Consultation Response Form
Consultation closing date: 20 August 2013
Your comments must reach us by that date
Reformed GCSE subject content
consultation
If you would prefer to respond online to this consultation please use the following
link: https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations
Publication
Information you provide in your response to this consultation may be subject to
publication or disclosure in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Confidentiality
Please make it clear if you want all/any part of your response to be treated as
confidential and explain why. If a request for disclosure of the information you have
provided is received by DfE, your explanation will be taken into account, but no
assurance can be given that confidentiality can be maintained. An automatic
confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as
binding on the Department.
Please tick if you want us to keep your response confidential.
Reason for confidentiality:
Personal data
For the purposes of the Data Protection Act, DfE is the data controller for any personal
data you supply in response to this consultation. DfE will process all personal data
(such as your name, address and any other identifying information) in accordance with
the Data Protection Act 1998. In most circumstances, this means that your personal
data will not be disclosed to third parties.
Please do not:

provide information in comments boxes that might identify you unless you are
content for that information to be released into the public domain; or

provide information in your response that might lead to the identification of other
living individuals
Name: Dr Steve Tilling
Please tick if you are responding on behalf of your organisation.
x
Name of Organisation (if applicable): Field Studies Council
Address:
Preston Montford
Montford Bridge
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY4 5PU
Information sharing
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is undertaking a
parallel consultation on regulatory conditions for GCSEs. Please tell us if you or your
organisation has responded or is intending to respond, to Ofqual’s consultation:
Yes
x
Don’t know
No
Please only respond to the next statement if you have ticked ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ above:
If you provide comments to us that are relevant to Ofqual’s consultation, we intend to
forward your responses to them so they can be considered by Ofqual. If you do not
want us to do this then please opt-out by ticking the box below:
I do not want DfE to forward my response to this consultation to Ofqual
Please mark the box that best describes you as a respondent.
Academy and/or Free
Comprehensive
School
School
Independent School
Special School
Subject Association
Organisations
representing teachers
State Selective School
Sixth Form Only
Parent
X
Young Person
Higher Education
Further Education
Local Authority
Teacher
Governor
Employer/Business
sector
Awarding
Organisation
The Field Studies Council (FSC) is an education charity committed to bringing
environmental understanding to all. It currently welcomes 145,000 visitors every year on
courses to its national network of 17 Field Centres. These include groups from nearly 3,000
schools, colleges and universities. Established in 1943, FSC has become internationally
respected for its national network of education centres and is the UK’s leading provider of
curriculum focused field courses.
FSC provides informative and enjoyable opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to
discover, explore, be inspired by, and understand the natural and built environment. We
believe that the more we know about the environment, the more we can appreciate its
needs and protect its diversity and beauty for future generations. We feel that fieldwork
should be a vital element of an imaginative and contemporary education.
www.field-studies-council.org
If you have an enquiry which is related to the DfE e-consultation website or the
consultation process in general, you can contact the Ministerial and Public
Communications Division by e-mail: consultation.unit@education.gsi.gov.uk or by
telephone: 0370 000 2288 or via the Department's 'Contact Us' page.
Questions 1-6 below ask you to give your views with reference to a specific subject
suite:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
English,
Mathematics
Sciences
Geography
History
Modern and ancient languages.
You do not need to give answers for all the subject suites - please answer only with
respect to those subjects on which you have a particular view.
Please ensure that you answer questions 7-11 as well – we would like responses from
everyone on those.
1. English, including English language and English literature
1a Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for English, which
includes English language and English literature, cover the appropriate knowledge and
understanding for GCSEs in these subjects?
Yes
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
No -insufficiently
demanding
No- overly demanding
1b Is the relative weighting of the assessment objectives right for English, which
includes English literature and English language?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
1c Has the right practical content for English language been identified to allow
students to gain the skills to progress in the subject, beyond the content which can be
examined externally and reliably included in the GCSE grade?
Yes
Comments:
No comment.
No
Not Sure
1d Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for English, which
includes English literature and English language, provide assurance that essential
knowledge taught at the earlier key stages is built upon and represented
adequately?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
1e Will the proposed qualifications in English, which includes English language and
English literature, secure sound progression for the purposes of further academic
and vocational study?
