New GCSEs in Wales in 2026: which course is my child taking?
New GCSEs began teaching in Wales in 2025 and 2026. Check your child's cohort, WJEC specification and science route before choosing revision materials.
The short answer: Check the subject and the year your child started that GCSE. Wales introduced new Made for Wales GCSEs in two waves, with first teaching in September 2025 and September 2026. A Year 10 pupil and a Year 11 pupil can therefore need different WJEC specifications for the same subject. Science has additional options. The quickest reliable check is to ask the school for the full qualification title, specification or entry code, teaching year, and (where relevant) tier and language of assessment. Qualifications Wales sets out the two waves here.
Why the year matters
The 2025 wave includes subjects such as Computer Science, Geography and the new Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award). The 2026 wave includes History, Design and Technology, Integrated Science (Single Award) and The Sciences (Double Award). These dates mean first teaching, not that every pupil sat the same new examination in 2026. Each subject has its own assessment arrangements, so check the actual WJEC qualification page for your child’s course. Qualifications Wales lists both waves.
The word History, Maths or Science on a revision book is not enough to establish a match. You need to know which course your child was entered for. Some older qualifications still have assessment or resit opportunities while newer qualifications are being taught. For example, WJEC says the older GCSE History has its final full assessment in summer 2027, while the new History specification starts teaching in 2026 and is for award from 2028.
A worked example: two pupils taking History
Imagine two pupils at the same Welsh school in autumn 2026:
| Pupil | What the parent should check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Year 10, starting History this September | Ask whether the school is teaching the new WJEC GCSE History, teaching from 2026, and confirm the language and specification code. | WJEC says Year 10 pupils starting in September 2026 should be entered for the new course. The new English-language qualification page shows code 3130QS; WJEC’s current notice also refers to 3130CS for Welsh. |
| Year 11, already studying the older History course | Confirm that the pupil is continuing the earlier WJEC GCSE History specification and the school’s planned 2027 assessment route. | WJEC says summer 2027 is the final full assessment opportunity for that older qualification. Its page lists code 3100QS. |
Both pupils can correctly say, “I’m doing WJEC History.” A revision resource written for one specification may still be a poor match for the other. Before using a topic guide, past paper or question bank, compare its qualification title and code with the school’s details. Check the new History page and the earlier History page side by side.
Science needs one more question
Ask which science route the pupil takes. Qualifications Wales lists the new The Sciences (Double Award) and Integrated Science (Single Award) among the courses first taught in September 2026. It also says the existing separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics remain available alongside the new options for at least three years. “WJEC Science” alone does not tell you which content or assessment your child needs. See the regulator’s GCSE subject list.
For Mathematics and Numeracy, ask for the exact qualification and tier where applicable. WJEC says new Year 10 entrants from September 2025 should take Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award) rather than the older separate Mathematics and Mathematics–Numeracy qualifications. The older courses have specific resit opportunities; a resit paper is not automatically the paper a current Year 10 pupil is preparing for. WJEC explains the transition on its older Maths qualification page.
A five-minute course check
Ask your child or their school for:
- The full qualification title and exam board, usually WJEC/CBAC for these Welsh GCSEs.
- The specification or entry code, plus the teaching year of the course.
- The intended assessment series, any tier or pathway that applies, and whether the assessment is in Cymraeg or English.
- The school’s topic list or specification link, so you can compare revision resources against the right version.
You might send: “Could you confirm the full WJEC GCSE title and specification code for my child’s History and science courses, including their assessment language and expected exam series? I want to make sure the revision materials match.” If your child is resitting an older qualification, say so in the message; it changes which specification to check.
Choosing a revision resource once you know the course
Start with the school’s current specification and the relevant WJEC page. Then check any app, guide or textbook against the qualification title, code and year. OmniStudy has a revision guides directory and is free to start, but course names on a guide should not be taken as proof that it covers your child’s exact new specification. Confirm the match before relying on subject-specific practice.
Once you have the correct course, start with OmniStudy’s free option and choose the matching subject and board. If the exact course or pathway is unclear in the app, use the school and WJEC specification to guide revision and ask OmniStudy to confirm coverage before treating its practice as course-specific.