This update was originally published on 1 October 2021. On 2 November, we added links to our Changes for 2022 web pages for GCSE Geography A, GCSE Geography B and AS Level Geography. On 11 November, we added links to the formulae sheets for GCSE Maths and FSMQ, and data sheets for GCSE Physics and Combined Science. On 23 November, we now added links to our updated NEA Centre Declaration Form which must be submitted for GCSE English Language, A Level Sciences and A Level Geology. We have now added a link to our summary of what to expect from advance information.
On 30 September 2021, the outcome of the joint DfE/Ofqual consultation on changes to the assessment of GCSEs, AS and A Levels exams in summer 2022 was published.
You can see an overview of all the measures for summer 2022 in our news story. In this update, we summarise the adaptations and non-exam assessment (NEA) for our GCSE, AS and A Levels, as well as providing information on support materials.
If your GCSE, AS Level or A Level subject is not listed here, this means there are no specific adaptations for 2022.
As mentioned in our news story, to support student revision, we'll also be providing advance information about the focus of content within a specification to be assessed in summer 2022. This will be communicated by 7 February, in advance of the exams, and will apply to the majority of subjects at GCSE, AS and A Level as well as Core Maths and Free Standing Maths Qualification (FSMQ). See our subject update published on 9 December which includes our summary of what to expect from advance information.
You can read about the 2021/22 adaptations for Cambridge Nationals and Cambridge Technicals on our website.
If you have any queries about this update, please call our Customer Support Centre on 01223 553998 or email support@ocr.org.uk.
What's on this page
Ancient History
GCSE Ancient History J198
Students taking GCSE Ancient History in summer 2022 will be examined on both period studies and one depth study.
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Art and Design
GCSE Art and Design (9-1) J170–J176
Students taking GCSE (9-1) Art & Design in summer 2022 will not have to study the full course and will not be assessed on all the content:
- All students must complete the Component (01): Portfolio.
- We have removed Component (02): Externally set task for summer 2022
- No pre-release material will be published for summer 2022.
A Level Art and Design H600–H606
Students taking A Level Art & Design in summer 2022 will not have to study the full course and will not be assessed on all the content:
- All students must complete the Component (01): Personal investigation, including the portfolio and related study.
- We have removed Component (02): Externally set task for summer 2022
- No pre-release material will be published for summer 2022.
AS Level Art and Design H200–H206
- We have permanently reformed Component (01) from an externally set task to a portfolio/personal investigation for summer 2022 and onwards.
- All students must complete the Component (01) – Portfolio/Personal investigation.
- No pre-release material will be published for summer 2022.
For 2021/22, we would like to return to visiting moderation for Art and Design if possible, and if centres and moderators support this approach. However, because there is clearly some potential for further disruption, some digital evidence will be needed so that it can be used as an alternative basis for moderation. We therefore advise that as soon as possible centres assess candidates and gather digital evidence for their 2022 cohorts.
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Citizenship Studies
GCSE Citizenship Studies (9-1) J270
We'll be providing guidance on how students can carry out citizenship in action during this time when there are public health restrictions. There will be:
- No changes to the question papers
- No changes made to the marking criteria.
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Computer Science
GCSE Computer Science (9-1) J277
- The Practical Programming skills remain a requirement
- Candidates must be given the opportunity to design, write, test, and refine program(s) using a high-level programming language with a textual program definition, either to a specification or to solve a problem (or problems)
- There is no formal requirement for either supervision or time spent on the delivery of the practical skills requirement. Knowledge of these skills are tested in the Component 2 examination.
- Centres will need to submit the Practical Programming statement by May 15.
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Design and Technology
GCSE Design and Technology (9-1) J310, A Level Design and Technology H404–H406, AS Level Design and Technology H004–H006
- Ofqual has confirmed that for 2022 we can accept mock-ups and/or clear and detailed intentions of prototypes. We will provide clarification about our requirements.
- Ofqual has also confirmed we can allow demonstrations of using machinery/tools/processes.
- The examined components will remain unchanged.
NEA arrangements for Design and Technology
Students taking Design and Technology qualifications in summer 2022 will have a reduction in NEA requirements. For full details, please see the Changes for 2022 pages on the Design and Technology qualification pages:
- GCSE Design and Technology (9-1) J310
- A Level Design and Technology H404–H406 and AS Level Design and Technology H004–H006
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Drama
GCSE Drama (9-1) J316
Students taking GCSE Drama in summer 2022 will have a reduction in NEA requirements:
- The minimum duration time of performances for Devising Drama and Presenting and Performing Texts will be reduced.
- In both NEA components students will be allowed to present monologues for performance where group performances are not possible.
- There will be no change to the written paper Performance and Response.
- There will be no visiting examiner for Presenting and Performing Texts. Performance recordings will be submitted instead.
- The Evaluation of Live Theatre will, as currently, be allowed to be on a recorded/streamed/digital performance.
A Level Drama and Theatre H459
Students taking A Level Drama and Theatre in summer 2022 will have a reduction in NEA requirements:
- There will be a reduction in minimum duration time of performances for Practitioners in Practice and Exploring and Performing Texts.
