Most students under the age of 16 study GCSEs, but other options are available too: GCSEs in Vocational subjects, IGCSEs (including The Edexcel Certificates – IGCSEs for UK schools), BTEC qualifications and Diplomas. You can read more about all these qualifications here, to help you decide what’s most appropriate for you.

GCSEs – General Certificate of Secondary Education

GCSEs were first introduced in 1986 and are tried-and-tested qualifications in a wide range of subjects within humanities, sciences, arts, languages, maths and technology. They command respect and have status not only in the UK but worldwide. There are no formal entry requirements and no lower or upper age limits. Students normally study up to 10 subjects over a two-year period.

GCSE study options

General Certificates in Secondary Education (GCSEs) are taken by the majority of students at the end of Key Stage 4 (covering Years 10 and 11, students aged 14-16). They indicate that you have achieved a certain level of general education and give you a route into higher level qualifications such as NVQs, a BTEC First or BTEC National Diploma, AS and A levels or a Modern Apprenticeship.

How you will be assessed

GCSEs are assessed and marked in a variety of ways, giving you marks for all the things you do well, both in coursework and in examinations. GCSE results are reported on a scale of grades from A* to G. Those students who do not achieve the standard required for a grade G are reported with a ‘U’. In some subjects the examinations are tiered. The Higher tier is targeted at grades A* to D, while the Foundation tier is targeted at grades C to G.

GCSE in Vocational subjects study options

For some subjects there is an ‘applied’ alternative which allows you to focus in more depth and relate your study to the world of work. This could be the first step towards specialising in preparation for the career of your choice.

How you will be assessed

GCSEs in vocational subjects are assessed and marked in a similar way to GCSEs. The main difference is that you will usually complete more internal assessment on an applied course than on a traditional course. 

Progression options for GCSE and GCSE in vocational subjects

A student with five GCSEs at grades A* to C has a range of options for post-sixteen study, and could choose a level 3 qualification such as an AS/ Advanced level, Applied GCE, BTEC National Diploma, NVQ, a Modern Apprenticeship or a mixture of these qualifications.

A student who achieves fewer than five GCSEs at grades A* to C would normally choose to study a level 1 or 2 qualification such as BTEC First, NVQ, a Modern Apprenticeship, or a mixture of these.

The benefits of choosing an Edexcel vocational course include:

• Vocational courses offer a recognised route into university 
• Can be taken instead of, or as well as, GCSEs 
• Offer independence and responsibility for your own work 
• All courses offer work placements or work-related experience 
• You develop the practical skills and knowledge needed for employment 
• Certificates are awarded for each individual unit, so even if you don't complete the full award you can show what you’ve achieved.

 
IGCSEs – International General Certificate of Secondary Education

IGCSEs are an international version of the UK GCSEs which place more emphasis on assessment through examination than through coursework.

IGCSE study options

International General Certificates in Secondary Education (IGCSEs) are taken by students at independent schools in the UK who choose to enter candidates for this qualification. IGCSEs are not part of the National Curriculum, do not appear on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and are not accredited by the QCDA. 

There are 38 different IGCSE subject areas to choose from.

How you will be assessed

Almost all of Edexcel’s IGCSEs are graded in the same way as our GCSEs (A* to G), and are single-tiered qualifications. For Mathematics A, a Foundation tier (grades C to G) and Higher tier (grades A* to D) are available to suit students of different abilities. IGCSE Maths Specification B and Further Pure Maths also differ in that they are singled-tiered but graded A* to E.

Progression options

IGCSEs are recognised as equivalent, grade for grade, to a UK GCSE and have the same status in terms of university entry requirements. 

With two or three IGCSEs you can take an NVQ at level 1.

With five or six IGCSEs, two or three at D or above, you can usually go on to a BTEC First Diploma, or NVQs at level 2.

A student with five IGCSEs at grades A* to C has a wider range of further education options: a course of AS/A levels or an applied A level, a BTEC National Diploma, an NVQ, a Modern Apprenticeship or a mixture of these qualifications.

   
The Diploma

The Diploma is a new qualification that offers a unique mix of traditional and work-relevant learning. Developed in collaboration with employers and higher education,the Diploma provides learners with essential skills, relevant experience and applied learning.

The Diploma is available at three levels:

• Foundation (Level 1)
• Higher (Level 2)
• Advanced and Progression (Level 3)

The Diploma combines:

• Principal Learning
• A Project or Extended Project
• A choice of Additional and Specialist Learning: this can include academic qualifications such as GCSEs and A levels, vocational qualifications such as BTECs and NVQs, and specialist qualifications in, for example, music, finance, engineering, IT, society, health and development, or construction skills
• Functional Skills in English, mathematics and ICT
• Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills
• Work Experience

The entirely new Principal Learning component consists of ‘lines of learning’, based on sectors. The first five lines of learning will be available from September 2008:

• Construction and the Built Environment
• Creative and Media
• Engineering
• Information Technology
• Society, Health and Development

Further lines of learning will be available in 2009 and 2010.

