How well do you know GCSEs in the UK?

Overview of GCSE Examinations in the UK

• GCSE is a national academic qualification in a specific subject taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with Scotland using the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead.

• GCSE qualifications are offered in a range of subjects, including English literature, mathematics, science, history, geography, art and design, design and technology, business studies, classical civilisation, drama, music, and foreign languages.

• The Department for Education has a list of preferred subjects known as the English Baccalaureate for England based on results in eight GCSEs, including English, mathematics, the sciences, history, geography, and an ancient or modern foreign language.

• GCSE exams take place over a period of two or three academic years, starting in Year 9 or Year 10, with examinations being sat at the end of Year 11 in England and Wales.

• Before GCSEs, students took CSE or O-Level exams, with the CSE covering grades C-G or 4-1, and the O-Level covering grades A*-C or 9-4, which were independent qualifications with different grading systems.

• GCSEs were introduced in 1986 with the first exams sat in 1987, replacing the CSE and O-Level qualifications and allowing access to the full range of grades for more students.

• Over time, the range of subjects offered, the format of the exams, the regulations, the content, and the grading of GCSE exams have altered considerably.

• In 1994, the A* grade was added above the grade A to differentiate attainment at the very highest end of the qualification.

• Initially, the mathematics papers were set in three tiers: Higher, Intermediate, and Foundation, but it was later realised that nobody who sat the Foundation level had any chance of passing the subject at grade C, so this arrangement was replaced by a two-tier arrangement.

• Between 2005 and 2010, a variety of reforms were made to GCSE qualifications, including increasing modularity and a change to the administration of non-examination assessment.

• From 2015, a large-scale programme of reform began in England, changing the marking criteria and syllabi for most subjects, as well as the format of qualifications and the grading system.

• GCSEs are awarded on a graded scale, and cross two levels of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF): Level 1 and Level 2, with Level 1 qualifications constituting GCSEs at grades G, F, E, and D or 1, 2, and 3, and Level 2 qualifications being those at grades C, B, A, and A* or 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

• GCSE exams were initially graded on a letter scale in each subject, with A, B, C, D, E, F, and G being pass grades, with a U (unclassified) grade below that which did not qualify the student for a certificate.Overview of GCSE Examinations in the UK

• GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education.

• GCSE examinations are taken by students in the UK at the age of 16.

• They are usually taken in a variety of subjects, including English, Maths, Science, and Humanities.

• GCSEs can be assessed through a letter grade system or a numerical grade system.

• The letter grade system ranges from A* to G, with A* being the highest grade.

• The numerical grade system ranges from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest grade.

• The grading system has changed over the years, with the introduction of the A* grade in 1994 and the numerical grading system in 2017.

• GCSE results are released in August, one week after A-Level results.

• Students can retake GCSE exams to improve their grades.

• GCSEs are required for entry into Level 3 qualifications such as A-Levels or BTECs.

• The declining number of pupils studying foreign languages has been a major concern for educational experts.

• Critics attribute the rising number of high grades awarded to grade inflation.

• There have been concerns over gender bias in GCSE exams.

• Students can apply for special consideration if an unforeseen circumstance occurs that may affect their performance in an examination.Concerns and Criticisms of GCSEs

• GCSEs are criticized for their exam-only format which is said to be too stressful and can lead to mental health crises.

• Students in 2019 took more exams and spent longer in the exam hall than their 2016 counterparts.

• Reports of panic attacks, sleepless nights, depression, extreme fatigue, self-harming, and suicidal thoughts are increasing among students.

• The incorporation of GCSE awards into school league tables and the setting of targets at school level have been criticized for widening the social divide.

• The E grade was intended to be equivalent to the CSE grade 4, and so obtainable by a candidate of average/median ability.

• Labelling schools as failing if 40% of their pupils do not achieve at least 5 Cs, including English and Maths at GCSE, has also been criticized.

• Public schools are switching to IGCSEs and taking their pupils straight to A-Level or the BTEC instead of GCSEs.

• Private school pupils are 136 times more likely to follow an IGCSE than state-funded school pupils.

• Teachers and pupils have the option to question exam results and have the scripts marked again if they feel the grade awarded does not reflect the pupil's ability.

• There have been complaints that GCSEs and GCE A-Levels were marked unfairly.

• GCSE exams were cancelled in 2020 and replaced with teacher-assessed grades due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Calls for reform and abolition of GCSEs in England have increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic.