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• 9-1 English GCSE Explained

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* Article is written by EdPlace's teacher, Miss Latham *

English has been split into two distinct and separate GCSEs; English Language and English Literature. No longer is there a GCSE that mixes the two. Coursework does not count at all towards the final mark any more. All students will sit the same exam, and unlike the new maths GCSE, there will be no tiering.

The two English Language exams will be split into a reading section and a writing section . They will focus on texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st century and will require students to read and respond to unknown texts confidently and quickly, displaying their skills of deduction and inference. Students will need to be able to explain their thoughts and ideas accurately under timed conditions.

The writing sections may ask students to write pieces linked to the texts they have been given, for example a descriptive narrative for one paper and presentation of a viewpoint for the second.

The two English Literature exams may focus on Shakespeare or a 19th century novel, and students will have to answer an unseen poetry question, possibly followed by a modern text. Students will have to understand the contexts of the texts and use their skills in deduction and inference, they will then write about what they have read.

The final grades for each subject will be assessed through exam only, no coursework at all! There are two exams for literature and two for language. Students will also have to complete a spoken language assessment (this used to be called speaking and listening), this will not have any bearing on their final grades, but they will be graded for it; pass, merit, distinction or fail. If they don’t complete it, their English Language GCSE will be void. Spelling , punctuation and grammar will count towards 20% of each of the English GCSEs.

From 2017 GCSE grades in English will now be from 9 to 1 instead of A* to G. Grade 9 will be reserved for the very highest achievers. A good pass is 5 or above. Ofqual the exam regulators are estimating that the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above.

• Similarly, the same proportion of students achieving an A grade or higher will achieve a grade 7 or higher.
• The bottom of grade 1 will be aligned with the bottom of grade G.
• Grade 5 will be in the top third of the marks for a current Grade C and bottom third of the marks for a current Grade B.

How can you support?

Reading. Higher expectations mean that students will be given a wider range of harder texts to study. Reading with your child at home and taking time to really understand and discuss the texts could help and support them hugely. Consider any new language, infer and deduce meaning and critically analyse the content. Examiners will be looking for students to be able to perceive tonal effects like innuendo, humour, exaggeration or irony. They will want students to recognise the layered effects of figurative language or to speculate about the writers intentions. It is about reading texts that may not at first be easy, and developing the tools to not only understand them but perhaps to enjoy them too.

Writing. Setting writing tasks utilising a range of genre’s or linked to the texts you are reading will support your child in preparation for the exam. Working through their ideas with them and then editing their writing with them, reminding them of spellings, grammar or punctuation, so that they can start to see where they have made errors and start to self-correct, will boost their confidence and their abilities to get their ideas down onto paper quickly and efficiently. At EdPlace we can provide you with plenty of ideas and support.

Written by Miss Latham - EdPlace's teacher

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GCSE English Explained

GCSE English examinations have undergone various changes over the years. This relates to the content of the courses, the way the exams are set up, and how the students are graded. Typically, GCSE English is split into two main topics; language and literature.

The Department for Education announced plans to reform GCSE English language and literature in 2013. These changes came into effect in 2015 as the new teachings began, and the first exams were held in 2017. 

The English language GCSE focuses more on developing students reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. By comparison, the English literature GCSE is more focused on developing knowledge and understanding of prose, poetry and drama texts. 

GCSE English - both kinds - is held in extremely high-regard throughout the UK. A lot of Universities will ask for this GCSE as part of the degree qualifications. 

Exam Boards & Topics

As of right now, three exam boards offer papers for both English Language and English Literature: 

• Pearson Edexcel

Unlike GCSE Maths, there is no foundation or higher paper for either GCSE English exams. All students will sit the same papers and be graded based on the results. While the content across the exam boards may differ slightly, the structure of the courses and the topics covered are the same. 

English Literature

For English Lit, the topics look like this: 

• Shakespear plays
• 19th-Century texts
• Modern texts
• Modern drama texts

Obviously, the exact texts and plays that pupils will look at and analyse are going to vary ever so slightly from board to board. 

English Language

With the English language GCSE, some of content and topics will be: 

• Creative reading
• Creative writing
• Fictional texts
• Descriptive/narrative writing
• Extended writing
• Non-fiction texts
• Literary non-fiction texts
• Use of standard English
• Responding to questions & feedback

What are the exams like?

