Wales runs its own GCSE system, separate from England's, and it's changing now: 26 new "Made-for-Wales" GCSEs roll in from September 2025, several core subjects become combined double awards on a new grading scale, and the Welsh Baccalaureate has already been replaced. Expect real differences from England's system, not a variation on it.
The 26 new Made-for-Wales GCSEs
Qualifications Wales — the body that regulates exams in Wales, separate from Ofqual — has developed 26 new GCSEs specifically for Wales's Curriculum for Wales, most of them first taught from September 2025 with the first exam awards landing in 2027. These aren't simply Welsh-branded versions of the English specifications; they've been built to align with Curriculum for Wales's own structure and Areas of Learning and Experience, which sit differently from the English national curriculum. A family relocating between England and Wales partway through secondary school should expect their child's GCSE subjects, and sometimes the way those subjects are combined, to look genuinely unfamiliar.
Double-award subjects on a new 8-point scale
The most visible change for parents is that three core subject areas are now taught and graded as combined double awards rather than as separate single GCSEs:
| Double award | Combines | Grading scale |
|---|---|---|
| English Language & Literature | English Language + English Literature | 8-point scale, A*A*–GG |
| Cymraeg Language & Literature | Welsh Language + Welsh Literature | 8-point scale, A*A*–GG |
| Mathematics & Numeracy | Mathematics + Numeracy | 8-point scale, A*A*–GG |
Each double award produces a single combined grade pair (for example, "A*A*" or "GG") rather than two separate GCSE certificates, and Qualifications Wales has been explicit that this new 8-point scale is a deliberate change from the 9–1 numerical scale used in England — a Welsh grade cannot be read across to an English GCSE grade on a like-for-like basis, which matters for any family judging a child's results against England-based benchmarks or predicted grades.
Science GCSEs are changing too — and on a different timeline
Wales's science GCSEs are also being restructured, but on a staggered timeline that's worth tracking separately from the double-award subjects above. A written government statement (16 September 2025) confirmed that GCSE The Sciences (Double Award) — the Welsh equivalent of combined science — has been delayed to first teaching in September 2026, a year later than most of the other new Made-for-Wales GCSEs. Alongside it, a new single-award Integrated Science GCSE is being introduced as an option for pupils taking a lighter science load, while separate single-subject biology, chemistry and physics GCSEs are ceasing under the new system. Families with a child currently in Year 8 or 9 should check directly with the school which science pathway — and which teaching year — applies to their cohort, since the delay means schools are not all moving in step.
When options happen, and what a typical Year 9 spread looks like
Subject choices in Wales are made in Year 9, similar in timing to many two-year-KS4 schools in England, though the reasoning behind the timing sits inside Wales's own Curriculum for Wales structure rather than England's Key Stage 4 rules. A typical pupil in Wales takes around nine GCSEs in total once core and chosen subjects are combined — a broadly similar overall number to the English average, even though the subject mix and grading differ. Welsh (Cymraeg) is compulsory for all pupils up to age 16, regardless of whether a family is Welsh-speaking at home, which is a structural difference from England that has no direct equivalent (English schools have no compulsory second-language requirement).
The Welsh Baccalaureate has been replaced
Families who remember the Welsh Baccalaureate as a fixture of post-14 study in Wales should note it has already been phased out for the current cohort. For pupils starting Year 10 from 2025 onwards, the Welsh Bacc has been replaced by a "Learner Entitlement" — a different framework for the skills and wider-experience elements that used to sit inside the Bacc qualification. This isn't a rebrand of the same award; it changes what's assessed and how it counts alongside the GCSEs above, so a parent basing expectations on an older sibling's experience of the Welsh Bacc should ask the school specifically what the current Learner Entitlement involves.
FAQ
Are Wales's new GCSEs the same as England's, just with a Welsh label?
No. The 26 new Made-for-Wales GCSEs have been built specifically for the Curriculum for Wales, most first taught from September 2025 with first awards in 2027, and several core subjects are now combined double awards graded on an entirely different scale from England's 9–1 system.
What is a "double award" GCSE and how is it graded?
A double award combines two related subjects — for example, English Language and English Literature — into one qualification with a single combined grade pair on an 8-point scale, A*A* down to GG. Wales currently has three: English Language & Literature, Cymraeg Language & Literature, and Mathematics & Numeracy.
When do pupils in Wales choose their GCSE options?
Choices happen in Year 9, similarly timed to many two-year Key Stage 4 schools in England, though under Wales's separate Curriculum for Wales structure. A typical pupil ends up taking around nine GCSEs in total.
Is the Welsh Baccalaureate still running?
Not for pupils starting Year 10 from 2025 onwards. It has been replaced by a "Learner Entitlement," a different framework for the skills and wider-experience elements that previously sat inside the Welsh Bacc qualification — worth asking the school about directly rather than assuming it works the same way as an older sibling's experience.
Are science GCSEs changing in Wales too?
Yes, but on a separate, delayed timeline. GCSE The Sciences (Double Award) has been pushed back to first teaching in September 2026, alongside a new single-award Integrated Science option; separate biology, chemistry and physics GCSEs are being phased out. Check with the school which year group is affected, since not every cohort moves at the same time.
Whichever system your child is studying under, understanding exactly how their subjects are graded and where the gaps are matters for targeted support — explore aitutors.me to find out more.