Last week, the NCLE (National Consortium for Languages Education) held the first in a series of six webinars on practical language teaching in schools in England on the language GCSE. Missed it? Don’t worry: five more sessions are on the way, so stay tuned.
The first session looked back at the first assessment of the new GCSE languages specification, which students sat in summer 2026 after completing the new two-year course.The reform promised a lot: a fairer and more transparent assessment, a stronger focus on the core vocabulary, grammar and sounds of the language, and a level playing field for every learner. So how did it go? Time for a look at the aftermath.
Speakers from the exam boards AQA and Pearson Edexcel joined the discussion, alongside teachers from the NCLE language networks. Based on feedback collected from networks across the country, the panel tackled the most frequently asked questions.
How can teachers make the best tiering decisions?
Teachers decide in advance which tier each student will sit, so they need a realistic picture of what each individual learner can do. Overlap questions, which appear on both tiers, are a useful indicator. AQA gave the example of the 90-word written response on Paper 4: if a student struggles with this question, they are unlikely to feel comfortable on the higher tier. It also helps to remember what each tier is designed for. Foundation tier targets grades 1 to 5, while higher tier targets grades 4 to 9. A student working at around a grade 5 is therefore likely to feel more confident on foundation. Teachers know their students best, so they should draw on a range of evidence rather than a single mock score. For example, they might consider whether a student:
• handles unpredictable speaking questions with confidence
• scores highly on the crossover questions
• can use different time frames and write around 130 to 150 words
Personal factors matter too. How does the student cope under exam pressure? How resilient, motivated and confident are they? If you are a teacher and still unsure, both boards offer support: AQA has a tiering guide and a quick-reference poster, and Pearson has a fact sheet.
Is grading fair across the two tiers?
Although the two tiers are awarded separately, they are designed to represent the same standard. At least 20% of the marks on the listening and reading papers are shared between the tiers, which helps examiners keep grades consistent. The result: a grade 4 or 5 has exactly the same value on both tiers, and it is no easier to achieve on either. The real difference is the range of grades available. Foundation tier stops at grade 5, so students aiming for a 6 or above need to sit the higher tier.
The read aloud task: you don’t need to sound native
The panel also discussed the speaking tasks in the new exam, starting with the read aloud. Whether you are a teacher looking to motivate your class or a student preparing for the exam, here is the key message: this task is not about sounding like a native speaker. Marks are awarded for clarity, comprehensibility and accurate pronunciation of the key sounds. Intonation is not assessed. So take your time and read steadily, sentence by sentence. Rushing and perfectionism often lead to small mistakes, such as skipping words. Following the text with a finger helps students keep their place. And if something goes wrong, students can correct themselves or start again: only the last attempt at each word is marked. Two more tips are worth passing on. With Pearson, students have one minute to practise before the marked reading. Encourage them to use it to read the text out loud, as this minute is not assessed. Students are also allowed to annotate their card, for example bymarking tricky words or liaisons.
How to tackle the unprepared questions after the read aloud
The questions that follow the read aloud are accessible, in the present tense and on familiar topics. Contrary to what many expect, AQA awards no marks for quality of language here, so it is perfectly fine to repeat familiar vocabulary. The questions also link directly to the text students have just read, so they can reuse words from it in their answers.
A good way to practise for AQA is to answer in three clauses: an opinion followed by two reasons. Pearson’s advice is slightly different: answers need at least two words, but students should not over-develop them, because extra information can make the message less clear. The golden rule for both boards: keep it short and simple.
How to look ridiculously photogenic in the photo description
The photo description is one of the more creative tasks. According to AQA, there are no compulsory details: any plausible description earns credit, from what people are wearing to the setting or the weather. Students describe two photos and need to say at least one thing about each.
Complexity is not what earns marks. Simple, clear language often beats ambitious language full of errors. Students should describe what they see in the third person presenttense and avoid guessing what happened before or what will happen next. Opinions are allowed, as long as they are based on what is visible in the picture. For example: “She must be sad because she is crying.”
Coming up next
In our next post, we’ll take you into the classroom: teachers from the same panel shared the strategies that worked for their students in this first exam series.