GCSE exam timetables

[TooManyBooks777]

Does anyone know if the GCSE exam timetables change year-on-year, or do they stay more or less the same?
DD1 is doing her exams at the moment and DD2 will doing her options next year, and with the experience from this year it'd be good to bear in mind exam timings when making subject decisions (e.g. probably not both history and geography...)

pretty much the same ime as an invigilator. Link to the 2027 provisional timetable which you could compare against this year’s exams.
qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/Support/Examination-timetables/gce-summer-2027-provisional.pdf

I really wouldn't factor exam timings into options choices. The exam boards tend to keep popular subjects timetabled away from each other anyway. Unless you want to encourage more subjects with course work to reduce total number of exams? (Although that has it own downsides).

They have changed quite a lot this year, though that is unusual

Hmmm

They have changed over the years for sure.

The year DS2 took his (2019 so current specs mostly) German was all after half term with the writing exam after physics (most people's last exam). This year German is all but done (totally done if you do AQA) and Spanish is the later one.

Similarly in 2019 French was very early and now it is split across half term. MFL is my subject hence this detailed knowledge. Certainly the MFL exams are always separated (which is odd really as very few YP take two MFLs).

That said, Eng lit for years has been in the first couple of weeks and physics always seems to be towards the end.

Tbh I don't think I would use the GSCE timetable as a guide for options. I think taking history and geography will always entail a heavy revision schedule and essay-heavy exams tbh.

Not sure if all exam boards do the same, but wjec has them on the website for anyone to view. Initially provisional, then confirms when it us the final version. It wouldn't be 2 years ahead though.

As others have said, I don't think I would use that to determine subject choices. Unusual combinations could mean a higher chance of exams being on the same day/at the same time, but nothing to say that will actually happen. ( I think there is more risk if there is more than one exam boards being used).

We were told to choose based on what subjects were needed for future career choices, what they enjoyed and what they were good at.

Different schools work in different ways - some have to pick from different boxes because they have to do at least one humanities, one mfl etc, others don't. We just got told what the options were and had to choose 3, plus a back up. DC chose based on what they enjoyed, which were also subjects that were relevant for career choice.

Thanks all. I hadn't realised that the 2027 provisional timetables were out already. They look similar but not that similar to this year, so I guess it is a bit pointless to use as part of decision-making.

I feel sorry for anyone taking French and Further Maths with AQA next year (this could easily be DD2 in 2029), as (at the moment) they clash in the afternoon, with English Language in the morning!