Yes
Comments:
No comment.
No
Not Sure
2. Mathematics
2a Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for mathematics
cover the appropriate knowledge and understanding for GCSEs in this subject?
Yes
No -insufficiently
demanding
No- overly demanding
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
2b Is the relative weighting of the assessment objectives right for mathematics?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
2c Has the right content for mathematics been identified for high achievers, including
those going on to study A levels in science, technology, engineering and/or
mathematics (STEM)?
Yes
Comments:
No comment.
No
Not Sure
2d Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for mathematics
provide assurance that essential knowledge taught at the earlier key stages is
built upon and represented adequately?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
2e Will the proposed qualifications in mathematics secure sound progression for the
purposes of further academic and vocational study?
Yes
Comments:
No comment.
No
Not Sure
3. Science, including biology, chemistry, physics and combined science
3a Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for science, which
includes biology, chemistry, physics and combined science, cover the appropriate
knowledge and understanding for GCSEs in these subjects?
X
Yes
No -insufficiently
demanding
No- overly demanding
Not Sure
Subject aims and learning outcomes
Science connections
FSC welcomes:
 the aim to help students to develop curiosity about the natural world, including its
relevance to everyday lives.
 the intention to focus on key ideas relating to sciences which are inter-linked and are of
universal application, and the recognition that some of these apply across and between
the three sciences.
FSC is concerned that the subject content, in physics in particular, does not fulfill these aims.
Interdisciplinary approaches characterize much of the most inspirational contemporary science
research but the subject content of the three sciences does not emphasise this. Potential
‘outfacing’ linkages could be made (for example) through: food yields (biology) and fertilisers
(chemistry) and changes of state (physics); decomposition (biology); efficacy of recycling
(chemistry) and national & global energy sources (physics).
Many of these connections could be made through extended practicals and fieldwork.
Recommendation
FSC recommends that an additional bullet is added (immediately following the first bullet), to
read:
 develop awareness and understanding of how key ideas in science may be interlinked
with applications across and between the three sciences.
Subject content
Overall observation
The level of content (in length and depth of detail) presented in the separate sciences is
inconsistent. This could undermine opportunities to teach across the sciences, and/or for
teachers to negotiate ‘off timetable’ activities such as fieldwork visits with colleagues teaching
other sciences.
Biology
FSC welcomes the recognition that ‘biological information is used to help humans improve their
own lives and strive to create a sustainable world for future generations’. This is a powerful
statement that should be retained.
We are concerned that fieldwork is not required explicitly in the biology subject content (or in
the overall science subject aims and learning outcomes – see above). Considerable evidence
demonstrates that any presumption that fieldwork will be adopted as one of the ‘other learning
environments’ is flawed. FSC recommends that the need for fieldwork should be stated
explicitly in (at least) the Ecosystems section. For example, the introductory bullet in the
Biodiversity sub-section should be amended to read:
 Carry out a fieldwork investigation into the distribution and abundance of organisms
in an ecosystem and determine their numbers in a given area.
FSC recommends that the ‘biological challenges of increasing food yields using fewer resources’
sub-section (within the Ecosystems section) becomes a general requirement for all GCSE
biology specifications, not (as currently presented) an exclusive requirement for single award
biology. This sub-section should be an integral part to delivering the ‘sustainable world’ aim
which applies to the whole of biology (see above).
Chemistry
FSC welcomes and endorses the balance of subject content and the links made to human
impacts and management. We recommend that existing content is retained including
references to: agricultural productivity; industrial applications; efficacy of recycling; greenhouse
gases; climate change; atmospheric pollutants; water resources. We believe that these links will
help to deliver the overall science aim ‘to help students to develop curiosity about the natural
world, including its relevance to everyday lives’ (see above).
FSC recommends that the sub-section ‘Agricultural productivity and the use of nitrogen,
phosphorous and potassium-based fertilisers’ (within the ‘Chemicals and allied industries’
section) becomes a general requirement for all GCSE chemistry specifications, not (as currently
presented) an exclusive requirement for single award chemistry.
