GCSE MFL: new Speaking test
videos and guidance for 2026

For the attention of GCSE French, German and Spanish teachers and the Exams Officer

Dear colleague

To support you through the first exam series and assessments for our new GCSE French (8652), German (8662) and Spanish (8692) qualifications, we’ve a few updates and reminders.

Please make sure your teaching colleagues are aware of these updates.

New Speaking test videos – our step-by-step guides for the Paper 2 Speaking exam
AQA Instructions for the conduct of exams 2026 – (clarification on Preparation time for Paper 2)
Tiering guidance – support on choosing the right entry tier for your students and tier changes
Ofqual guidance for schools and colleges 2026 – how subjects being assessed for the first time in 2026 will be graded.

If you have any questions about our languages qualifications you can email us at mfl@aqa.org.uk or call 01423 534 381.

Kind regards

Rosanne Thompson
Subject Lead for Languages

New Speaking test videos

As the first GCSE Speaking test window approaches, we're pleased to introduce our new video mini-series designed to support you in conducting the updated 2026 GCSE French, German and Spanish Paper 2 Speaking exams.

This bitesize series guides you through each stage of the Speaking assessment, offering a clear, step-by-step explanation of the test format. Each short video focuses on a different component of the assessment, including task delivery, timings, teacher responsibilities and student experience – to give you practical support and build familiarity with the new requirements.

Breaking the test down into easy-to-follow sections, these videos aim to give you confidence in preparing for and conducting the assessments, while also helping students understand what to expect on the day.

In this series you’ll see:

an overview of the full Speaking exam structure, including timings, task order and key changes
the role of the teacher-examiner – what to do, what to say, and how to manage each stage of the assessment
guidance on student preparation and expectations, helping schools and colleges support students effectively
a breakdown of each task type, including:
- reading aloud
- roleplay
- conversation
practical tips for smooth delivery, from managing materials to handling timings and recording.

The full series is available in the assessment area of our GCSE Languages web pages and on our YouTube channel, ready for you to view and share with your colleagues.

AQA Instructions for the conduct of the exams 2026

Following your feedback, we’ve made a small update to page 14 on the Instructions for the conduct of exams (ICE) for this summer, to include clearer guidance on the 15 minutes preparation time for students in Paper 2 of the new GCSE exams.

You asked us for clarity on the use of tracing paper during the Reading aloud task in the new Speaking exam.

To confirm the regulations are:

tracing paper may be used by students for the Reading aloud task
all tracing paper must be collected in by teachers and stored securely until results day, along with any student notes
AQA-issued cards must not be marked, altered or compromised in any way. Teachers must make sure that no writing, pressure marks or impressions are transferred onto the card.

The updated ICE (version 1.1) is available on our website.

We appreciate teaching colleagues raising these questions and hope these updates support your planning for the upcoming exam series.

Tiering guidance

As you plan your student entries for the summer 2026 series, we’d like to remind you of our tiering and entry arrangements.

Tiering guide – our GCSE Languages Tiering Guide is available to support you in selecting the most appropriate tier for your students. The guidance outlines key considerations to help ensure each learner is entered at the tier that best reflects their current attainment and potential.

Changing entry tiers

No fee to change tiers up until 21 April – provided your students were entered by the main entry deadline (21 February), you can change their tier free of charge until 21 April 2026. This provides flexibility if you feel a different tier would better support a student’s progress as the course develops.
We charge a fee after 21 April – tier changes made after 21 April 2026 will still be possible, but an amendment fee will apply.

Find out more about entries on our website.

Ofqual guide for schools and colleges 2026

Ofqual has recently published its Guide for schools and colleges 2026, which includes important information about how subjects being assessed for the first time will be graded. You can view the full guide on Ofqual's website.