The island’s secondary schools will switch to a different science and history examination board, following a review of IGCSE and GCSE courses.

Science and history are switching from Cambridge Assessment International Education to Pearson Edexcel and Pearson Edexcel IGCSE in four high schools and a course set OCR in St Ninian’s High School respectively.

The new science and history specifications introduced will be graded from 9-1, rather than A*-G, and schools are currently in the process of developing schemes of learning and identifying supporting resources for students starting Year 10, aged 15, in September.

Students who are halfway through their GCSE course will not be affected.

Minister for Education, Sport and Culture Julie Edge said: ‘The opportunity for regular review whilst maintaining stability across our education system, will empower schools to make the best decisions for their students based on learners’ needs, interests and aspirations.

‘Major changes are expected in England and Wales over the next five years and schools must be agile and ready to react quickly and effectively, so their students achieve the best outcomes.’

Following the review it has been agreed that any exam board changes to the core subjects of English language, maths and science must be implemented across all schools.

However, each secondary setting can choose what works best for them in non-core subjects, such as geography, history and art.

The department has said this was not as a result of the impact of the Covid pandemic on exams.

The last full review of GCSE provision was undertaken in 2014, following the announcement of extensive reforms to the GCSE system in England by their Secretary of State for Education in 2013.

The changes resulted in the separation of what had been, a three-nation examination system across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and created separate national assessment systems.