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GCEs - An Overview

What are GCEs?
General Certificates of Education (also commonly known as A levels which stands for Advanced level) are normally studied post-GCSE but can be studied at any time/age. They are designed to increase a student’s knowledge and skills in their chosen subject areas. Most students study GCE's to gain entrance to further and higher education.

Who are GCEs aimed at?
They are aimed at students aged 16-18 but can be taken at any age.

What qualifications do you need to study GCEs?
Normally 5 GCSE's at grade C or above although mature students may be accepted without the normal entry requirements. It is up to the centre to decide what they will accept.

How long do they take?
Students start with the AS level which normally takes a year and can go on to the A2 level which normally takes a year. So a full 'A level' normally takes 2 years.

How are they assessed?
Each unit within a particular subject is assessed either by coursework or timed examination. There are also practical examinations and oral tests for some subjects.

When are the exams?
The exam sessions are in January and June. There are detailed timetable notes at the top of every timetable.

Who marks the exam papers and coursework?
Teachers mark students’ coursework and moderators sample the work. The exam scripts are sent to examiners to mark. (See ‘To the Examiner’ booklet for detailed information).

How are the results sent?
Results are sent by EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) at 0001 hours on the day before the scheduled results day so that the centre can download them from the EDI servers. Statements of results are sent to arrive on results day for distribution to individual candidates.

What does the student receive at the end?
AS/A2 are graded A – E. For every unit that a student sits, they get a mark, which is banked. Once a student has sat the units needed for a qualification they ‘cash-in’ those units and receive a final grade. When the centre make their student entries they include a ‘cash-in’ code, which tells Edexcel to issue the student with a final grade and certificate.

What services are available after the results have been issued?

EAR – Enquiries About Results – Clerical Check/Re-Mark/Re-Moderation.

Access to Scripts – Centres can request photocopies and originals of the exam script that the students sat. If they have applied for an EAR they can request the scripts after the EAR.

Late Cash-in – If a centre didn’t enter a cash-in code for a student when they made their entries, they can still cash-in after the results have been received by a certain date.

Re-sits
Up until December 2003 any unit could be re-sat only once.

Since 1st Jan 2004 students have been able to re-take units more than once. When an entry is made for certification, the best attempt will count towards the final award. Students may continue to take the full qualification an unlimited amount of times.

September 2007 was the last chance candidates had to decline their grades - from January 2008 GCEs no longer need to be declined if a candidate wanted to resit the qualification or parts of the qualification. In September 2008 we will launch our new suite of GCE subjects - most GCEs have had their specifications revised and updated and been reduced to 4 units from 6 in most cases. Centres/Candidates will still need to cash-in when they finish the qualification.

Please see the Joint Council website for more information on the rules and procedures for aggregation.

Exam Timetables
Click here for exam Timetable information

Publications - When can I get free copies of past papers?

PRS - When are the Summer 2009 results days?

GCE 2008 - What support is available for centres?

GCE 2008 - Will Mathematics be redeveloped for 2008?

GCE 2008 - What are the key changes/benefits/issues with the new qualifications?

GCE 2008 - Are there new specifications for the Applied courses?

GCE 2008 - How do I find out more?

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GCEs from 2008 Ask a Question

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GCE from 2008

GCE from 2008 | General Studies