Maths and science GCSE students will not need to memorise formulae and equations for their exams until at least 2030, under new government plans.
Ministers have asked the exams watchdog, Ofqual, to extend current arrangements, providing GCSE maths, physics, and combined science students with formula sheets.
Ofqual is consulting on extending this until current GCSEs are reformed following a curriculum review.
The government will then consider if memorisation is required for new qualifications.
Formula sheets were introduced in 2022 as a post-Covid measure; Bridget Phillipson secured an extension until at least 2027 in 2024.
School standards minister Georgia Gould has now asked the watchdog to extend this for the entire lifetime of the current GCSEs.
Responding, Ofqual chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham said Ofqual expects this to apply to GCSE exams taken by students “up to and including 2030 or 2031, any any resit series after that”.
The Government announced its plans for the revised curriculum last year, which include working to cut overall GCSE exam time by two-and-a-half to three hours for the average student.
It aims to publish the revised national curriculum by spring 2027, to be implemented for first teaching from September 2028, with updated GCSEs for first teaching from 2029.
The Department for Education (DfE) is considering whether students should be required to memorise formulae and equations for GCSE maths and science as it develops revised subject content for the new GCSEs, Ms Gould confirmed.
In a letter to Sir Ian, Ms Gould wrote: “For the lifetime of the current GCSE specifications in these subjects, students should not be required to memorise formulae and equations for assessment purposes.
“Students will continue to be expected to understand and use these formulae and equations, maintaining high standards for what students must study.”
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott criticised the decision to extend giving students formulae sheets.
In a tweet, she said: “Labour are hell-bent on dumbing down school standards in this country. They fail to understand we should believe all children can do better, not lowering the bar. It will be the most disadvantaged that will suffer and that will be the legacy of this PM.”
Ofqual’s consultation is open for three weeks from Monday until March 23.
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