Made-for-Wales: In conversation with our community
Engaging with the education community is not something we say lightly; it is something we do. The second half of the spring term has proven that. Shaping our qualifications by working closely with teachers, lecturers and learners has been central to our approach since Wave 1, and Wave 3 is no different. Through our Advisory Groups, Qualification Development groups, and engaging directly with schools and colleges, we have continued to listen, gather feedback, and ensure that our suite of qualifications reflects the needs of those who matter most, our learners.
Whilst we are grateful for the positive response to our new qualifications, we recognise the workload challenges that come with the introduction of our new Made-for-Wales GCSEs, and we are working with stakeholders to address the concerns raised to support their successful delivery. Updates on our work to resolve these issues will be issued shortly.
Looking at our Wave 3 qualifications, Sophie Dobbs, our Regional Representative, has now engaged with over 140 schools and colleges. Many of you will know her and will have had the chance to discuss our new qualifications directly. I want to acknowledge the effort on both sides; thank you for making time for those conversations.
I should also mention the over 200 colleagues who joined us at our Senior Leaders Webinar in April. The level of engagement through the session was encouraging, and I am grateful to everyone who made the time to attend.
Alongside this work, we have been building a comprehensive package of support materials. In March, we launched our Wave 3 Quick Guides; an accessible overview of each qualification covering purpose, structure, target learner profile and assessment approach. Last month, we published the first two sets of draft specifications, allowing teachers and lecturers to begin preparing confidently for first teaching in September 2027. For a full Wave 3 timeline of when final approved Specifications, Sample Assessment Materials and Guidance for Teaching will be available, please visit our Wave 3 dedicated FAQs.
Wave 2 qualifications
As September fast approaches, schools across Wales are preparing to deliver our second Wave of Made-for-Wales GCSE and related qualifications. We know that preparation takes considerable time and effort, and we are here to support you throughout every stage of that process.
All teaching documentation for Wave 2 including, final approved Specifications, Sample Assessment Materials and Guidance for Teaching, is now available on our website. These materials have been developed with delivery in mind, so that your teams can plan and prepare with confidence.
As a further resource, our dedicated Made-for-Wales Digital Resources website will host the full suite of 242 new packages from September. Designed to support delivery of our new qualifications, these adaptable materials are there to help educators build engaging and effective lessons.
I also want to thank everyone who attended our recent Pan Wales Professional Learning sessions. The engagement throughout those sessions was genuine, and it was encouraging to see so many colleagues investing time to attend, that commitment does not go unnoticed.
Working with the education community
The summer examination series is now underway, and I want to thank everyone who has played a part in getting to this point; our internal teams, and the schools and colleges across Wales who have put an enormous amount of work into preparation. To all learners sitting examinations this season: good luck.
I am also conscious that for many schools, this term has brought with it the added pressure of preparing to deliver new qualifications. We have heard those concerns, and we have been working alongside Welsh Government and Qualifications Wales to respond to them. Before Easter, we wrote to the education community, setting out several actions we are looking to explore to ease these pressures. You can read that letter here. We will continue to work with our partners to make the transition as manageable as possible, and we want to keep hearing from you. If you have concerns, please come forward.
On that note, I had the pleasure of visiting Dyffryn Amman in March, and these visits remain one of the more valuable parts of my role. Hearing directly from leaders, teachers, and learners keeps me grounded in what is happening in schools and colleges. If you would like to arrange a visit, please get in touch with Lorna Turner at lorna.turner@wjec.co.uk and we will find a time.
Before I sign off, Eisteddfod yr Urdd on Anglesey was a real highlight of the term. It is always a privilege to be part of an event that puts Welsh learners and their achievements at its heart, and it was great to see so many teachers and learners connecting with our team in a setting that feels quite different from the usual. A well-deserved thank you to everyone at WJEC who was there; those conversations matter and they feed directly into how we develop and shape our qualifications.
Yours sincerely,
Ian Morgan
Chief Executive, WJEC