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GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is a standard academic qualification in many subjects in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is generally taken by students of the age group 14-16 years. In Secondary schools, GCSE is available in a variety of subjects and these subjects are decided by the students themselves in the year 9. Since the beginning of Class 10th, the students can take up these subjects as their courses of study. The final two years of compulsory schooling is officially termed as Key Stage 4 and incorporates GCSEs in maintained schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - normally known as Year 10 and Year 11 in England and Wales, and Year 11 and Year 12 in Northern Ireland, when pupils are aged between 14 and 16.
There are now examination boards offering GCSEs in England:
- Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)
- Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA)
- Edexcel
- Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)
- Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC)
These boards specify the course content, exam questions, assess the projects and mark papers. Schools can choose one subject from one of these boards and thus a student can do different subjects from different boards. Throughout GCSE a student has to undergo controlled assessment and the time and date can be decided by consulting the teacher. There is a provision for access arrangement as well wherein students with certain disabilities or language barrier are provided with certain aid tools to finish off their exam paper. There is a provision for getting one's paper re-evaluated as well if one is not satisfied with the generated marks.
Grading
GSCE courses span 2 years and at the end of each year, students sit for exam. The passing grades, from highest to lowest are: A*, A, B, C, D, E, F and G.
GCSE is a part of the National Qualifications Framework. A GCSE with grades lying between A*-C is a level 2 qualification while with grades between D-G qualify for level 1.
Failing students are awarded U grade and due to non-completion of certain components of the course, a student can be awarded X grade as well.
Among the numerous subjects offered in GCSE, the Basic compulsory core subjects are:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science (students can study Science in many different ways)
Tiers
In a number of subjects, two different tiers of education are available:
- Higher, where students can achieve grades A*-D
- Foundation, where they can achieve grades C-G
In case of any failure to obtain a G grade (at Foundation level) or D grade (at higher level), a student is awarded a U grade or an E grade respectively. In non-tiered subjects, such as History, attainment of grades is solely decided by the examination paper. Any coursework component also allows candidates to achieve any grade.
GCSE Mathematics was changed from a 3-tier system (2006) - Foundation (grades D-G), Intermediate (grades B-E) and Higher (grades A*-C) - to the standard 2-tier system - Foundation (grades C-G) and Higher (grades A*-D).
Future Studies
Five or more A*-C grades (inclusive of English & Mathematics) is often a necessity for taking A-levels in the school sixth form, at a sixth form college or at a college pursuing higher education (after secondary school). Choice of subject at A level is affected by courses taken at secondary school and are largely determined by them. More often than not, a C grade is a must. Most universities typically require a C or better in English and Mathematics, irrespective of student's performance at A-level or Foundation Degree course (after leaving school). In a case of failure to obtain C in Mathematics & English, a student may have to retake the GCSE examination
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