The GCSE examinations are around the corner for many of our students, but what are they? And how are they graded? 

In this blog, we will provide you with a brief overview of the GCSE exams and their grading system to help you feel confident with supporting with your student's preparation. 

What are GCSEs?

GCSEs, or General Certificate of Secondary Education, were first introduced in September 1986 to establish a national qualification for students who decided to leave school at 16, without moving into further academic study (such as A-Levels). It came after pressure to merge the prior qualifications, O-Levels and CSEs. 

The exams are taken by students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland at the end of their compulsory education, usually in Year 11 (ages 15-16). These exams assess a student's knowledge and skills across a range of subjects, some of which are compulsory or ‘core’ subjects. 

The core subjects include English literature and language, mathematics, science, and in Wales, Welsh. Students choose their remaining GCSE subjects themselves before Year 10. Some schools may have additional compulsory subjects, such as Religious Studies. 

How are GCSEs graded?

The GCSE grading system was phased from alphabetical to numerical from 2018 to 2020.

GCSEs are currently graded on a scale from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest grade and 1 being the lowest, besides U (ungraded) which remains the same as it was. A grade of 4 and up is required to pass a GCSE exam, with grades 1 to 3 being considered failing grades. 

The grades are determined by a combination of coursework and final exams, depending on the subject. The coursework is completed throughout the GCSE school years and is marked by teachers, while the final exams are typically taken at the end of the two years, in May or June, and are marked externally by examiners.

What are the exam boards? 

There are five main examination boards used for GCSES. These are AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and CCEA. 

How do resits work? 

Sometimes students don’t get the result they want the first time, but there’s no need to panic or let it get you down! If they wish, students can resit their GCSE exams in an attempt to get a higher grade. 

There are government policies regarding resitting maths and English which can be found here. Broadly, they state that if your student will be studying full-time after their GCSEs (540+ hours) they will need to resit their maths or English GCSE. If they will be studying part-time (150 – 539 hours), they can take a functional skills qualification instead. They can also take a functional skills qualification instead if they achieved a grade 2 or below. And if they are doing an apprenticeship, maths and English will be part of their qualification and therefore don’t need to be re-sat. 

Your student can resit their exams at the same school or college that they sat their initial exams at, or they can enrol in an online GCSE course. The actual exam will still be taken in person at the same time as other students, but please note you would be responsible for organising this yourself, and you will have to pay a fee. The amount of the fee varies depending on the examination centre you choose, so we recommend researching beforehand! 

In summary, the GCSEs are a crucial milestone in a student's education, and it's important to support them as best you can as they prepare for these important exams. By understanding the exams themselves and the grading system, and providing support and encouragement, you can help your child achieve their full potential and set them up for success in the future! 

If you have any more questions you can always reach out to our Student Success Team or speak to your tutor if you’re already working with us! If you’re not and you’re interested in getting started, reach out to us via our website and let us know how we can help your student prepare for their GCSEs!