Qualifications
GCSE courses are available in a variety of subjects and they are by far the most common qualification taken by students wanting to gain a firm understanding of a topic.
Virtually all candidates take GCSEs in English, Mathematics and Science. In addition, many careers also require that students take English literature and at least one modern foreign language, while also favouring students to have at least one social science.
Grading
At the end of the GCSE course, each student receives a grade for each subject. The pass grades, from highest to lowest, are:
GCSEs are part of the National Qualifications Framework. A GCSE at grades D–G is a Level 1 qualification, while a GCSE at grades A*–C is a Level 2 qualification. Those who fail a course are given a U (unclassified). Students can also receive an X grade which signifies that they have only completed part of the course or key elements such as coursework are missing and so an appropriate mark cannot be given.
Structure
In many subjects, there are two different 'tiers' of examination offered:
- Higher, where students can achieve grades A*–D
- Foundation, where they can achieve grades C–G
If a candidate fails to obtain a G on the foundation tier or a D on the higher tier they will fail the course and receive a U (though there is a safety net allowing those who narrowly miss a D on the higher tier to receive an E). In non-tiered subjects, the examination paper allows candidates to achieve any grade. Coursework also always allows candidates to achieve any grade.
Results
Students receive the results of their GCSEs in the fourth week of August (the week after A Level results). CCEA publish their results on the Tuesday and the other examination boards publish theirs on the Thursday. Normally, students have to go to their school to collect their results, although Edexcel allow for the option of an online results service whereby results are posted online.