Articles in Exam Board Change Radar
12 articles
- Cambridge Checkpoint March Series: When to Take Lower Secondary Checkpoint Tests and Whether to Switch When schools can take Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint tests: the March, May and October series, 2026-27 dates, which subjects run in March, the fixed test-day rules, and how to decide whether to switch series.
- Cambridge Digital Exams: What School Leaders Need to Know (Subjects, Regions, Readiness) Which Cambridge IGCSE and AS & A Level exams can be taken on screen, where and when: the June 2026 launch subjects, the 2027-2028 roadmap, and what a school must have in place to run digital exams.
- IGCSE Computer Science 0265 vs 0478: Choosing Cambridge's Digital or Paper Route for 2029 What the new Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0265 is: the same revised content as 0478, taken as a digital-only exam with Python 3 in an IDE. What changes in the 2029 syllabus, how the routes compare, and how schools should choose.
- Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 Changes 2027: What Changes for March 2027 Exams What changes in Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 for exams from 2027: the restructured Paper 1, the new Paper 2 question 1(a), updated marking criteria, what stays the same, and how English departments should prepare.
- Cambridge Syllabus Changes 2027-2029: The Complete List for School Leaders Every new, revised and withdrawn Cambridge IGCSE, O Level and AS & A Level syllabus for first exams in 2027, 2028 and 2029, with syllabus codes and first exam series, from Cambridge's September 2026 guide.
- Cambridge IGCSE Psychology 0266 and Statistics 0479: Should Your School Offer the New Subjects? What the new Cambridge IGCSE Psychology (0266) and Statistics (0479) cover, how they are assessed, where and when they can be sat, what they lead to, and how a school should decide whether to offer them from 2027.
- Edexcel IAL Computer Science 2026: A Planning Guide to the New International A Level for Schools What is in Pearson Edexcel's new International AS and A Level Computer Science (first taught September 2026): the four units, Python 3 practical programming exams, onscreen assessment, UMS and A* rules, series and first exams in 2027 and 2028.
- IGCSE Business 0264 vs 0450: What Changed in the New Cambridge IGCSE Business Syllabus Cambridge IGCSE Business 0264 replaces Business Studies 0450 from March 2027. What changed in content, papers and assessment weightings, what stays the same, and what Business departments need to do.
- Edexcel Onscreen Exams: Pearson International GCSE Onscreen Subjects and How to Prepare Which Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and International A Level subjects can be taken onscreen, in which series, how onscreen entries work, the technical requirements, and how schools prepare students.
- On Screen Exam Preparation: How Students Should Practise for On-Screen IGCSE and A Level Papers How to prepare students for Cambridge digital exams and Pearson Edexcel onscreen papers: the tools students get, what they don't get (such as spellcheck), typing and timing practice, and the official practice tests to use.
- What the UK Curriculum and Assessment Review Means for International Schools England's Curriculum and Assessment Review and the government's response: shorter GCSE exams from 2029, a new national curriculum from 2028, EBacc removed, V Levels and no major A Level reform. What it changes, what it does not change for IGCSE schools abroad, and what leaders should watch.
- Withdrawn Cambridge Syllabuses 2027-2028: Transition Options for Affected Schools Which Cambridge syllabuses are being withdrawn, with final exam dates in 2027 and 2028 and their replacements: IGCSE First Language Malay, Sanskrit, Latin and American History, O Level Statistics, the Project Qualification and AS & A Level Arabic, plus how schools should plan the transition.
Cambridge revises 57 syllabuses and launches 15 new ones for first exams in 2027–2029, and began moving exams on screen in June 2026. Pearson Edexcel expects 14 International GCSE and International A Level subjects on screen by 2026, and first taught its new IAL Computer Science in September 2026. Paper exams remain available with both boards.
This is the hub for our Exam Board Change Radar pillar. It tracks every dated change that affects an international school’s timetable, staffing or entries, and links to a full guide for each one. It is reviewed whenever a board publishes new information, and the date above shows the last review.
What is changing, and when?