- In both NEA components students will be allowed to present monologues for performance where group performances are not possible.
- There will be no change to the written papers Analysing Performance and Deconstructing Texts.
- There will be no visiting examiner for Exploring and Performing Texts. Performance recordings will be submitted instead.
- The Evaluation of Live Theatre will, as currently, be allowed to be on a recorded/streamed/digital performance.
AS Level Drama and Theatre H059
Students taking AS Level Drama and Theatre in summer 2022 will have a reduction in NEA requirements:
- Students will be allowed to present monologues for performance where group performances are not possible.
- There will be no change to the written paper Exploring Performance.
- The Evaluation of Live Theatre will, as currently, be allowed to be on a recorded/streamed/digital performance.
NEA arrangements for Drama
Students taking GCSE, AS and A Level Drama in summer 2022 will have a reduction in NEA requirements. For full details, please see the Changes for 2022 pages for each qualification:
- GCSE Drama (9-1) J316
- A Level Drama and Theatre H459 and AS Level Drama and Theatre H059
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English Language
GCSE English Language (9-1) J351
- Teachers do not need to submit a sample of audio-visual recordings for the Spoken Language endorsement in summer 2022.
- The Spoken Language assessment can:
- take place in front of one teacher who will represent the ‘audience’
- be conducted virtually at any point during the course.
- There is no requirement for teachers to submit a sample of video recordings for exam board monitoring in summer 2022. However, you will still need to submit the OCR NEA Centre Declaration Form for 2022 showing that all students have been given the opportunity to complete the Spoken Language endorsement.
For further details, please see the Changes for 2022 page on the GCSE English Language qualification page.
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English Literature
GCSE English Literature (9-1) J352
Students taking GCSE (9-1) English Literature in summer 2022 will be assessed on a play by Shakespeare and on two of the remaining three areas of content:
- poetry
- 19th century novel
- Fiction/drama from the British Isles from 1914 (modern texts).
AO4 will only be assessed in the Shakespeare component. The assessment of AO4 in the Shakespeare component will increase from 4 to 6 marks out of a total of 40 for the question so that it carries 5% weighting across the whole qualification. We will let you know more details shortly.
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Film Studies
A Level Film Studies H410, AS Level Film Studies H010
Students taking Film Studies qualifications in summer 2022 will be able to submit prototypes or mock-ups, with supporting evidence, of their NEA production. Students can still submit completed NEA productions where they are able to. For full details, please see the Changes for 2022 pages on the A Level Film Studies H410 and AS Level Film Studies H010 qualification pages.
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Food Preparation and Nutrition
GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (9-1) J309
Students taking GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition in summer 2022 will only need to complete one non-exam assessment (NEA) instead of two. The first NEA (investigation task) has been removed.
For the second NEA (preparation task), students need to create two dishes to be completed within 3 hours. You can view the NEA food preparation task on the Assessment section of our
qualification web page.
| Component |
Topic Title |
Requirement |
| J309/01 |
Food Preparation and Nutrition |
Compulsory |
J309/02 or 03
|
Food Investigation Task |
Not required for 2022 |
J309/04 or 05
|
Food Preparation Task
|
Compulsory
|
NEA arrangements for Food Preparation and Nutrition
Students taking GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition in summer 2022 will have a reduction in NEA requirement. For full details, please see the Changes for 2022 on the GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition qualification page.
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Geography
GCSE Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1) J383
- In the exams, students will not be asked questions about their own fieldwork experience.
- Students will still be asked questions during the exams on unfamiliar fieldwork contexts.
- We encourage centres to engage with fieldwork activities ‘in the field’ wherever possible. ‘In the field’ could include in the school grounds and local area (to the school or student’s homes). Virtual fieldwork could be used to support the enquiry process and development of fieldwork skills.
- We will be producing updated Sample Assessment Material to show how the assessment will look in 2022.
- Centres do not need to sign a Fieldwork Statement confirming that fieldwork has taken place on at least two occasions.
- There will be optionality of content in the summer 2022 exams and this will include the following themes: (2.1) Ecosystems of the Planet or (2.3) Environmental Threats to the Planet. The structure of the exam papers can be found in the Ofqual consultation Annex B. We'll provide further guidance, support and assessment materials soon.
For full details, please see the Changes for 2022 page on the GCSE Geography A qualification page.
GCSE Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) (9-1) J384
- In the exams, students will not be asked questions about their own fieldwork experience.
- Students will still be asked questions during the exams on unfamiliar fieldwork contexts.
- We encourage centres to engage with fieldwork activities ‘in the field’ wherever possible. ‘In the field’ could include in the school grounds and local area (to the school or student’s homes). Virtual fieldwork could be used to support the enquiry process and development of fieldwork skills.
- We will be producing updated Sample Assessment Material to show how the assessment will look in 2022.
- Centres do not need to sign a Fieldwork Statement confirming that fieldwork has taken place on at least two occasions.
