Introduction of the A* grade

In 1994, the A* grade was added above the grade A to further differentiate attainment at the very highest end of the qualification. This remained the highest grade available until 2017, when numerical grades were introduced (see below). The youngest pupil to gain an A* grade was Thomas Barnes, who earned an A* in GCSE Mathematics at the age of 7.^[8]

Mathematics tiers

Initially, the mathematics papers were divided between three tiers: higher (able), intermediate (less able) and foundation (near unable), to cover different mathematical abilities. The higher level corresponded to grades A–C, the intermediate level to grades C–E, and the foundation level to grades E–G. However, it was later realised^[when?] that students who sat the foundation level exam couldn't pass the subject at grade C, so this system was replaced by a two-tier arrangement whereby the intermediate and foundation levels were merged. This brought the subject into line with other subjects that typically had foundation and higher-level papers. This meant that somebody who sat the new foundation level could now achieve a grade C and thus pass.

With the introduction of numbered grades, the higher tier provides grades 9–3, with 3 being classed as a "safety net" grade, and the foundation tier provides grades 5–1.

2000s reforms

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 the first assessment series in 2010, controlled assessment replaced coursework in various subjects, requiring more rigorous exam-like conditions for much of the non-examination assessed work and reducing the opportunity for outside help in coursework.

2010s reforms

Under the Conservative government of David Cameron various changes were made to GCSE qualifications taken in England. Before a wide range of reforms, interim changes were made to existing qualifications, removing the January series of examinations as an option in most subjects and requiring that 100% of the assessment in subjects from the 2014 examination series be taken at the end of the course. These were a precursor to the later reforms.^[9]

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.^[10][11]

Under the new scheme all GCSE subjects were revised between 2015 and 2018 and all new awards were to be on the new scheme by summer 2020. The new qualifications are designed such that most exams will be taken at the end of a full two-year course, with no interim modular assessment, coursework nor controlled assessment except where necessary (such as in the arts). Some subjects retain coursework on a non-assessed basis, with the completion of certain experiments in science subjects being assumed in examinations and teacher reporting of spoken language participation for English GCSEs as a separate report.

Other changes include the move to a numerical grading system to differentiate the new qualifications from the old-style letter-graded GCSEs, publication of core content requirements for all subjects and an increase in longer, essay-style questions to challenge pupils more. Alongside this a variety of low-uptake qualifications and qualifications with significant overlap will cease, with their content being removed from the GCSE options or incorporated into similar qualifications. A range of new GCSE subjects was also introduced for pupils to study from 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.^[12]

GCSE examinations in English and mathematics were reformed with the 2015 syllabus publications, with these first examinations taking place in 2017. The remainder were reformed with the 2016 and 2017 syllabus publications, leading to first awards in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

For GCSE Science the old single-award "science" and "additional science" options are no longer available, being replaced with a double award "combined science" option (graded on the scale 9–9 to 1–1 and equivalent to 2 GCSEs). Alternatively pupils can take separate qualifications in chemistry, biology and physics. Other removed qualifications include a variety of design technology subjects, which are reformed into a single ‘design and technology’ subject with several options, and various catering and nutrition qualifications, which are folded into "food technology". Finally several "umbrella" GCSEs such as "humanities", "performing arts" and "expressive arts" are dissolved, with those wishing to study those subjects needing to take separate qualifications in the incorporated subjects.^[13]

Implications for Wales and Northern Ireland

These reforms did not apply immediately in Wales and Northern Ireland, where GCSEs would continue to be available on the A*–G grading system. However, owing to legislative requirements for comparability between GCSEs in the three countries and allowances for certain subjects and qualifications to be available in Wales and Northern Ireland, some 9–1 qualifications were to be available and the other changes were mostly adopted in these countries as well.^[14]

In Northern Ireland a decision was taken by Minister of Education, Peter Wier (DUP), in 2016 to align the A* Grade to the 9 Grade of the English reformed qualifications.^[15] The first award of the new A* grade being in 2019. A C* grade was also introduced in Northern Ireland to align to the 5 Grade in England, again with first awarding in 2019. GCSEs in Northern Ireland remain modular and Science practicals can count towards the overall grade. Speaking and listening also remains a component of the GCSE English Language specification.

Core subjects

These are the requirements for achieving the English Baccalaureate headline measure in league tables, from 2017 onwards.^[23] Other subjects, especially religious studies, citizenship studies, computer science and physical education are compulsory in the majority of secondary schools since these subjects form part of the National Curriculum at Key Stage 4.

