What is GCSE?

GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. It is a secondary school leaving certificate for schools in the UK.

GCSE exams were being introduced as compulsory secondary school leaving certificates by the UK government in the late 1980s, with the first exam taken in 1988. Since then, GCSE has replaced the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) and GCE Ordinary Level (O-Level) examinations.

Curriculums And Grading

GCSE has moved its focus away from merely theoretical studies. It teaches students about real-world implications and issues relating to ICT and citizenship. At the same time, students are required to do coursework as part of the contribution to each subject’s grades. However, during the 2015 GCSE reforms, GCSE courses now have less coursework and are only included to assess essential skills.

A new grading scale of 9 to 1 was also introduced in 2015. The highest grade is 9, while 1 is the lowest, not including a U (ungraded). This is to allow greater differentiation between students and will help distinguish the new GCSEs from previous versions. See the table below comparing the new grading structure to the old grading structure.

Further Education

After completing GCSE, students will continue their studies to Advance Level (A-Level) in their current schools’ sixth form, or enroll on Foundation courses in universities or colleges.

Students are required to obtain five or more 4-9 grades, including English and Maths to further their studies to A-Level. Most universities are typically required a minimum grade of C in both English and Maths in GCSE, regardless of students’ achievements in A-Level or Foundation courses.

*Relevant info is taken from Ofqual.