GCSE English Language

We've updated our qualifications to reflect changes to 2021 exams and assessment.

Read about the changes to 2021 exams for GCSE English Language

Teaching from: September 2015
Exams from: June 2017
Specification code: 8700
QAN code: 601/4292/3

Our specification is designed to inspire and motivate your students, providing appropriate stretch and challenge whilst ensuring that the assessment and texts are, as far as possible, accessible to all students.

It enables your students to develop the skills they need to read, understand and analyse a wide range of different texts and write clearly.

We've developed two equally-balanced papers, each assessing reading and writing in an integrated way.

Specification

Specification at a glance

Past papers and mark schemes

Teaching resources

Plan

Prepare for your teaching year. Information, support and services to help you deliver the specification.

All planning resources

Teach

Teaching resources that you can use to plan your lessons and support your students’ learning.

All teaching resources

Assess

Prepare your students for assessment. Past papers, mark schemes and example answers.

All assessment resources

Key dates

2 November 2020 Exam for GCSE English Language Paper 1 (8700/1)
Series: November 2020
Start time: am
Duration: 1h 45m
4 November 2020 Exam for GCSE English Language Paper 2 (8700/2)
Series: November 2020
Start time: am
Duration: 1h 45m
5 November 2020 Non-exam assessment submission deadline for GCSE English Language (8700/C)
Schools and colleges may set their own internal deadlines