The content for the English GCSE is taught across the two different focus points. In total, there are four different exams that need to be sat in the exam hall - two for English Language and two for English Literature. 

English Literature Exam Structure

The typical English Literature exam structure has changed over the years. The previous GCSE allowed for three exams that totalled around 3-hours. Now, the exams are split across two exams with a total of 4-hours between them. 

Now, here’s where things get slightly complicated as the different exam boards prepare these exams differently: 

• AQA: The AQA exams consist of one paper on Shakespear and the 19th-Century Novel, and one on Modern Texts & Poetry. The first exam lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and has a total of 64 marks, making up 40% of the GCSE. The second exam is 2 hours and 15 minutes long, with 96 marks and a 60% weight towards the GCSE. 
• OCR: The OCR exam includes one paper on Modern & Literary Heritage Texts and one on Poetry & Shakespeare. Both papers have a total of 80 marks available and are split evenly at 50% of the overall grade. They’re also equally split at 2 hours each. 
• Pearson Edexcel: The Edexcel exam has one paper on Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature and one on 19th-Century Novel and Poetry since 1789. Both papers are worth 50% of the overall GCSE, though they are of different lengths. Paper one is 1 hour and 45 minutes long, while paper two is 2 hours and 15 minutes. 

All three exam boards have two papers for the English Language GCSE, and they also all have a Spoken Language Endorsement. Interestingly, the spoken language part of the qualifications doesn’t actually count towards anything at all. It makes up 0% and is seen as a separate grade to the English Language GCSE. Pupils will get either a pass, merit, or distinction for their performance. 

The individual exam boards set up the Language exams as follows: 

• AQA: One paper on Exploration in Creative Reading & Writing that’s worth a total of 80 marks and 50% of the GCSE. The second paper is on Writer’s Viewpoints and Perspectives, which is also worth 80 marks and 50% of the GCSE. Both papers will last 1 hour and 45 minutes. 
• OCR: One paper on Non-fiction texts and one paper on Literary texts. Both are 50% of the GCSE and will last for 2 hours with a total of 80 marks available on both. 
• Pearson Edexcel: One paper on Fiction & Imaginative Writing worth 40% of the GCSE and a maximum of 64 marks available. One paper on Non-Fiction & Transactional Writing worth 60% of the GCSE and a maximum of 96 marks available. The first paper lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes, the second lasts 2 hours and 5 minutes. 

All of these exams will include reading and writing elements across the papers. They will typically each have two texts to analyse, with one section focusing on reading and the other on writing. 

GCSE English Grades Explained

As you should be aware, the current GCSE system uses the 9-1 grading system. This replaced letters and means that 9 is the highest grade a GCSE English student can achieve. 

The top three grades of 9, 8, and 7 are supposed to correlate to the old grades of A* to A. 

6, 5, and 4 equate to B and C grades of old, with 5 seen as a strong pass and 4 as a standard pass. 

3, 2, and 1 are the equivalents of D E F and G grades under the old system. There is also a U grade that means ‘ungraded’, and it is technically the lowest grade you can get when sitting a GCSE English exam. 

All in all, GCSE English can be one of the most challenging GCSEs out there. This is largely because there are two different elements of the study that need to be covered. It’s conceivable to pass the Language section and fail the Literature - or vice versa. 

However, with the right support systems and teachings in place, pupils have a much greater chance of passing. The choice of exam boards also matters as they cover slightly different texts and topics. Having a GCSE in English Language and Literature is seen as essential for your further education and career. 

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Get the facts: GCSE reform

Updated 26 January 2018

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2018

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/get-the-facts-gcse-and-a-level-reform/get-the-facts-gcse-reform

1. Introduction

New GCSEs in English language, English literature and maths will be taught in schools in England from September 2015, with the first results issued in August 2017.

Further subjects will see new GCSEs introduced over the following two years.

2. What new GCSEs will look like

The main features of the new GCSEs are:

A new grading scale of 9 to 1 will be used, with 9 being the top grade. This will allow greater differentiation between students and will help distinguish the new GCSEs from previous versions.

Assessment will be mainly by exam, with other types of assessment used only where they are needed to test essential skills.

There will be new, more demanding content, which has been developed by government and the exam boards.

Courses will be designed for two years of study – they will no longer be divided into different modules and students will take all their exams in one period at the end of their course.

Exams can only be split into ‘foundation tier’ and ‘higher tier’ if one exam paper does not give all students the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities.

Resit opportunities will only be available each November in English language and maths.