FSC believes that the present balance in the chemistry subject content could be introduced by a
contextual statement in the introduction, similar to the one made in biology. We recommend
that the following statement is included:
 Chemical information is used to help humans improve their own lives and strive to
create a sustainable world for future generations
Physics
The subject content (including derived units and equations appendices) is twice as long as
biology, mainly because it includes over 6 times as much recall. This appears to contradict the
science subject aim ‘that there is no expectation that teaching (such) content should be
repeated during the GCSE course where it has already been covered at an earlier stage’.
FSC recommends that the present level of ‘recall’ is reduced, to create space which can be used
for themes and contexts which are weakly represented including sustainability (encompassing
the effects of human activity) and earth science. It will also release time to carry out practicals,
including fieldwork; these will be squeezed out by an unbalanced emphasis on ‘revision’ which,
inevitably, will be largely classroom-based.
Integrating human activity will provide opportunities to teach physics in contexts that link to
everyday lives, including activities which can take place outside the classroom and laboratory,
including fieldwork. This strengthening of the human and everyday context will encourage
recruitment to further study, at A level and beyond. This is important; the need for more
people with key skills in earth science is a recurring theme in reviews of UK STEM capacity.
FSC recommends that an additional sentence is added to the introductory sentence of the
physics section, to bring the discipline into line with the introduction and/or content of biology
and chemistry.
 Physical information is used to help humans improve their own lives and strive to
create a sustainable world for future generations
3b Is the relative weighting of the assessment objectives right for sciences, which
includes biology, chemistry, physics and combined science?
x
Yes
No
Not Sure
FSC welcomes DfE’s recognition of the critical importance of practical work in science subjects
and endorses the 20% weighting given in AO3 and AO4 to experimental skills and methods. We
also support the guidance that 10% should be assessed through direct internal assessment.
We have recommended in our response to Ofqual in the concurrent GCSE reform consultation
that clear and strong guidance should be provided to ensure that this internal assessment
includes the collection of primary data and avoids the use of prescriptive and sanitised practical
activities which have little educational value in the teaching of science. In short, we would like
to see a considerable improvement on some of the approaches used since GCSE coursework
and controlled assessments were introduced in 1988 and 2009 respectively. The need for
Awarding Bodies to develop assessment which promotes a culture of in-depth teaching and
learning and encompasses the breadth of educational experiences gained through fieldwork
was one of six main recommendations in the Outdoor Science report, published by FSC for ASE
and King’s College London, launched in parliament in January 2011. See:
http://www.field-studies-council.org/media/154119/2010_outdoor_science.pdf
See also FSC’s response to Q3d.
3c Has the right practical content for science been identified to allow students to gain
the skills to progress in the subject?
x
Yes
No
Not Sure
The use of practicals
FSC welcomes the statement that specifications should enable students to develop and apply
observational, practical, modelling, enquiry and problem-solving skills.
However, FSC is concerned that fieldwork is not mentioned specifically as a teaching and
learning approach, either in the overall subject aims for science or in the introductions and
subject content in the separate sciences. We recommend that fieldwork is reinstated, as a
requirement across all science teaching. Without this it is likely that ‘Outdoor Science’ will
continue to decline, and with it the opportunity to explore inspirational science which is
presented in contexts that have clear links to everyday lives (including inter-disciplinary issues
and themes - see previous section).
Recommendation
FSC recommends that the third bullet is amended, to read:
 develop and learn to apply observational, practical, modelling, enquiry and problemsolving skills, in the laboratory, through fieldwork and in other learning environments.
3d Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for sciences, which
includes biology, chemistry, physics and combined science, provide assurance that
essential knowledge taught at the earlier key stages is built upon and represented
adequately?
x
Yes
No
Not Sure
See also FSC response to Q3a.
FSC is concerned that the content in physics is unbalanced by an overly prescriptive approach
to ensuring progression from earlier key stages. The subject content (including derived units
and equations appendices) is twice as long as biology, mainly because it includes over 6 times
as much recall. This appears to contradict the science subject aim ‘that there is no expectation
that teaching (such) content should be repeated during the GCSE course where it has already
been covered at an earlier stage’.
