GCSE / A Levels
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is the principal means of assessing pupil attainment at the end of compulsory secondary education.
Most UK schools offer a broad range of GCSE programmes over a five year period, with a central core of English Language, Mathematics and one foreign language. Most students study between 5 and 10 subjects for the GCSE examination which is taken around the age of 15 or 16.
The Advanced level syllabus (‘A’ level) is designed to allow students to specialise in 3 or 4 subjects, usually taking a further two years. The material learned during this period can form the basis of what the student goes on to study at university. It is during the ‘A’ level programme that students are expected to seriously develop their ability to think critically about the issues they are studying.
Schools are becoming increasingly flexible on the combinations of subjects that can be chosen by a student. However, it is often in the student’s best interest to study those subjects which may be specified by the university they wish to enter later. School staff and OPDS are always available to advise students on such matters.
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