The Future of CCEA GCSEs, AS levels and A levels

Overview

Who is conducting the consultation?

The consultation is being conducted by the Department of Education (Department). It is targeted at everyone who has an interest in the qualifications available in Northern Ireland, notably students, schools, parents, further education, higher education and employers.

Introduction

Qualifications represent the formal recognition of knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through study, training or experience. They affirm that a student has met a certain standard, mastered a body of knowledge or demonstrated the ability to perform in a specific field.

In society, qualifications help establish trust. Employers rely on them to assess the suitability of candidates for jobs; institutions use them to ensure the readiness of students for higher levels of learning. Good qualifications create a shared language of capability, helping to align expectations across diverse sectors and cultures.

GCSEs, AS levels and A levels are the main qualifications taken by post-primary students in Northern Ireland.

Completing this Questionnaire

This consultation questionnaire contains a series of proposals, each of which is followed by a question.

The questionnaire is split into three main sections.

Section 1 ask questions about proposed changes to CCEA GCSEs.

Section 2 asks questions about proposed changes to CCEA AS levels and A levels.

Section 3 asks questions about future qualifications reform possibilities.

At the end of each main section there is a comment box if you wish to provide additional information about any of the proposals.

Your views matter:

We want to give everyone with an interest in this policy area the opportunity to have a say and influence these proposals. Your feedback will help finalise policy on this important issue.  

Timescales and Submission of Responses

This questionnaire can be completed online until 11.59pm on 13 November 2025.