GCSE/A-level

by Nurzhan

GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. It's highly valued by schools, colleges and employers so will be useful whatever you are planning to do afterwards.

The qualification mainly involves studying the theory of a subject, combined with some investigative work. Some subjects also involve practical work. GCSEs are usually studied full-time at school or college, taking five terms to complete.

GCSE courses are taken in a variety of subjects, which are usually decided by the students themselves in Year 9 (age 13-14). Study of chosen subjects begins at the start of Year 10 (age 14-15), and final examinations are then taken at the end of Year 11 (age 15-16).

GCSEs are at levels 1 and 2 on the National Qualifications Framework, depending on the grade you get. To achieve high grades, you'll usually be expected to show good levels of attainment in reading and writing.

grades D-G are at level 1 grades A*-C are at level 2

The framework shows how different types of qualifications compare, in terms of the demands they place on learners.

Receiving five or more A*-C grades is often a requirement for taking A-levels in the school sixth form, at a sixth form college or at a further education college after leaving secondary school. Where the choice of A level is a subject taken at GCSE level, it is frequently required that the student has received a GCSE C grade minimum. Most universities typically require a C or better in English and Mathematics, regardless of a student's performance in their A-level or Foundation Degree course after leaving school. Many students who fail to get a C in English and Mathematics (and, increasingly, ICT) will retake their GCSEs in those subjects at a later date.

About GCSE and A-levels

By Ayim

There are a lot of excellent schools and colleges in the UK and each one of them offers students great opportunities and good chances to get into prestigious universities. I did my A Levels in St Catherine's which is an independent school in Surrey. I have to admit that when applying to the school I had no idea what to expect of it. All I knew was that it was really strict, all British and most shockingly - an all girls school. I was very nervous, however, the decision I made was right for me. The school gave me real knowledge and good preparation for my university. That is the main advantage of the independent schools because they really care about you and do their best in order to help you achieve your goal and fulfill your ambition. The experience I got in the school was priceless: such activities like concerts and production at the school were superbly organized and taken very seriously. I got involved with drama and joined a lot of school productions both as a co-director and member of cast. This all made my life in school very exciting. Besides that, the level of teaching was extremely high. Teachers were always very keen to help and were so much fun to have lessons with. However, I have to admit that studying for A Levels was never easy for me. It is very important to know that A Levels demand a great deal of effort from students. That is why studying should always be the main priority.

A Level college is like a little preview of university. Majority of them are international which makes it fun as people from different cultural and social backgrounds come together and get to know each other. The main advantage of A Level colleges is that they focus purely on subjects and give an excellent preparation for universities. Choosing which school to apply to depends on what you want to get out of the experience and what is best for you. When choosing what subjects to take the most important thing is to know which areas you are interested in. They don't all have to be arranged according to the course you want to do. You have to make sure that you enjoy the subject because only then you can do well in it. The best thing you can do when deciding what to choose is to look at the prospectus of the university you want to apply to and also read the course description and entry requirements. Then you will know what subjects you can take, however, not all of them have to be picked in the way perfect for the course but they have to be of your interest.

A Levels have given me the skill and discipline to broaden my academic horizon and the experience I got is unforgettable. That is why you have to look forward to it not only as a preparation for a university but also as an interesting and fulfilling 2 years in their own right. The main advice to all of you who wish to study in UK and do A Levels would be to take studying seriously as it will definitely pay off but also enjoy it and be as active and enthusiastic as you can!