3. Timetable

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GCSEs and GCSE grading explained

GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) are the main academic qualification taken in several subjects by the vast majority of pupils in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. But, in England, there have been significant reforms to many of the topics studied within the subjects, as well as to the examinations themselves and the grading system. So how do the new exams differ from the many previous variations you might be familiar with? When did the changes begin? And how does the new grading system compare to the well-known A* to G grades?

The changes begin

The new GCSE format was part of a large-scale programme of reforms introduced in England’s schools in 2014.

• The new courses include much less coursework (or controlled assessment) than before, with only some of the more practical subjects like Dance, Art and Drama containing this element of assessment.
• Most exams will now be taken at the end of a two-year course , removing the module system that was previously in place for some subjects where students took exams along the way that counted towards a final grade. This will make the exams at the end of the course more important, as students will be required to draw on what they have learned over several years of study. In many subjects, students will also be required to answer more essay-style questions, too.
• There is also a new 9 to 1 grading system being phased in.

The 9 to 1 grades

A new 9 to 1 grading scheme has been introduced by the Department for Education in the hope that the new GCSEs will “better differentiate between students of different abilities”, by allowing greater differentiation for the top levels. The table below shows how the new GCSE grades compare to the old ones – although the DfE is clear to point out that each grade cannot be directly compared, there are places where they can be aligned.

The new grades explained

The new Grade 9 has been introduced to allow colleges and universities to identify those students with exceptional ability in particular subject areas.  A Grade 9 is not the equivalent of an A*. It is a grade that has been included to recognise the highest performing students. There will be fewer Grade 9s awarded than there were A*s previously.

Grades 8, 7 and 6

Roughly, Grade 8 sits between an A* and an A grade. Grade 7 is equal to an A and Grade 6 sits just a bit higher than the old B Grade.

Grades 4 and 5

These grades represent a ‘pass’ mark, equivalent of an old C Grade. Grade 4 is considered a ‘standard pass’ and Grade 5 a ‘strong pass’. Schools will be measured by the number of students achieving a Grade 4 and above – but they will also be measured on the proportion of students who achieve a Grade 5 and above. It is hoped that the Grade 5 will be considered the benchmark when comparing educational establishments both in this country and abroad.

Grades 3, 2 and 1

These grades correspond to old GCSE grades D, E, F and G. Grade 3 ranks somewhere in-between a D and an E, whilst Grade 2 is somewhere between an E and an F. A Grade 1 is similar to an old G Grade, and a U grade still refers to an exam that has been ‘ungraded’ – it simply did not achieve sufficient marks to get onto the scale.

The GCSE timeline

English Language, English Literature and Maths were the first to be graded from 9 to 1 in 2017. There is no Foundation Level in the new English GCSEs, so students of all abilities take the same exams. The vast majority of subjects converted to 9 to 1 grading in 2018, with most others following this year. In Science, for example, there are now fewer course options than previously, with most students taking either the new Combined Science course (worth two GCSEs) or three separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Are GCSE exams changing everywhere?

New and revised GCSEs were introduced in Wales too, which have been taught from 2015. However, students in Wales will still receive their grades in the A* to G format. In Northern Ireland, three-quarters of GCSEs are awarded by their Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA), which follows an A*to G grading system – but if students sit exams from other exam boards such as AQA, OCR, Edexcel or WJEC, they will also receive grades from 9 to 1. Students in Scotland follow an entirely different public examination system: Nationals and Highers.

Why are GCSE grades important?

There are a number of different reasons why GCSE grades are important to students. When they choose a course at a college or sixth form, they will be given entry requirements for the course they have chosen. The grades are an indicator to colleges and sixth forms of how well the student might do on different courses, whether they are A Level or vocational subjects. Some colleges and sixth forms may only allow your child to take particular subjects at A Level if they have achieved some of the higher grades at GCSE.

Also, GCSEs are used as an indicator to universities. Most universities will look at the number of GCSEs achieved above a Grade 4. They may also require particular grades in specific subjects at GCSE when admitting students onto some of the courses they offer.

What happens if grades are lower than expected?

If your child doesn’t achieve the grade they expected, or are disappointed with the grades they achieve, speak to their school and teachers who will be able to explain what their options are. If some of the grades do not meet requirements, it is possible to re-sit several subjects including English and Maths. It is often possible to re-sit these whilst you have started a new college course. Re-sits in other subjects can often be taken in the Summer of the following year.

