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Guidance

GCSE French, German and Spanish subject content

Subject content, aims and learning objectives for French, German and Spanish GCSEs from 2024.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Education
Published:
14 January 2022
Last updated:
11 September 2025
Show all updates

  1. Updated the subject content to include the plural forms of reflexive verbs to align with grammar content. Expanded the vocabulary list to include reflexive emphatic pronouns. Clarified that derived forms must be listed in the vocabulary list unless clearly recognisable to students.

  2. We have made minor updates to the subject content as detailed in 'Table of changes to GCSE subject content for French, German, and Spanish.' which replaces ‘Table of changes from May 2022’. The title update reflects the inclusion of changes from both January 2022 and May 2022 that were made in consultation with Ofqual and awarding organisations.

  3. We have provided grammar annexes D and E in spreadsheet format for accessibility and there are some minor updates as described in the 'Table of changes from May 2022'.

  4. Added an updated version of 'GCSE French, German and Spanish subject content' to amend the cognate definition and the wording relating to multi-word phrases. Minor amendments have also been made to the grammar annexes and Annex E.

  5. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

French, German and Spanish GCSE subject content

PDF, 2.5 MB, 246 pages

French, German and Spanish GCSE subject content without annexes D and E

PDF, 591 KB, 43 pages

French, German and Spanish GCSE subject content: annex D

ODS, 110 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

French, German and Spanish GCSE subject content: annex E

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 164 KB

French, German, and Spanish GCSE subject content: table of changes

PDF, 353 KB, 9 pages

Details

These documents set out the learning outcomes and content coverage required for GCSE specifications in French, German and Spanish for first teaching in September 2024 and for first examination in summer 2026.

The document ‘French, German and Spanish GCSE subject content’ contains all the content that is in the document ‘French, German and Spanish GCSE subject content without annexes D and E’ plus the content in annexes D and E. The content in annexes D and E is identical but provided in different formats.

The subject content for French, German and Spanish GCSEs was developed after a public consultation in 2021.

We also publish subject content for all GCSEs in modern foreign languages other than French, German and Spanish for teaching from September 2024 and examination from summer 2026.

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