FSC recommends that the present level of ‘recall’ is reduced, to create space which can be used
for themes and contexts which are weakly represented including sustainability (encompassing
the effects of human activity) and earth science. It will also release time to carry out practicals,
including fieldwork; these will be squeezed out by an unbalanced emphasis on ‘revision’ which,
inevitably, will be largely classroom-based.
3e Will the proposed qualifications in sciences, which includes biology, chemistry,
physics and combined science, secure sound progression for the purposes of
further academic and vocational study?
x
Yes
No
Not Sure
FSC welcomes the inclusion of themes linked to environment, its management and human
impacts in biology and chemistry. We are concerned that physics is entirely devoid of such
links. This will provide a weak foundation for progression into A levels (and HE), but particularly
into vocational study where much of the subject is characterised by inter-disciplinary
applications in research, manufacturing etc., often in environmental fields.
3f Will the combined science double award provide students with a sufficiently
secure basis for progression to A level study of each of biology, chemistry and
physics?
x
Yes
No
Not Sure
FSC recommends that the ‘biological challenges of increasing food yields using fewer resources’
sub-section (within the Ecosystems section) becomes a general requirement for all GCSE
science specifications, not (as currently presented) an exclusive requirement for single award
biology. This sub-section should be an integral part to delivering the ‘sustainable world’ aim
which applies to the whole of biology (see above).
4. Geography
4a Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for geography
cover the appropriate knowledge and understanding for GCSEs in this subject?
x
Yes
No -insufficiently
demanding
No- overly demanding
Not Sure
Subject aims and learning outcomes
FSC welcomes the breadth of aims and outcomes and recommends that all are retained. This
should include the present focus on ‘illuminating the impact of change and of complex peopleenvironment interactions’ and the developing of students’ competence in using a wide range of
geographical investigative skills and approaches.
FSC also welcomes the specific references to fieldwork in two of the four enabling statements.
We support the recognition that fieldwork is an essential requirement for a fully rounded GCSE
geography education.
The references to fieldwork provide a coherent progression from the most recent draft
National Curriculum Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets (published 8 July 2013).
Subject Content
Location knowledge
FSC welcomes and endorses the requirement to link locational knowledge and context of two
countries/regions directly with other subject criteria (for example, ecosystems in science).
FSC recommends that the requirement for these cross-curricular links are made explicit in any
guidance notes accompanying the GCSE subject content, and are targeted in subject inspection
frameworks. Without this encouragement we question whether the links will be made in many
secondary schools.
Place knowledge
Geography in the UK. FSC welcomes and endorses the inclusion of environmental challenges in
this section.
People and environment: processes and interactions
FSC welcomes and endorses the balance and content of this section including the inclusion of
issues related to sustainable use and management in Global Ecosystems.
Maps, fieldwork and geographical skills
FSC welcomes and endorses the requirements that:
 different approaches to fieldwork should be undertaken in at least two contrasting
environments;
 fieldwork should involve the collection of primary data
 collected fieldwork data should be subjected to interpretation, presentation, application
and evaluation.
Assessment Objectives
FSC welcomes and endorses the requirement for fieldwork to account for at least 15% of the
total weighting (<5% skills; <10% application). We are concerned, however, that assessment
will be entirely through external examination – see FSC responses to Q4b & Q4c.
4b Is the relative weighting of the assessment objectives right for geography?
x
Yes
No
Not Sure
Assessment Objectives
FSC welcomes and endorses the requirement for fieldwork to account for at least 15% of the
total weighting (<5% skills; <10% application).
4c We are working on options to ensure that fieldwork takes place. One option might be
a letter, submitted to AOs and signed by the head teacher and head of geography,
which states that fieldwork has taken place beyond the classroom and school grounds.
Do you think this would be an effective measure to demonstrate that fieldwork has
taken place beyond the classroom and school grounds?
x
Yes
No
Not Sure
FSC recommends that fieldwork, or some critical elements of fieldwork, should be assessed
internally.
FSC fully supports the recognition that fieldwork is crucial to the strong role envisaged for
geography in the revised and more challenging curriculum at all levels and, therefore, that it
should be assessed through identifiable element or elements.
FSC does not support the conclusion that the full cycle of collecting, presenting and analysing
geographical data (see subject aims and learning outcomes above) can be assessed exclusively
through fieldwork questions in final examination paper(s).