However, as a parent or carer, whatever grades your child is predicted to achieve, if you are unsure of what the grade means or how you can support them to achieve (or exceed) this grade, it is important you speak to their teachers who will be able to explain what is expected of them.

Aaron Wilkes is one of the leading history authors in school publishing as well as teaching for over 20 years in a variety of schools in the West Midlands and delivering professional development courses all over the world. He’s also dad to two children – his eldest has just completed her GCSE courses, whilst his youngest will soon be moving into Year 9.

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GCSE English Literature

• Specification
• Planning resources
• Teaching resources
• Assessment resources
• Introduction

Specification at a glance

• 3.1 Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel
• 3.2 Modern texts and poetry
• Scheme of assessment
• General administration

Assessments

All assessments are closed book: any stimulus materials required will be provided as part of the assessment.

All assessments are compulsory.

by Aaron Wilkes | Jul 4, 2018

The new GCSEs explained – what’s changed and how the new grades work

GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) are the main academic qualification taken in several subjects by the vast majority of pupils in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In England, there have been significant reforms to many topics studied within the subjects, as well as to the grading system and examinations themselves. So how do the new exams differ from the many previous variations you might be familiar with? When did the changes begin? And how does the new grading system compare to the well-known A* to G grades?

The changes begin

The new GCSE format was part of a large-scale programme of reforms introduced in England’s schools in 2014.

• The new courses include  much less coursework  (or controlled assessment) than before, with only some of the more practical subjects like dance, art and drama retaining this element of assessment.
• Most exams will now be taken at the end of a two-year course , removing the module system that was previously in place for some subjects where students took exams that counted towards a final grade along the way. This will make the exams at the end of the course more important, as students will be required to draw on what they have learned over several years of study. In many subjects, students will also be required to answer more essay-style questions, too.
• A new  9 to 1 grading system  is also being phased in.

The 9 to 1 grades

A new 9 to 1 grading scheme has been introduced by the Department for Education in the hope that the new GCSEs will ‘better differentiate between students of different abilities’ by allowing greater differentiation at the top levels. The table below shows how the new GCSE grades compare to the old ones – although the DfE is clear to point out that each grade cannot be directly compared, there are places where they can be aligned.

The new grades explained

The new Grade 9 has been introduced to allow colleges and universities to identify those students with exceptional ability in particular subject areas. A Grade 9 is not the equivalent of an A*. It is a grade that has been included to recognise the highest performing students. There will be fewer Grade 9s awarded than there were A*s previously. In fact, Dr Tim Leunig (the DfE’s chief analyst and chief scientific adviser) has predicted that under the new system only two students in the whole country will receive Grade 9s in every subject. So your child should not worry if they don’t achieve a Grade 9!

Grades 8, 7 and 6

Grade 8 sits roughly between an A* and an A grade. Grade 7 is equal to an A and Grade 6 sits just a bit higher than the old B Grade.

Grades 4 and 5

These grades represent a ‘pass’ mark, equivalent of an old C Grade. Grade 4 is considered a ‘standard pass’ and Grade 5 a ‘strong pass’. Schools will be measured by the number of students achieving a Grade 4 and above – but they will also be measured on the proportion of students who achieve a Grade 5 and above. It is hoped that the Grade 5 will be considered the benchmark when comparing educational establishments both in this country and abroad.

Grades 3, 2 and 1

These grades correspond to old GCSE grades D, E, F and G. Grade 3 ranks somewhere in-between a D and an E, whilst Grade 2 is somewhere between an E and an F. A Grade 1 is similar to an old G Grade, and a U grade still refers to an exam that has been ‘ungraded’ – it simply did not achieve sufficient marks to get onto the scale.

The GCSE timeline

English language, English literature and maths were the first to be graded from 9 to 1 in 2017. There is no Foundation Level in the new English GCSEs, so students of all abilities take the same exams. The vast majority of subjects will have 9 to 1 grading this year (2018), with most others following a year later. In science, for example, there are now fewer course options than previously, with most students taking either the new Combined Science course (worth two GCSEs) or three separate GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics. During this transition period, students will receive a mixture of number and letter grades.

Are GCSE exams changing everywhere?

