Marks for speaking and listening axed from GCSE English GCSEs are run over two years and teenagers who started them in 2012 would have been expecting speaking and listening to form part of English marks next summer. Under the new reforms, oral skills will still be assessed but results will be listed separately from the overall English grade. Today, the announcement - affecting exams taken in England and not Wales or Northern Ireland - was condemned by head teachers" leaders. Russell Hobby, general secretary of National Association of Head Teachers, said: "We are disappointed that Ofqual has chosen to fly in the face of reason in deciding to implement changes to the structure of GCSE English with immediate effect. Thousands of students are more than halfway through their preparation for taking GCSE English in 2014, but now face the disruption of having to sit a different mix of assessment processes. Those students going into [their final year] who were assessed for speaking and listening last year will feel cheated, having already prepared for something they felt was going to contribute to their GCSE grades. Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, added: "We are disappointed with this decision which overrules the responses of a vast majority of teachers." Currently, controlled assessment - coursework projects carried out in the classroom under teachers" supervision - makes up 60 per cent of marks for GCSE English. This includes 20 per cent for speaking and listening and 40 per cent for reading and writing. The remaining 40 per cent of marks come from a formal exam. Under new changes, the proportion of controlled assessment will be cut and marks awarded through the test will rise. From 2014, pupils will be able to get 60 per cent for the test and just 40 per cent for controlled assessment. Coursework will be made up entirely of reading and writing, with no separate marks for oral skills. Ofqual insisted the change was being made "to protect standards, as there is no workable way to ensure the skills are assessed consistently and fairly across all schools." The reforms follow controversy over the grading of English GCSEs last summer when grade boundaries were suddenly shifted, causing large numbers of pupils to miss out on good marks. At the time, Ofqual blamed over-marking by teachers in coursework. Glenys Stacey, the Chief Regulator, said: "We think it right to make these changes and to act as quickly as possible because the current arrangements result in unfairness. Exam boards cannot be sure that speaking and listening assessments are being carried out and marked consistently across all schools, and we have evidence that they are not. That creates unfairness, and that is unacceptable. Stephen Twigg, the Shadow Education Secretary, said: "Business leaders tell us good communication skills are critical for getting a job in the modern world. But Michael Gove [the Education Secretary] just doesn't get it. Labour would support young people to succeed at job or university interviews by improving their speaking and listening skills.