GCSE English (J350) and GCSE English Language (J355)

Clarification of controlled assessment tasks for GCSE English (J350) and GCSE English Language (J355)

There are two resit opportunities available for GCSE English (J350) and GCSE English Language (J355): one in November 2016 and one in June 2017. 

Both resit opportunities are only available to candidates who have previously taken the GCSE English or GCSE English Language qualification, or who had planned to take the qualification (but were not entered due to illness, injury or some other event outside of their control), or who are aged 16 or above on 31 August 2016. 

Any candidate who wishes to resit either GCSE English (J350) or GCSE English Language (J355) will need to resit the exam for Unit A680 (Information and ideas). 

Retaking the controlled assessment units 

For each of the controlled assessment units, candidates can choose to either resit that controlled assessment unit or to carry forward their result. When a candidate chooses to resit a controlled assessment unit, the new result will be the one that is used to calculate the new qualification grade.

The controlled assessment units are:

• GCSE English (J350) Units A641, A642 
• GCSE English Language (J355) Units A651, A650

If a candidate decides to resit a controlled assessment unit then they must resit the whole unit e.g. a candidate who chooses to resit unit A641 must resit all three literary essays. 

Candidates can carry forward the result of Unit A640 (Speaking and Listening) for the following qualifications:

• GCSE English (J350)
  
• GCSE English Language (J355) (including between the two specifications when resitting with the same exam board). 

Candidates who wish to resit the speaking and listening unit must resit all three activities in this unit.

Valid controlled assessment tasks 

The June 2016 controlled assessment tasks for the above units will remain valid for both the November 2016 and June 2017 resit opportunities. These tasks are available via Interchange. 

Can a candidate who re-enters a controlled assessment unit make another attempt at the same task? 

Candidates resitting a GCSE English (J350) or GCSE English Language (J355) controlled assessment unit in either November 2016 or June 2017 are allowed to make another attempt at the same task. The work presented for assessment must be entirely new. The candidate must not be allowed to amend work that has previously been submitted. 

Any notes or research previously been carried out can be re-used for the fresh attempt. Alternatively, candidates can choose to resit a different task than was previously attempted.

If you have any queries about this notice, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 01223 553998.