New and revised GCSEs were introduced in Wales too, and have been taught since 2015. However, students in Wales will still receive their grades in the A* to G format. In Northern Ireland, three-quarters of GCSEs are awarded by their Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), which follows an A* to G grading system – but if students sit exams from other exam boards such as AQA, OCR, Edexcel or WJEC, they will also receive grades from 1 to 9. Students in Scotland follow an entirely different public examination system: Nationals and Highers.

Why are GCSE grades important?

There are number of different reasons why GCSE grades are important to students. When they choose a course at a college or sixth form, they will be given entry requirements for the course they have chosen. The grades are an indicator to colleges and sixth forms on how well the student might do on different courses, whether they are A-Level or vocational subjects. Some colleges and sixth forms may only allow your child to take particular subjects at A-Level if they have achieved some of the higher grades at GCSE.

Also, GCSEs are used as an indicator to universities. Most universities will look at the number of GCSEs achieved above a Grade 4. They may also require particular grades in specific subjects at GCSE when admitting students onto some of the courses they offer.

What happens if grades are lower than expected?

If your child doesn’t achieve the grade they expected, or they are disappointed with the grades they achieve, speak to their school and their teachers. They will be able to explain what your child’s options are. If some of the grades do not meet requirements, it is possible to re-sit several subjects including English and maths. It is often possible to re-sit these after you have started a new college course. Re-sits in other subjects can often be taken in the summer of the following year.

However, as a parent or carer, whatever grades your child is predicted to achieve, if you are unsure of what the grade means or how you can support them to achieve (or exceed) this grade, it is important you speak to their teachers who will be able to explain what is expected of them.

More from Oxford Owl

• Blog: How to support your child during GCSEs

Books to support learning at home

Please note: all book links lead to more information on Amazon.co.uk

AQA GCSE English Language: Targeting Grades 6–9: Revision Workbook

This full-colour write-in revision workbook focuses on how to achieve grades 6–9 by taking students through the individual exam questions and providing extensive practice opportunities, self-assessments, sample student answers, revision tips and sample exam papers.

Buy on Amazon >

AQA GCSE Geography 9–1: Revision Guide

A student-friendly and engaging revision guide for the 2016 AQA GCSE Geography (9–1) specification, featuring:

• Easy to digest, specification-specific content that recaps and summarizes essential knowledge into manageable chunks.
• Revision activities and six-second summaries to prepare students for their first external exams.
• Revision checklists help monitor students’ progress.

AQA GCSE History 9–1: Germany 1890–1945 Democracy and Dictatorship Revision Guide

This Germany 1890–1945 Democracy and Dictatorship Revision Guide is part of the popular Oxford AQA GCSE History series. Written to match the new AQA specification, this guide covers everything students need to know to succeed in the Paper 1 Germany Period Study exams. The book includes key event recaps with diagrams and brief points, revision activities, exam-style questions, progress checklists, and up-to-date expert advice on exam technique.

AQA GCSE Religious Studies A: Christianity and Islam Revision Guide

Building on the Oxford AQA GCSE Religious Studies Student Books, this revision guide offers a structured approach to revising for the new 9–1 exams.

This revision guide is ideal for students combining Christianity and Islam. With all the essential content condensed and made memorable, and plenty of exam practice, tips and annotated sample answers, students can confidently prepare for their new exams.

AQA GCSE Biology Revision Guide

Specifically tailored for the 2016 AQA GCSE Science (9–1) specifications, this revision guide supports students on their journey from Key Stage 3 through to success in the new linear GCSE qualifications.

This revision guide includes differentiated questions to help all students make progress and build confidence, synoptic links to help students make connections between topics, support for the increased mathematical demands of the specifications, support for answering the new practical questions, checklists to help monitor progress, and exam-style practice questions.

Written by Aaron Wilkes

Aaron Wilkes is one of the leading history authors in school publishing as well as teaching for over 20 years in a variety of schools in the West Midlands. He's also dad to two children in secondary school. His eldest is currently in the middle of her GCSE courses, whilst his youngest has just moved up to 'big school’.

Posted in Age , Age 11+ , At school , School Year , Secondary , Top tips , Topic

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GCSEs: Everything you need to know

GCSE, meaning General Certificate of Secondary Education, is the first qualification milestone in the UK’s education system other than in Scotland, where the equivalent is the National 5 (N5). The Mix explains how GCSEs work, what subjects you can study at GCSE and what you can do afterwards.

What is a GCSE?

Before we start it’s important to remember that this is a key stage of your education and you should defo take them seriously. Okay, done with the lecture. Now onto the facts.