The timeline below lists the dated changes schools need to plan around. Each date comes from the board’s own documents.
| When | Board | Change |
|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | Cambridge | First live digital exams for Early Adopter schools: IGCSE 0452, 0455, 0610, 0620, 0625 multiple-choice papers and AS & A Level 8021 |
| September 2026 | Pearson | First teaching of the new International AS and A Level Computer Science |
| 25 October 2026 | Cambridge | Expressions of interest close for the next Digital Mocks series |
| 18 January–14 March 2027 | Cambridge | Digital Mocks series (34 exams) |
| March 2027 | Cambridge | First exams of revised IGCSE 0452, 0455, 0460, 0500, 0549, 0680 and Business 0264, which replaces Business Studies 0450 (March series schools) |
| June 2027 | Cambridge | First exams of new IGCSE Japanese 0716, Psychology 0266, Statistics 0479; final exams of IGCSE 0696 and 0499 |
| 2027 | Cambridge | First Language English 0500 and English as a Second Language 0510 join the digital exam roadmap |
| 2027 (to be confirmed) | Pearson | International GCSE Computer Science and IAL Computer Science on screen |
| May/June 2027 | Pearson | First International AS Computer Science exams |
| November 2027 | Cambridge | Final exams of O Level Statistics 4040 and AS & A Level CIPQ 9980 |
| 2028 | Cambridge | Revised languages, arts and humanities syllabuses; new CIPQ 9494; Global Perspectives 0457 and Spanish 0530 listening added to the digital roadmap |
| May/June 2028 | Pearson | First full International A Level Computer Science exams |
| November 2028 | Cambridge | Final exams of AS & A Level Arabic 8680 and 9680 (replaced by 9865) |
| March and June 2029 | Cambridge | Revised IGCSE Computer Science 0478 on paper (March), and the same content as digital-only 0265 (June) |
| 2033 | Cambridge | Target: 85% of exams available in both digital and paper formats |
Sources: Cambridge syllabus changes guide, Cambridge digital assessment availability, Cambridge digital exams update, Pearson onscreen assessment, Pearson IAL Computer Science.
Which Cambridge syllabuses change for 2027-2029?
Cambridge’s September 2026 guide lists 72 syllabuses with significant changes: 28 for first exams from 2027, 30 from 2028 and 14 from 2029. Fifteen of the 72 are new.
2027 is the heaviest year for IGCSE departments. First Language English 0500, Accounting 0452, Economics 0455 and Geography 0460 are all revised, Psychology 0266, Statistics 0479 and Japanese 0716 are new, and Business Studies 0450 becomes Business 0264 with a revised syllabus. 2028 is mostly languages, arts and humanities. 2029 is computer science across IGCSE, O Level and IGCSE (9–1), plus A Level English and Sociology.
Four revised syllabuses are still marked “new syllabus coming soon”: IGCSE Physical Education 0413, IGCSE (9–1) Physical Education 0995, O Level English Language 1123 and AS & A Level Sociology 9699. Departments teaching those cannot plan in detail until the documents are published.
The full list, with every code and first exam series, is in Cambridge Syllabus Changes 2027-2029: The Complete List. Subject guides cover the biggest changes: First Language English 0500 and Business 0264 vs 0450.
Which Cambridge syllabuses are being withdrawn?
Eight syllabuses have final exam dates between June 2027 and November 2028:
- IGCSE First Language Malay 0696 and Sanskrit 0499 (June 2027)
- IGCSE Latin 0480 (June 2028)
- O Level Statistics 4040 (November 2027, replaced by IGCSE Statistics 0479)
- AS & A Level CIPQ 9980 (November 2027, replaced by 9494)
- AS & A Level Arabic 8680 and 9680 (November 2028, replaced by 9865)
- IGCSE American History 0409, which the guide lists as withdrawn (June 2027) and also as republished for 2028–2030
Schools teaching 0409 should confirm its status with Cambridge. The other seven need a transition plan before their final exam series. Transition options for each are in Withdrawn Cambridge Syllabuses 2027-2028.
Which Cambridge exams can be taken on screen?
Six syllabuses went on screen in June 2026 for schools in Cambridge’s Early Adopter Programme. They were the multiple-choice papers in IGCSE Accounting 0452, Economics 0455, Biology 0610, Chemistry 0620 and Physics 0625, plus AS & A Level English General Paper 8021. The launch covered Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and the US, and more than 2,800 students took part.
Cambridge’s roadmap adds First Language English 0500 and English as a Second Language 0510 in 2027, and Global Perspectives 0457 and Spanish 0530 listening in 2028. Cambridge has not confirmed that Asian schools join in June 2027; that claim appears only on third-party sites. Paper exams remain available.
From June 2029, Cambridge adds a digital-only computer science route, IGCSE 0265, with the same content as the revised 0478 (0265 vs 0478). Schools need locked-down devices, checked bandwidth, screens spaced at least 1.25 m apart, trained invigilators and a completed Digital Mocks series before going live. See Cambridge Digital Exams: What School Leaders Need to Know, and for students, how to prepare for on-screen papers.
Which Pearson Edexcel exams are on screen?