• English
  • English Language and English Literature
• Mathematics
• Science
  • Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Computer Science) or Combined Science
• Languages: one GCSE in a modern or ancient language
  • Modern languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Modern Greek, Gujarati, Modern Hebrew, Irish (only in Northern Ireland), Italian, Japanese, Panjabi, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, Welsh (only in Wales)
  • Ancient languages: Classical Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Latin
• Humanities:
  • History or Geography (or both)

Other subjects

• Sciences and Mathematics
  • Astronomy
  • Geology
  • Psychology
  • Statistics
• Humanities and Social Sciences:
  • Ancient History
  • Citizenship Studies
  • Classical Civilisation
  • Religious Studies
  • Sociology
• Business and Enterprise:
  • Business Studies
  • Economics
• Design and Technology:
  • Design and Technology
  • Electronics
  • Engineering
  • Food Preparation and Nutrition
• Arts:
  • Art and Design
  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Film Studies
  • Media Studies
  • Music
• Other:
  • Physical Education

Letter grades

When GCSEs were introduced in 1988 they were graded on a letter scale in each subject: A, B, C, D, E, F and G being pass grades, with a U (unclassified) below that, which did not qualify the pupil for a certificate. These grades were initially set such that a GCSE grade C was equivalent to an O-Level grade C or a CSE grade 1, though changes in marking criteria and boundaries over the years mean that this comparison is only approximate.

Infrequently, X and Q grades are awarded. X indicates that a course was not completed and therefore an appropriate grade cannot be calculated. The Q (query) grade is a temporary grade that requires the school to contact the examining body. These two grades are usually provisional and are replaced with a normal grade once any issues have been resolved. X grades are also sometimes used for other purposes on rare occasions, such as to indicate that an examiner found offensive material or hate speech within a pupil’s answers. In some cases this may lead to the pupil losing all marks for that paper or course. These grades are most common in subjects that cover ethical issues, such as biology, religious studies and citizenship.

In 1994 an A* grade was added above the initial A grade to indicate exceptional achievement, above the level required for the A grade.

Under the letter grade scheme, foundation tier papers assess content at grades C to G, while higher tier papers assess content at grades A* to C. In foundation-tier papers, pupils can obtain a maximum grade of a C, while in a higher-tier paper they can achieve a minimum grade of a D. Higher-tier candidates who miss the D grade by a small margin are awarded an E. Otherwise the grade below E in these papers is U. In untiered papers pupils can achieve any grade in the scheme. This scheme has been phased out in England, but remains in Wales and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland the A* grade has been adjusted upwards with the introduction of the numerical scheme in England, such that an A* is equivalent to a new English grade 9. Northern Ireland also added a C* grade to line up with the grade 5 in the English grading. Pupils in Northern Ireland studying for GCSEs with any of the English exam boards are awarded grades based on the 9–1 system as opposed to the A*–G system.

Numerical grades (2017 onwards)

Since 2017 in England (and in Wales and Northern Ireland on qualifications from the English-based awarding bodies) most GCSEs have been assessed on a nine-point scale, using numbers from 9 to 1, and a U (unclassified) grade for achievement below the minimum pass mark. Under this system 9 is the highest grade and is set above the former A* classification, equivalent to the new Northern Irish A* grade. A grade 8 is also equivalent to an A*; however, the grade 9 is the top end of the A*. The former C grade is set at grade 4 (known as a "standard pass") and grade 5 (considered a "strong pass") under the numerical scheme.

Although fewer qualifications have tiered examinations than before, the tiering system still exists. At foundation tier the grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are available, whilst at higher tier the grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are targeted. Students who take the higher tier and miss the grade 4 mark by a small margin are awarded a grade 3. Controlled assessment and coursework tasks are untiered. The youngest person known to have achieved a grade 9 is Ellie Barnes, who achieved the grade in Mathematics aged eight.^[25][26][27]

Results

GCSE results are published by the examination board in August for the exam series in April to June of the same year. They are usually released one week after the A-Level results, on the Thursday that falls between 20 August and 26 August. The examination results are released to centres (schools) prior to the release to candidates and the public. Examination results are released by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which represents the main GCSE awarding organisations. Some boards and schools release results online, although many still require pupils to attend in person to collect their results from the centre at which they sat the exams.^[28]

In England these results then go on to inform league tables published in the following academic year, with headline performance metrics for each school. Owing to COVID-19, pupils who were supposed to sit their GCSEs in 2020 and 2021 were awarded qualifications based on predicted grades from their teachers. Traditional exams, however, have been taken since the summer of 2022.

1988–2018

Source: Joint Council for General Qualifications via Brian Stubbs.
Note: In the final year DES statistics for O-Levels are available, and across all subjects, 6.8% of candidates obtained a grade A, and 39.8% achieved grades A to C.

