Students now need 4 for a standard pass and 5 for a hard pass, replacing the traditional limit of a grade C. Students need a 4 for a standard pass and 5 for a strong pass. Grade 5: This is called the Strong Pass in GCSE, and is currently placed between a low B and a high C. These grades correspond to old GCSE grades D, E, F, and G.
Grade 3 is somewhere between a D and an E, while Grade 2 is somewhere between an E and an F. A Grade 1 is similar to an old Grade G, and a U grade still refers to a test that has been “ungraded”; it simply did not score enough grades to get on the scale. The exact grades students take vary from school to school and from student to student, but schools are encouraged to offer at least one pathway leading to qualification for the Baccalaureate in English, which requires GCSEs in English language, English literature, mathematics, science (including computer science), a modern or ancient language, and either history or geography. The results of the GCSE are published by the examining board in August, for the series of previous examinations in April to June of the same year.
The decision to appeal a GCSE score should always be made in conjunction with the school; they will have information on how close the results were to a grade cap. When the subject taken after the age of 16 has also been taken at GCSE, it is often required that the student has obtained a grade C, 4 or 5 at least in GCSE. Even before all GCSE scores adopted the exam-only format, students complained about the burden of memorization, the need to write continuously for long hours, how their social lives had been affected, and the need for sleeping pills and pain relievers. The table below shows how the new GCSE ratings compare to the old ones; although the DfE clearly points out that each score cannot be compared directly, there are places where they can be aligned.
Most universities, in addition to their requirements after age 16, seek that their candidates have grades of C or 4 or higher in GCSE English and Mathematics. However, government school leaderboards are based on the percentage of students who scored 5 or higher in the English and Math GCSEs. If a student wants a higher grade to pass in Mathematics and English (4 or more), they may be able to retake the exam. Many who reach a level below this standard will retake GCSE English and mathematics to improve their grade.
The list of GCSE subjects currently available is much shorter than before the reforms, as the new grades in England have basic requirements set by the regulator, Ofqual, for each subject. Exam results are published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which represents the main GCSE awarding organizations. The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic degree in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
