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Immortal Wombat
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in perpetuity
Dec 2000
time: 05:14
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English examination system:
<b>General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams</b>
- Taken at 16 (end of year 11)
- Usually, students attempt between 8 and 12 exams (I'm doing 10)
- Most exams have a least two tiers, foundation and higher.
Grades acheivable are between: A* and G.
Candidates taking higher tier can get grades A* to C, if they acheive a grade below C, they get a U.
Candidates taking foundation tier can acheive between C and G, but it is easier to get a C in foundation tier than higher tier.
The grades do equate to percentages, but they are different for each exam, as the top x% get A*, the next y% get A etc...
It is usually something like this (maybe) :
Higher:
A* - 85%+
A - 75%+
B - 65%+
C - 55%+
---------------
Lower tier I don't know, because I'm not doing it.
<b>AS/A Levels</B>
- AS levels taken at 17 (end of year 12 - Lower 6th form)
- A levels taken a year later at 18 (end of year 13 - Upper 6th form)
- Usually, students attempt 4 or 5 AS levels
- and 3 or 4 A levels
Then students drop a subject and continue 3 (or 4) subjects up to A level. This consists of another year's studying, and more modular exams, until you have enough passed at satisfactory grades to count.
I have known people to get 97% in a maths module exam, then re-sit it to get 100% 
Too complicated to think about really, I just do what I'm told, and hope...
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Immortal Wombat
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in perpetuity
Dec 2000
time: 05:14
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--GCSEs
quote:
What is the purpose of these exams?
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God knows
er... GCSEs are the first official qualifications that students can get. Passing them is a good way of showing that you have a brain, and allows potential employers and universities to discriminate against the stupid.
quote:
Do they determine your course grade?
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Yes.
quote:
Why are you allowed to select which exams to take?
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You mean the lower/higher tiering?
You choose so that you get maximum chance of getting the grade that you have the ability to get. By separating them, I think the percentages work out better for someone getting a D, so that they only compete with 1/2 (or less) of the population taking it.
quote:
How many subjects would you normally study in a year?
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8-12 over a two year course
quote:
What are O-levels and when did they disapear. |
O-levels, (also known as GCEs) as anyone who took them will tell you ( ) were like GCSEs, but harder. They were sat at the same time as GCSEs, but had deeper content to the syllabus or something. They were merged with CSEs to form GCSEs, but I don't know when, I think about 15 years ago ?
The format and length of exams very much depends on the subject. Almost all consist of two written exams, and a folder of coursework done over the course.
Some, but few (like latin) have no coursework, but sometimes an extra written paper to sit.
The coursework/exam weighting also varies greatly from subject to subject. IT for instance has 60% of mark gained by coursework, Maths has 25% (I think).
The length of time for the total written exams for a subject can be between 4 and a half hours (english  ) and 2 and a half hours (science exams).
Modern language exams consist of 4 parts:
Writing (coursework)
Reading (written comprehension paper, 50 minutes)
Listening (written comprehension paper, 40 minutes)
Speaking (15 minute oral exam)
All coursework, and marks given is moderated internally by the school, then the examining board is sent three examples marked from each teacher to do an external moderation of the marking.
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Immortal Wombat
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in perpetuity
Dec 2000
time: 05:14
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quote:
Originally posted by GP
1. So is there a one to one correspondance of what courses you take and what exams (O, A, AS or GCSE) you take?
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Erm... Yes - you take a geography course, you do the geography exam. The exam (O, A, AS, GCSE) course you take, depends on what standard you are taking the subject.
GCSE is the basic level, taken at 16,
AS level exams are taken at 17, as an addition to the GCSE course, and the A level exam is a continuation of the AS course, taken at 18.
O levels are no longer taken.
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2. Basically it's a national system of grading right? Is the main benefit supposed to be tighter standards? or more effecitve measurements for colleges/employers? |
Yes, it is the national standard of exminations, taken nationally, and at GCSE level, they are pretty much the only qualifications it is possible to get before leaving school. I have no idea why it is as it is, it just has been since national education. I suppose it is a way of standardising educational qualifications, but I have never thought about it. England is small enough that there has never been reason to have more then the one system. It certainly provides a good benchmarker for employers and colledges yes.
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Scouse Gits
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Liverpool, United Kingdom
Nov 1999
time: 05:14
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SG{3}
*hears about threadjacking*
*furry wolf ears go flat against head *
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
r 
My thread! MY THREAD!
sorry, it's come back on track-ish, well, that's okay then...
Well, you have a better idea of the evil, torturous exams I am being forced to take than I have!
Well, the nice anarchistic revolution going on to free me and make me aware of my plight is, um... apreciated ( )
I still can't decide whether or not I wish to flee the nest...
I like the safety, but I want independence!
anyway, I will consider my plight and try to decide whether or not I /want/ to be freed
Can I be anarchistic without burning nice safe looking bridges?
*waves arms wildly* I want my own avatar!
okay that's enough anarchism, I ache from mucking out horses 10 hours a day! (work experience, mucking out horses is supposed to fit the criteria of 'LAW' or 'BOOKSHOPS')
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Immortal Wombat
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in perpetuity
Dec 2000
time: 05:14
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quote:
Originally posted by GP
So at age 16 you take 8-12 courses, at 17 5-6 and at 18 3-4?
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Yes
quote:
the courses must be of diferent amounts of depth right?
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Yes
quote:
Are you allowed to pick any selection you want? or are there some that are required (equiv of 12th grade english in the US for example?)
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You must take English, Maths and some form of science. Most schools incist on a humanities subject (geography or history) and a modern language (usually french or german)
Other than that, there are something like 30 subjects to choose from, as long as the school you are in teaches them.
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Does the school day vary in length for diffeerent students? (who have more/less classes?)
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Usually everyone in one school does the same number, so school times only very between schools, rather than between pupils.
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Do students generally take all thay can or the minimum? |
Depends on the student. At GSCE, the school basically tells you how many to do. At AS level and A level, you do the "normal" amount for the school, and any extra or fewer are subject to the pupil's wishes, and school's consent.
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21-06-2001 22:15
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