Editing GCSE (section)

====Implications for Wales and Northern Ireland====
These reforms did not apply immediately in Wales and Northern Ireland, where GCSEs would continue to be available on the A*–G grading system. However, owing to legislative requirements for comparability between GCSEs in the three countries and allowances for certain subjects and qualifications to be available in Wales and Northern Ireland, some 9–1 qualifications were to be available and the other changes were mostly adopted in these countries as well.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ccea.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/news/2017/Aug/Statement%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bqualification%2Bregulators%2Bon%2Bchanges%2Bto%2BGCSEs%2BAS%2Band%2BA%2Blevels%2B2017%2Bupdate.pdf |title=Statement from the qualification regulators on changes to GCSEs, AS and A levels |author1=Ofqual |author2=Qualifications Wales |author3=CCEA |date=August 2017 |website=ccea.org.uk |access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref>

In Northern Ireland a decision was taken by [[Minister of Education (Northern Ireland)|Minister of Education]], Peter Wier ([[Democratic Unionist Party|DUP]]), in 2016 to align the A* Grade to the 9 Grade of the English reformed qualifications.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2016 |title=Statement from Minister of Education, Northern Ireland, on changes to GCSE grading. |url=http://ccea.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/news/2016/Jun/minister_oral_statement_on_grading_june16.pdf |access-date=17 November 2018 |website=ccea.org.uk}}</ref> The first award of the new A* grade being in 2019. A C* grade was also introduced in Northern Ireland to align to the 5 Grade in England, again with first awarding in 2019. GCSEs in Northern Ireland remain modular and Science practicals can count towards the overall grade. Speaking and listening also remains a component of the GCSE English Language specification.