Diploma study options

The Diploma will give learners first-hand experience and insight into the world of work by providing opportunities for them to take part in a practical 'real world' environment.

Studying for a Diploma will be different to the normal school or college day that you’re used to. As well as learning in the classroom, you can also spend time in an environment more like a workplace, such as a workshop, and do work experience with an employer. It's possible that you might spend time outside your normal school or college, perhaps attending another one in your area.

You’ll develop skills that include creative thinking and teamwork, alongside compulsory subjects like English, maths and ICT. When you’ve completed your Diploma course, you can choose to do further study and go on to college or university, or you can go into a job and further training.

How you will be assessed

Principal Learning

In the Principal Learning component, each line of learning for each level has a certain number of units, some of which have internal assessment  and some of which have  external assessment.

Award of the Diploma

To achieve the Foundation or Higher Diploma, a learner must complete all components:

• Principal Learning at the correct level
• A Project or Extended Project at the correct level
• Additional and Specialist Learning (the catalogue of qualifications that are approved to be Additional and Specialist Learning is available at the NDAQ website)
• Functional Skills in English, mathematics and ICT (Level 1 for the Foundation Diploma, Level 2 for the Higher Diploma)
• Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills must be demonstrated
• The required amount of work experience must be completed 

Every component of the Diploma (apart from work experience and PLTS) is a qualification in its own right. So learners who do not achieve the Diploma as a whole will still get certificates for each component they achieve.

Grading of the Diploma

Although the Diploma is only awarded if a learner has completed all components, the grade awarded for the Diploma is derived from the aggregate score of Principal Learning and the Project or Extended Project.

The Principal Learning, Project / Extended Project, and the Diploma as a whole, are graded in the same way:

Level 1: A*, A, B or ungraded (U)
Level 2: A*, A, B, C or ungraded (U)
Level 3: A*, A, B, C, D, E or ungraded (U)

A Diploma transcript will record and report a learner's achievements in units and qualifications within the Diploma programme. It will contain grades at unit level. It will also record the achievement of Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) and the completion of work experience.

Progression options

The Diploma provides a broad preparation for work or further study or for higher education. It gives students the knowledge and skills that employers and universities are looking for, while still keeping learners’ options open.

For example, a Foundation or Higher Diploma could be followed by A levels, BTECs, or by an Advanced Diploma.

Equivalences

A Foundation (Level 1) Diploma is equivalent to four to five GCSEs at grades D to G.

A Higher (Level 2) Diploma is equivalent to five to six GCSEs at grades A* to C.

BTEC Introductory

BTEC Introductory Certificate and Diploma qualifications are at Level 1 and offer an entry point into an industry sector, encouraging the development of personal and work-related skills. The BTEC Introductory qualifications are suitable for any student aged 14 upwards and are designed for those who are not able to achieve A*- to C-grade GCSEs, but who are motivated by a work-related course.

BTEC study options

There are 11 broad study areas, including Art, Design and Media and Sport and Leisure, as well as the BTEC Introductory Certificate and Diploma in Vocational Studies Introductory route. The latter, by providing a wider choice of units, permits exploration of alternative options, to permit learners to achieve their potential through studying bite-sized units of study in a variety of contexts.

How you will be assessed

BTEC Introductory qualifications are not exam-based qualifications. Learners study real-life, work-based case studies and complete projects and assessments, which contribute to achieving each unit studied. In order to complete each unit, students must achieve against a set of outcomes. The assessment criteria address theory with practical exercises. The assessment process is ongoing, so it allows students to analyse and improve their own performance through their course in much the same way as they would in a real workplace. The assignments and projects that students undertake form the basis of their unit results, which are graded as a Pass, a Merit or a Distinction.

Progression options

Successful students will usually progress to a level 2 qualification such as an NVQ or BTEC First within the same occupational area.

BTEC Firsts

BTEC Firsts are Level 2 qualifications that are the equivalent of traditional GCSEs at grades A* to C. In 2007, there was a 50% increase in BTEC uptake across schools in the UK. There are currently over 60 BTEC First qualifications available, linked to industry sectors including Vehicle Technology, Public Services and Hospitality.

BTEC study options

The BTEC First is suitable for students aged pre-16 and post-16 and is designed for those who are capable of achieving A*- to C-grade GCSEs, but who wish to focus on a work-related vocational qualification or work area. Students may take BTEC Firsts alongside core GCSE subjects such as English, Maths and Science.

How you will be assessed

BTEC qualifications are delivered and assessed by staff in centres, who create a programme of study to reflect local requirements and facilities, and who use a variety of assessment instruments appropriate to the outcomes being assessed. These may include, for example, projects, presentations and case studies. Outcomes are measured using grading criteria, or Pass, Merit or Distinction. All assessment is quality assured through internal verification and sampled through a range of external verification activities orchestrated by Edexcel.

Progression options

Successful students will usually progress to a level 3 qualification such as an NVQ or BTEC National within the same occupational area.