Whilst British law states that teenagers are not legally required to sit GCSEs ( see the Education Act 1996 ) – especially for those students who are being home-educated or independently schooled instead – nearly all state-funded schools require their students to study GCSEs or Functional Skills. Also keep in mind that a good range of GCSE passes will usually be required for entry into sixth form and often for vocational college entry too.

How do GCSEs work?

GCSE qualifications are usually taken in Years 10 and 11, when you are aged between 14 and 16. The basic idea is that you’ll study up to 10 subjects over two years. They used to be graded based on coursework, regular assessment and final exams. However recent changes mean that most of the courses are graded solely based on your GCSE exams.

Generally speaking, GCSEs are studied full-time at school or college, taking five terms to complete, with exams in the summer term. We should also flag that the exams you do get will be specific to the examination boards your school has chosen e.g. AQA or Edexcel so make sure you have a good idea of which one you’re doing.

How will changes to GCSEs affect me?

Now that you’ve figured out that answer to ‘how do GCSEs work?’ you should probably get clued up on what changes have been happening. 

The format and structure of GCSEs has been changing pretty significantly over the last few years. By and large these switches in the system have been focussed on moving assessment away from coursework and more onto the final exam. As part of this shift, the grading system in England has gone from alphabetical (A* to F) to numerical (1-9).

The government has said the aim of these changes is to make GCSEs more challenging. Unfortunately they haven’t had a lot of time to be tested with the pandemic forcing exams to be cancelled. This means that we can’t really say how the latest changes will affect you, especially since you’re unlikely to have anything to compare them to.

The GCSE grading systems

There have been some updates to the grades given in GCSEs, meaning you probably need a refresher. Now GCSE grades are 1-9, where 9 is the highest grade, 4 is a standard pass and 5 is a strong pass.

International GCSEs

More state schools are now offering the International GCSE (IGCSE), previously only available in independent schools. For reference, IGCSEs have been compared with old-style O-Levels and are supposed to be tougher than standard GCSEs.

What subjects can I study at GCSE?

Technically speaking you can choose from over 45 subjects. But in reality some of these are compulsory and the choices you have will depend on your school. So we’ll break it down for you. 

The compulsory core subjects are English, maths and science. In Wales, you’re also required to study Welsh as part of the national curriculum . Some choices you have include, but are not limited to , history, psychology, geography, art, drama, music, design, business studies, media studies, law, technology, economics and sociology.

What are GCSE courses like?

The majority last two years with the dreaded exams in the final summer term and exam results released in August. It’s worth noting that some other courses, such as art, music and drama, have practical assessments throughout the course on top of a final exam.

What grades can I get at GCSE?

This depends on the tier that you do. In some subjects, such as history, RE, music, art and design, everybody studying the subject sits the same exam paper and, therefore, has the potential to get the same grades. However, in subjects like English and science you have a choice of two different tiers – foundation and higher ; t he foundation tier assesses grades 1-5 and the higher tier assesses grades 4-9.

What if I want to do GCSEs that will help me get a job?

All GCSEs will benefit you since employers value them highly. Having said that, there are GCSEs in vocational subjects that relate directly to employment in particular areas, such as engineering and IT. These are practical courses which can be mixed with other GCSEs and are focused on coursework. As it stands, there are currently five GCSEs in vocational subjects: business, ICT, computer science, engineering and electronics. Unfortunately, not all schools offer them all, so it’s best to check with your school to find out more.

Can you get a job without GCSEs?

Okay, we’re not going to lie to you. It’s not impossible to get a job without them buttt… GCSEs are seen as the most basic level of education and many employers will ask you about them. Plus, research shows that having GCSEs gives you a leg up in getting a job after school , and can potentially increase your wages by up to £2,000 a year . Not to mention that if you want to go on to college and university GCSEs and A-level grades will usually be required for entry.

If you haven’t yet completed your GCSEs and are strapped for cash , there are jobs out there you can do. You can find more info on jobs for under 16s in this article .

Where will GCSEs take me?

Honestly, they’ll open a world of opportunities for you, and that’s no hyperbole (learned that one in GCSE English). You see, this academic qualification is highly valued by schools, colleges and employers, so they’ll be useful no matter what you’re planning to do when you finish your course. For example, A-levels , Diplomas or university . And if none of that tickles your fancy, you can always use your GCSEs to gain employment.

• Chat about this subject on our Discussion Boards .

