Key Stage 4 Qualifications

GCSE (including double awards)
(General Certificate of Secondary Education)


GCSE Courses

There are eight grades at GCSE, ranging from A* (the highest) to G; all eight grades are pass grades.

A GCSE double award is worth two GCSEs and it is graded from A* to G but you get two grades e.g. AA, CD.

Controlled Assessment

Most GCSE courses involve an element of controlled assessment. These are tasks which count towards your final qualification. You are required to complete assessments under the supervision of your teacher.
For example you might complete practical assignments and projects in art, science or technology, essays in English or history, listening and speaking assessments in languages, performances in music, drama or dance and research assignments in other subjects.
Individual subject sheets give more details about the nature of their own controlled assessments

Examination Tiers

GCSE examinations have one or two tiers of entry. Teachers enter students for the tier that is most appropriate. Each tier leads to a range of GCSE grades. For example, in Mathematics, students entered for Higher Tier can be awarded a grade A*, A, B ,C or D; students entered for the Foundation Tier can be awarded a grade C, D, E, F or G. It is important to understand that students can only achieve a grade within the range available in the tier they are entered for.

OCR Level 2 Nationals in ICT or Applied Art

These are qualifications that are equivalent to GCSEs (an award is worth 2 and certificate is worth 4 GCSES). They are graded at pass , merit and distinction.

A pass is equivalent to a grade C, a merit to a grade B and a distinction to a grade A.


The English Baccalaureate

Subjects in which A*-C grades are components of the ‘EBacc’ are indicated by an asterisk (*)