from colleagues teaching a wide range of languages and qualifications.
If you’d prefer something more individual, you can also book a 1 to 1 Teams meeting with me to discuss anything from assessment and admin to teaching and planning. And of course, if it’s easier, you can always use our support portal or email us and we’ll make sure your query reaches the right place.
However you choose to get in touch, support is there when you need it, all the links you need are below.
Subject advisor
Rebecca Waker
Languages
Subject updates
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GCSE (2024) French, German and Spanish Digital Sequencing Tool
The Digital Sequencing Tool replaces the GCSE French, German and Spanish Sequencing Grids from the previous qualification.
From 2026 onwards, teachers will use this digital tool to create the individual sequences of tasks for each assessment.