By Nishika Melwani

Updated on 18-Mar-2022

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• How to Make Your Coursework as Good as It Can Possibly Be

Many GCSE and A-level subjects are assessed in part by coursework in addition to exams, meaning that the mark you receive for coursework contributes to your overall grade. Many students prefer coursework, because it’s a chance to showcase your academic abilities away from the high-pressured environment of the exam room, making it ideal for those who don’t perform to the best of their abilities in exams. However, the time you have available for coursework, in contrast with the time constraints of the exam room, can lull some students into a false sense of security. Coursework is arguably just as challenging as exams, just in different ways – and, given the fact that you have more time, much higher standards are expected of you in coursework than in exams. Careful planning and research are needed for successful coursework, as well as strong data-gathering and essay-writing skills. In this article, we look at how to produce excellent coursework, from planning to proofreading. This information might also be useful to you if you’re planning on attending an Oxford Summer School this summer.

What is coursework?

GCSE and A-level coursework typically takes the form of an extended essay or project. Its objectives vary from one subject to another, but there’s usually an emphasis on the student conducting independent research into a topic of their own choice. Thus coursework often takes the form of some sort of investigation; it may, therefore, help to have your ‘detective’ hat on as you explore, investigate and analyse your topic. You can usually work on your coursework at home, though it’s sometimes completed under controlled conditions through sessions at school. To give you a better idea of how coursework varies from one subject to another, here are some examples:

• English – English coursework usually takes the form of an extended essay with a title of your choice. You’re usually given a choice of themes and/or texts to explore, and you could choose a format such as a comparison between a set text and another one.
• Geography – Geography coursework usually focuses on the gathering, reporting and interpretation of data designed to answer a particular geographical question. You could investigate usage of a shopping centre, for example, or look at erosion on a particular beach.
• Sciences – coursework for science subjects often takes the form of a scientific project or experiment that you conduct and report on yourself.

Before you start work on your coursework, it’s essential that you have a thorough understanding of the rules. Failing to conform to the rules – inadvertently or not – may result in your coursework (or possibly even your entire qualification) being disqualified, so it’s a serious matter.

• No plagiarism – this is particularly dangerous given the ready availability of relevant information on the internet these days. Make sure everything is in your own words; you’ll need to sign a declaration stating that it’s your own original work.
• There’s only so much help your teacher can give you . They can provide guidance on what you need to include, and on what the examiners will be looking for. You can ask them questions, but they’ll usually only be able to check through your first draft once and offer broad hints on updating it.
• Check the word count , and stick to it. Find out whether footnotes, appendices and bibliographies are included in the word count.
• Check what topics you’re allowed to do your coursework on; if there’s an exam on this topic, you’ll almost certainly have to choose a different one for your coursework.

Choose your topic wisely

Ideally, choose something you’re genuinely interested in, as your enthusiasm will come across and you’ll find it more enjoyable to write. If there’s something you’ve been working on for the course so far that you’ve particularly enjoyed, you may be able to focus more on this as part of your coursework. For science coursework, you’ll need to choose something to investigate that you can measure, change and control; it should be what’s called a ‘fair test’, meaning that you have to acknowledge all the controls you use in the experiment and why. Try not to pick a topic for which the scope is too vast, as you’ll struggle to research it properly and you’re unlikely to do it justice, and it’ll be hard to keep within the word limit. Ask your teachers for some guidance on choosing your topic if you’re not sure what to write about; they might even tell you a bit about what previous students have done to give you some inspiration.

Plan how long it’s going to take

Never leave your coursework until the last minute, even if this is your normal approach to essays and it usually works for you. Make sure you understand when the deadlines are, including time for submitting a first draft for comments from your teacher. Then schedule blocks of time for working on it, allowing plenty of time before the deadline to cater for any unexpected delays. Allow ample time for making corrections based on teacher feedback on your first draft, and keep some time aside before the deadline for final editing and proofreading. Because actual deadlines are few and far between, you’ll need to take responsibility for the writing process and impose some deadlines on yourself to ensure it’s finished in time. Write down your deadlines on a calendar, with the coursework broken into stages and dates assigned to each, by which time each task should be complete. You can base your stages on the next few points in this article – research and data gathering, a structure plan for the piece of work, writing up, and so on.