Modular and linear GCSEs

In the past, many GCSE qualifications used a modular system, where some assessment (up to 60% under the "terminal rule") could be submitted prior to the final examination series. This allowed for students to take some units of a GCSE before the final examination series, and thus gave indication of progress and ability at various stages, as well as allowing for students to resit exams in which they did not score as highly, in order to boost their grade, before receiving the qualification. Various qualifications were available as both modular and linear schemes, and schools could choose whichever fit best for them.

Under the Conservative government of David Cameron, reforms were initiated which converted all GCSEs from 2012 (for assessment from 2014) to de facto linear schemes, in advance of the introduction of new specifications between 2015 and 2018 (for first assessment from 2017 to 2020). These new rules required that 100% of the assessment in a GCSE be submitted in the final examination series, at the same time as applying for certification of the full qualification.^[31][32][33] The examination boards complied by modifying the syllabi of the remaining GCSE qualifications to remove modular components.^[31][33][34]

Coursework and controlled assessment

In some subjects, one or more controlled assessment or coursework assignments may also be completed. These may contribute either a small or large proportion of the final grade. In practical and performance subjects, they generally have a heavier weighting to reflect the difficulty and potential unfairness of conducting examinations in these areas.

In the past, these were available in a variety of subjects, including extended writing in English, the sciences, business, and foreign languages; practical assessment in the sciences and technology subjects; and speaking assessments in languages. Since the 2010s reform, the availability has been cut back, with mostly only design and technology subjects and performing arts retaining their controlled assessment contributions. In English language, the spoken language assessment has been downgraded to an endorsement which is reported separately on the English certificate, not contributing to the grade. The English spoken language assessments are set throughout the course and assessed by teachers. Students can be awarded a Pass, Merit, Distinction or Not Classified. In the sciences, practical exercises are a required part of the qualification, but are not directly assessed; they are only endorsed by a teacher's statement.

The balance between controlled assessment and examinations is contentious, with the time needing to be set aside for coursework sessions being seen as a burden on the school timetable. However, the use of controlled assessment allows for the marking of some work outside of examination season, and can ease the burden on students to perform well on the day of the examination.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

GCSEs in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are part of the Regulated Qualifications Framework. A GCSE at grades G, F, E, D, 1, 2, or 3 is a Level 1 qualification. A GCSE at C, B, A, A*, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 is a Level 2 qualification. Qualifications are not awarded to grades U, X or Q. Level 2 qualifications are much more sought-after, and generally form minimum requirements for jobs and further study expectations.

The BTEC is another Level 1/2 qualification available in the same territories as the GCSE, and is graded at 5 levels. At Level 2, comparable to A*, A, B, and C respectively are the Distinction*, Distinction, Merit, and Pass. A BTEC at Level 1 is simply marked as "Level 1", with no subdivision. Below that level, a U is awarded, as in GCSEs. Other qualifications at this level include Cambridge Nationals, Key Skills, and Functional Skills.

Some schools in the UK choose to enter their students for IGCSE examinations.^[39]

Scotland

The comparable qualifications in Scotland are the National 4 and National 5 awards (formerly Standard Grades and/or Intermediates).

Current and former British territories

The education systems of current and former British territories, such as Gibraltar,^[40] and Nigeria, also offer the qualification, as supplied by the same examination boards. Other former British colonies, such as Singapore and Zimbabwe, continue to use qualifications called O-levels.^[41]

Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, the Junior Certificate is a comparable qualification.

United States

In the United States, a high school diploma is required for entry into college or university. In the UK, this is considered to be at the level of the GCSE, awarded at Year 11.^[42][43] For college and university admissions in the UK, a high school diploma may be accepted in lieu of the GCSE if an average grade better than D+ is obtained in subjects with a GCSE counterpart.^[42]

As A-levels are generally expected for UK university admission, a high school diploma is not considered enough for direct university entry in the UK. Advanced Placement programmes or International Baccalaureate are considered equal to the A-level and earn points on the UCAS tariff. They may therefore be accepted in lieu of A-levels for university entry in the UK by US students. However, entry requirements differ at each university and may take subsequent work history after high school in place of A-levels/AP for future study applications.

The SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests, or the ACT may also be considered in an offer for direct university entry.

US students who have studied at a university, a senior college, a community college; or graduated with a certificate, diploma or associate degree may have their credits and award transferred into a UK university, subject to entry requirements.

France

The Diplôme National du Brevet (previously Brevet des Collèges) is generally considered to be comparable to four GCSEs.^[44] The Brevet is usually sat in troisième (or year 10 in England and Wales).

India

In India, GCSE can be used for comparison with class 12 and class 10 Board Examination which is usually taken in Class 10 and Class 12.The Board Exams are usually important for student who want to seek admission in India Along with Admission in college in UK as CBSE, ICSE-ISC are similar to GCSE. IGCSE Exams are also available in India for the Students who wants to go to UK or else wants to learn advance courses .