- There will be optionality of content in the summer 2022 exams and this will include the following topics: (1) Global Hazards or (4) Sustaining Ecosystems or (8) Resource Reliance. The structure of the exam papers can be found in the Ofqual consultation Annex B. We will provide further guidance, support and assessment materials very soon.
For full details, please see the Changes for 2022 page on the GCSE Geography B qualification page.
AS Level Geography H081
- Students will not be asked questions during the exams in relation to their own fieldwork experience. See our subject information update.
- Students will still be asked questions during the exams on unfamiliar fieldwork but will have the flexibility to answer these questions in relation to either human or physical geography.
- We encourage centres to engage with fieldwork activities ‘in the field’ wherever possible. ‘In the field’ could include in the school grounds and local area (to the school or student’s homes). Virtual fieldwork could be used to support the enquiry process and development of fieldwork skills.
- Centres do not need to sign a Fieldwork Statement confirming that fieldwork has taken place over at least two days.
For full details, please see the Changes for 2022 pages on the AS Level Geography qualification page.
A Level Geography H481
- There will be no changes to the assessment in 2022.
- The non-exam assessment (NEA) remains but with more flexibility around the use of primary data. We have worked with the other exam boards to update our joint guidance for 2022.
- Centres do not need to sign a Fieldwork Statement confirming that fieldwork has taken place over at least four days.
For full details, please see the Changes for 2022 pages on the A Level Geography qualification page.
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Geology
AS Level Geology H014
- The content of the written examinations will remain the same. However, prior to the examinations, advance information will be provided about the content of the exams, to allow students to direct their revision.
- For students who are on an AS only pathway, sitting AS examinations in summer 2022 and not progressing to A Level: if they are unable to carry out practical science work, they are able to observe a demonstration and/or simulation carried out by a teacher or remotely (for example by watching a demonstration online or a video).
- Students completing an AS Level as the first year of the two-year A Level course will still be expected to meet the full A Level Practical Endorsement requirements before examinations in June 2023.
- A minimum of 15% of the marks in the written examinations will still cover indirect assessment of practical skills.
- The requirement to undertake fieldwork over two days has been removed.
- You should still try and meet the fieldwork requirements if you can. If you are unable to, you still need to teach the relevant techniques to your students as they will still be expected to answer questions about these in the examinations.
A Level Geology H414
- The content of the written examinations will remain the same. However, prior to the examinations, advance information will be provided about the content of the exams, to allow students to direct their revision.
- If possible, you should still aim to cover all of the 1.2.1 practical skills, 1.2.2 apparatus and techniques, and the Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC). A minimum of 15% of marks in the written examinations will still cover indirect assessment of practical skills.
- We understand that your centre’s circumstances may impact on your ability to meet the usual requirements for the practical endorsement. In such cases, students can still be awarded the endorsement if they have demonstrated competence in all of the CPAC and the 1.2.1 criteria, even if they haven’t completed the usual minimum requirement of 12 practicals.
- The requirement to undertake fieldwork over 4 days has been removed. Centres must submit the OCR NEA Centre Declaration Form for 2022.
- You should still try and meet the fieldwork requirements if you can. If you are unable to, you still need to teach the relevant techniques to your students as they will still be expected to answer questions about these in the examinations.
- All monitoring during the 2021/22 academic year will be carried out remotely until further notice. Remote monitoring will not include a lesson observation but will still require inspection of teacher records and student work.
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History
GCSE (9-1) History A (Explaining the Modern World) J410
Students taking GCSE (9-1) History A (Explaining the Modern World) in summer 2022 will not have to study the full course and will not be assessed on all the content:
- All students will be required to study and will be assessed on the Period study (International Relations).
- Students will study and be assessed on two out of the three remaining studies: the Non-British Depth Study, the Thematic Study, and the British Depth Study and Study of a Historic Environment. Centres can choose which two of these studies they enter their students for.
GCSE (9-1) History B (School History Project) J411
Students taking GCSE (9-1) History B (Schools History Project) in summer 2022 will not have to study the full course and will not be assessed on all the content:
- All students will need to study and will be assessed on the British Depth Study.
- Students will study and be assessed on three out of the four remaining studies: Thematic Study, History Around Us, the Period Study and the World Depth Study. Centres are free to choose which three of these studies they enter their students for.
We can now also confirm we will be assessing each exam paper within its own timetabled slot.
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Mathematics
GCSE (9-1) Mathematics J560
Students will be given a formulae sheet for GCSE (9-1) Mathematics in summer 2022, at both Foundation tier and Higher tier. Copies of the formulae sheet will be provided in advance for use in teaching and to ensure that students are familiar with it prior to the exams. Clean copies of the formulae sheet will be provided in the exams. For further details, please see our subject update.
Level 3 FSMQ: Additional Mathematics 6993
Students will be given an additional formulae sheet for the FSMQ in summer 2022, covering the same information provided for Higher tier GCSE (9-1) Mathematics. Copies of the formulae sheet will be provided in advance for use in teaching and to ensure that students are familiar with it prior to the exams. Clean copies of the formulae sheet will be provided in the exams. For further details, please see our subject update.
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