The present text refers to fieldwork tasks in the final examination papers. This statement is
highly ambivalent and in the absence of any further information we are very concerned that
inappropriate external assessment approaches could undermine the very rigour that this new
curriculum has set out to achieve, in particular the critical role for acquiring high-level skills
developed through real ‘hands-on’ fieldwork. Without guidance for Awarding Bodies in
particular there is a significant risk that the external examinations which are developed will
hinder rather than help in ensuring the development of high quality geography fieldwork,
including critical skills such as collecting and analysing primary data, and using and
manipulating equipment.
FSC accepts that there could be a role for other evidence, such as a verification letter, but not
as a replacement for internal assessment, with external moderation. FSC recommends that
further research is carried out into the likely impacts on fieldwork provision in schools,
including those from more disadvantaged areas, before this is applied.
FSC remains unconvinced (for now) that a non-examined letter will be sufficiently respected by
head teachers, teachers or parents to ensure that fieldwork is given high enough priority. This
conclusion is supported by a joint FSC/BES report (2002) which summarised a workshop
involving chief examiners of biology which concluded that “if it’s not examined, it’s not
important”. See:
http://www.field-studiescouncil.org/media/268879/2002_creating_the_right_balance._delivering_effective_fieldwork.p
df
A verifying letter (or certificate) will need to be recognized as an essential requirement in
transitioning to another level (A levels for example), or providing a meaningful and respected
foundation for future academic or career advancement, for it to protect the provision of highquality fieldwork. To replace the current internal assessment (the application of which we
accept is flawed) with unproven written examinations, with or without a ‘letter of verification’,
is a high-risk strategy for a subject which everybody accepts has a reliance on practical skills and
applications.
FSC is also concerned that any erosion in access to fieldwork beyond the classroom and school
grounds will occur disproportionately across schools, with fieldwork for students in more
disadvantaged areas (with a higher dependency on support targeted through pupil premiums)
being most threatened. A statutory requirement is essential in these circumstances. See also
FSC response to Q9.



FSC accepts that an e-portfolio of laboratory and fieldwork (science) and fieldwork
(geography) could become a very useful and effective tool for future assessment, for example
by showing that students have taken part in a full range of practical experiences. FSC
recommends that Awarding Bodies should be encouraged to explore transferable portfolios
of practical work, including those held electronically.
If moderated externally, FSC believes that such an approach would encourage teachers and
senior managers to engage in more frequent practical work throughout courses, providing
greater opportunities for the progressive development of practical and manipulative skills
(equipment handling etc.), knowledge, understanding and curiosity.

Such a progression would, for example, enable older students (by GCSE at the latest) to tackle
open-ended investigations and deal with the ‘messy’ data which often characterizes real
science and geography research, but is lacking from current assessment approaches.


4d Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for geography provide
assurance that essential knowledge taught at the earlier key stages is built upon
and represented adequately?
x
Yes
No
Not Sure
FSC welcomes the higher profile given to environmental geography in the proposed national
curriculum for KS3 in particular. This has strengthened the opportunities for progression at all
secondary phases.
4e Will the proposed qualifications in geography secure sound progression for the
purposes of further academic and vocational study?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
5. History
5a Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for history cover
the appropriate knowledge and understanding for GCSEs in this subject?
Yes
No -insufficiently
demanding
No- overly demanding
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
5b Is the relative weighting of the assessment objectives right for history?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
5c Should students be encouraged, as part of their GCSE history studies, to undertake
a historical investigation that gives them the opportunity to conduct independent
research into a historical issue, event or process of their choosing resulting in an
extended essay?
Yes
No
Not Sure
If so, how can this be achieved best?
No comment.
5d Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for history provide
assurance that essential knowledge taught at the earlier key stages is built upon
and represented adequately?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
5e Will the proposed qualifications in history secure sound progression for the
purposes of further academic and vocational study, including encouragement of the
ability to conduct independent study in the subject?
Yes
Comments:
No comment.
No
Not Sure
6. Modern and ancient languages
6a Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for modern and
ancient languages cover the appropriate knowledge and understanding for GCSEs in
these subjects?