Conducting your research and gathering data

As coursework is primarily a research exercise, the research phase is crucial, so don’t be tempted to skimp on it and go straight to writing up. Use as many different resources as you can to gather data: books, journals, newspapers, television, radio, the internet and anything else you think might be relevant. For science and Geography coursework, you’ll need to base your work on a hypothesis, so the research stage should start by coming up with at least one hypothesis, otherwise your research will lack direction. The research phase for some subjects may involve site visits for gathering data, so allow plenty of time for this, particularly if you need your parents to drive you somewhere to do so. If it’s a scientific experiment you’re conducting for your coursework, you’ll need to pay careful attention to planning the experiment using rigorous scientific methods (also noting what Health and Safety precautions you are taking), as well as reading up on the background and theory so that you have an idea of what to expect from the outcome of your experiment. In the research stage, make notes about what you expect to happen, so that you can later compare your expectations with what actually did happen. The experiment itself also forms part of the research and data-gathering stage for your science coursework; in the write-up stage, which we come onto shortly, you analyse and write up the results.

Plan your structure

Once you’ve completed your research, the process of writing up begins. Before you get down to the actual writing, however, it’s advisable to write a plan for how you’re going to structure it – essentially an essay plan for English coursework and other subjects for which the coursework is based on an extended essay. It’ll look slightly different from an essay plan for science subjects and others that revolve around project work, but the principle is the same: plan out what order you’re going to present your information in. For big projects, this is particularly important, because with a lot of information to convey, you risk being disorganised and waffling.

Writing up your project

For any coursework, but particularly coursework based around an extended essay, you’ll need to perfect your essay-writing abilities. For science coursework, writing up your project also involves data analysis, as you interpret the results of your experiment and work your notes into formal scientific language.

When you’re writing up, it’s important to find a place where you can work quietly, without distractions that could cause you to make careless errors. You wouldn’t want noise or distractions when you were in an exam room, so treat your coursework with the same reverence.

Supporting materials and images

For some subjects, namely the sciences and Geography, it would be appropriate to include images, graphs, charts, tables and so on in your coursework. For example, for Geography coursework, your extra material could include annotated images and maps of the site you’re talking about, plus tables, graphs and charts. An appendix could then detail your raw data; if, for example, your coursework focused on the results of a survey, you could put the raw survey responses in an appendix and provide summaries and analysis in the main body of the coursework.

Footnotes and bibliography

As we said earlier, it’s important that you always use your own words in your coursework to avoid the possibility of falling foul of plagiarism rules. However, it’s acceptable to quote from another source, as you would in any piece of academic writing, but you must make sure that you state where it is from and use quotation marks to show that it’s a quote from somewhere else. The best way of citing another work is to use a footnote; word processors will allow you to insert one, and it just puts a little number at the end of the sentence and another in the footer of the document, into which you put the name of the author and work, and the page within that work that the quote can be found. At the end of your piece of work, include a bibliography that includes a list of every external source you’ve used in the creation of your coursework. Stick to a set formula when including books. A common format is: Author Surname, Initial. (Date) – Title of Book , page number For example: Lewis, C.S. (1960) – Studies in Words , p. 45 When you get to university, you’ll be expected to include footnotes and bibliographies in all your essays, so it’s a good habit to get into and coursework gives you good practice at it.

The final pre-submission check

Having completed a first draft, received feedback from your teacher, and honed your work into a finished piece of coursework, have a final check through it before you send off your coursework for submission.

• Sense check : have a read through your completed piece of work and check that it all makes sense. Make sure you haven’t contradicted yourself anywhere, or repeated yourself, or laboured the point. If there are any facts that you may have meant to look up to double check their accuracy, do so now.
• Word count : ensure that the completed work falls within the word count, and double check whether the bibliography should be included in the word count. If you’ve exceeded it, you’ll need to work through the piece and tighten up your writing, omitting unnecessary information, reordering sentences so that they use fewer words, and so on.
• Proofread : check your spelling and grammar, and ensure that there are no typos. Don’t just use the spellcheck – go through it with a fine toothcomb, manually, and if you can, ask someone to read through it for you to see if they spot anything you haven’t.
• Formatting : check that you’ve included page numbers, and that the font and line spacing is consistent throughout the work. Ensure that the font is plain and easy to read, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
• Bibliography : check that you’ve included everything, that the format is the same for all sources mentioned, and that the right information is included for each.

Once this stage is complete, you’re ready to submit your coursework along with your declaration that it’s entirely your own work. Get ready for a feeling of immense satisfaction when you finally send off your hard work!

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