The Department for Education publishes an annual list of non-GCSE qualifications that count towards performance tables. Only qualifications that have been judged to be high quality, rigorous, are the same size as a GCSE or larger and are proven to enable the majority of young people to progress to further study and into employment are included on the list. These reforms affect qualifications taught from September 2012.

This follows Professor Alison Wolf’s review of the current performance tables system, which she found inadvertently prioritised school performance table positions over pupils’ future prospects.

This list updates the one published by the Department on 31 January 2012. It includes 15 additional qualifications that have been accredited by Ofqual and found to meet the requirements set out in the Consultation Response (Technical Guidance for Awarding Organisations) published on 27 October 2011.

Courses taught from September 2012 and reported in the 14-16 performance tables for 2014 will include:

  • Full course GCSEs and established iGCSEs.1
  • Level 3 qualifications accredited for pre-16 pupils and currently included in 14-16 performance tables: AS levels, Level 3 free-standing maths qualifications, Level 3 Asset Language Ladder qualifications, and graded music examinations (grade 6 and above).
  • Approved qualifications that demonstrate the characteristics set out in the technical guidance published on 27 October 2011, as set out in the attached list.

The 2014 performance tables (to be reported in early 2015) will include only qualifications that are on the attached list. Each qualification will count as equivalent to no more than one GCSE.

The list of qualifications to be included in the 2015 performance tables (reported in early 2016) was published in January 2013. Teachers are encouraged to exercise their professional judgement to offer other qualifications which reflect individual pupils’ interests and abilities.

Any qualifications accredited by Ofqual and approved under Section 96 for pre-16 teaching can still be offered by schools, but will not count in performance tables. The list of qualifications with Ofqual accreditation and Section 96 approval can be found here.

1 Accredited versions of qualifications which were being offered as ’iGCSE’ and were being taken in independent and/or international schools before it was announced in June 2010 that accredited iGCSEs could be used in maintained schools.