Yes
No -insufficiently
demanding
No- overly demanding
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
6b Is the relative weighting of the assessment objectives right for modern and
ancient languages?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
6c Do the proposed subject content and assessment objectives for modern and ancient
languages provide assurance that essential knowledge taught at the earlier key
stages is built upon and represented adequately?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
6d Will the proposed qualifications in modern and ancient languages secure sound
progression for the purposes of further academic and vocational study?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
Please answer all the remaining questions, which include questions on literacy,
numeracy and impact on specific groups of students.
7 Does the English language content cover the key elements of literacy needed for
employment or further study?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Comments:
No comment.
8 Does the mathematics content cover the key elements of numeracy needed for
employment or further study?
Yes
Comments:
No comment.
No
Not Sure
9 Do any of the proposals have potential to have a disproportionate impact, positive
or negative, on specific pupil groups, in particular the 'protected characteristic'
groups? (The relevant protected characteristics are disability, gender reassignment,
pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation); if they
have potential for an adverse impact, how can we reduce this?
Yes - Positive impact
x
Yes - Negative impact
No
Not Sure
Fieldwork is an important element within a pupil’s progressive development of practical skills
and as such FSC welcomes its inclusion within a broad and balanced curriculum. However, we
are concerned that particular groups of students will face barriers in accessing fieldwork and
outdoor learning opportunities due to lack of funding.
FSC is concerned that there is as yet no evidence note on the positive impact of outdoor
learning on the DfE’s “Pupil premium-how to use it” webpage. Ofsted’s initial review of its use
found that only a third of schools had used the funding to subsidise or pay for educational trips
or residential visits. We also know of at least one Local Authority which has withdrawn its core
funding to support disadvantaged pupils attending residentials as a result of funding being
directly allocated to schools.
Joint FSC and Institute of Education research identified an overlooked ‘middle group’ who come
from borderline families who often have just failed to qualify for hardship support, but who
also lack the means to pay for residential visits themselves. Many young people in this group
have very high potential which could remain unfulfilled without the opportunity of a learning
experience allowing them to develop further. FSC is concerned that currently a whole
generation of young people do not experience outdoor learning through no fault of their own.
FSC recommends clear guidance should be published by Department for Education directing
teachers to additional support – such as Pupil Premium – which will enable them to
implement a high-quality curriculum, delivered through effective teaching and learning
approaches including fieldwork and outdoor learning, which is accessible to ALL pupils.
10 Have you any further comments?
Comments:
No comment.
11 Please let us have your views on responding to this consultation (e.g. the number
and type of questions, whether it was easy to find, understand, complete etc.).
Pages 3-4 do not offer an option for respondents to identify themselves as being from the NGO
sector, nor to select ‘other’.
Thank you for taking the time to let us have your views. We do not intend to
acknowledge individual responses unless you place an 'X' in the box below.
Please acknowledge this reply.
x
E-mail address for acknowledgement: Estelle@field-studies-council.org
Here at the Department for Education we carry out our research on many different
topics and consultations. As your views are valuable to us, please confirm below if you
would be willing to be contacted again from time to time either for research or to send
through consultation documents.
x
Yes
No
All DfE public consultations are required to meet the Cabinet Office Principles on
Consultation
The key Consultation Principles are:




departments will follow a range of timescales rather than defaulting to a 12-week
period, particularly where extensive engagement has occurred before
departments will need to give more thought to how they engage with and consult
with those who are affected
consultation should be ‘digital by default', but other forms should be used where
these are needed to reach the groups affected by a policy; and
the principles of the Compact between government and the voluntary and
community sector will continue to be respected.
Responses should be completed on-line or emailed to the relevant consultation email
box. However, if you have any comments on how DfE consultations are conducted,
please contact Carole Edge, DfE Consultation Coordinator, tel: 0370 000 2288 / email:
carole.edge@education.gsi.gov.uk
Thank you for taking time to respond to this consultation.
Completed responses should be sent to the address shown below by 20 August 2013
Send by post to:
Qualification and Assessment Division
Department for Education
L2
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Send by e-mail to: GCSEcontent.consultation@education.gsi.gov.uk