Pearson offers onscreen exams as an option alongside paper. It notes that schools “may choose to split their entry between paper-based and onscreen assessment”. By the 2026 exam series, Pearson says, “there will be 14 subjects available for international schools to take onscreen exams in”.
| Qualification | Subject | Year listed by Pearson |
|---|---|---|
| International GCSE | English Language A, English Literature | 2022 |
| International GCSE | Business, Economics, History | 2024 |
| International GCSE | Geography, Global Citizenship, Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies | 2025 |
| International GCSE | Information and Communication Technology, English as a Second Language | 2026 |
| International GCSE | Computer Science | 2027 (to be confirmed) |
| International A Level | English Literature, English Language | 2024 |
| International A Level | History | 2026 |
| International A Level | Computer Science (new qualification) | 2027 (to be confirmed) |
Source: Pearson onscreen assessment. The International A Level subjects are marked “not available in the UK”. Entry codes, series and technical requirements are in our guide to Edexcel onscreen exams.
What is the new Pearson IAL Computer Science?
Pearson calls it “a completely new qualification”. It lists first teaching in September 2026, first International AS exams in May/June 2027 and first full International A Level exams in May/June 2028 (Pearson). Its two practical programming units are 3-hour Python 3 exams “delivered fully onscreen”, and Pearson’s onscreen page lists the qualification as onscreen from 2027, to be confirmed. Schools that started Year 12 computer science this September are already teaching it. See our IAL Computer Science planning guide.
Does England’s curriculum review change IGCSE?
Not directly. England’s Curriculum and Assessment Review, published in November 2025, covers the national curriculum and GCSEs: a revised national curriculum for first teaching in 2028, updated GCSEs from 2029 with 2.5 to 3 hours less exam time, and AS and A Level updates for 2031 and 2032. Neither the report nor the government response mentions IGCSE or International GCSE. See what the review means for international schools.
What do the changes mean for staffing and timetables?
Most changes land on a handful of departments, so plan staffing by department rather than school-wide. Computer science is the most affected subject: Cambridge revises 0478 and adds 0265 in 2029, while Pearson’s new IAL Computer Science is already being taught. English departments meet a revised First Language English 0500 in 2027 and a digital route for the same syllabus. Humanities and languages carry most of the 2028 revisions. New subjects such as Psychology 0266 and Statistics 0479 raise a different question: whether the school can staff them at all. Digital exams affect the exams office more than teachers, because rooms, devices and invigilation all have to change.
How should a school run a change review?
Run it twice a year, after each Cambridge publication. The syllabus changes guide is published twice a year, and Cambridge gives “advance notice of changes to syllabuses at least one year before first teaching”. A review that fits one leadership meeting has five steps:
- List your entries by syllabus code, not subject name.
- Match each code against the new, revised and withdrawn lists above.
- Assign an owner and a transition date for every match.
- Check digital readiness for any syllabus on either board’s onscreen roadmap.
- Tell parents of any change to options, particularly withdrawals and new subjects.
The Syllabus Change Tracker below turns this into a spreadsheet.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
AI Buddy organises its questions by board, syllabus code and topic across 26 IGCSE and A Level subjects for Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel. Students also practise on screen, with instant marking and feedback. When a syllabus changes, heads of department can check which topics their cohort has covered and where the gaps are. The on-screen practice builds habits for Cambridge Digital Mocks and Pearson onscreen papers. If you are adopting a new syllabus, ask us what AI Buddy covers today before you plan around it.
Frequently asked questions
What Cambridge IGCSE changes happen in 2027?
Revised First Language English 0500, Accounting 0452, Economics 0455, Geography 0460, Environmental Management 0680, First Language Arabic 0508 and Hindi as a Second Language 0549. New Psychology 0266, Statistics 0479 and Japanese 0716. Business Studies 0450 becomes Business 0264. First Language English 0500 also joins Cambridge’s digital roadmap.
Which Edexcel International GCSE subjects are on screen?
Pearson lists English Language A, English Literature, Business, Economics, History, Geography, Global Citizenship, Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies, ICT and English as a Second Language. Computer Science is planned for 2027, date to be confirmed.
Are Cambridge digital exams replacing paper?
No. Cambridge offers both formats and aims for 85% of its exams to have a digital and a paper version by 2033.
How often does Cambridge publish syllabus changes?
Twice a year, with at least one year’s notice before first teaching.
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Sources
- Cambridge International, Syllabus Changes (International), September 2026 version 1
- Cambridge International, Digital assessment availability
- Cambridge International, What’s new: digital exams
- Cambridge International, Digital examinations to launch in June 2026 (1 October 2024)
- Pearson, Onscreen assessment for international schools
- Pearson, International Advanced Level Computer Science (2026)