School Curricula Guides

GCSE

The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academically rigorous, internationally recognised qualification, generally taken in a number of subjects by pupils in secondary education in the United Kingdom
GCSE
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
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The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academically rigorous, internationally recognised qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by pupils in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland over two years (three years in certain schools).

The GCSE and its international counterpart the IGCSE form the basis of entry requirements into post 16, '6th form' study - to A' Level or IB Diploma studies.

Recently the GCSE exam has been in a period of flux with some quite radical changes, notably a move from a "modular approach" to a "linear one". In a modular approach a course is split into different units, or modules, with an exam at the end of each unit. In the new linear system, exams are taken at the end of a two year period - much like the older O' Level exams.

In the exams there are fewer ‘bite-sized’ questions and more essay-style questions.

There are fewer course options in the new Science GCSEs: Most students will either take the new Combined Science course (worth two GCSEs) or three separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Finally coursework and controlled assessment will disappear from most subjects, apart from practical ones such as art, dance and drama.

All new GCSEs in English language, English literature and maths, were launched in September 2015, with the first qualifications due to be awarded in August 2017. These subjects will be graded between 1-9, with 9 being the highest grade awarded.

It is hoped that this new grading will introduce greater differentiation between high performing students and will also mark out the new GCSEs from their older counterparts.

Schools in a country can do both GCSEs and its international counterpart, the IGCSE.

In many countries outside the UK, IGCSE is used predominantly for languages and humanities.

However curriculum changes are making some schools - in both the UK and elsewhere - reconsider the international qualification.

In the UK that is because IGCSEs will no longer be considered or accepted for school league tables.

Internationally some schools, notably those with a large UK student population, have expressed concerns about the ability to transfer back to the UK given the increasing divergence between the two qualifications. 

 

 

202 UK Schools offering GCSE

School name Community Region
Abingdon School Oxfordshire South East England
Akeley Wood School Buckinghamshire South East England
Appleford School Wiltshire South West England
Ardingly College West Sussex South East England
Ashbourne College Kensington and Chelsea Greater London
Ashville College Yorkshire North East England
Bedales Hampshire South East England
Bede's Senior School East Sussex South East England
Bedstone College Shropshire West Midlands
Benenden School Kent South East England
Blundell's Devon South West England
Bosworth Independent College Northamptonshire East Midlands
Bradfield College Berkshire South East England
Brampton College Barnet Greater London
Brampton Manor Academy Newham Greater London
Bredon School Gloucestershire South West England
Brentwood School Essex East of England
Brighton College East Sussex South East England
Bromsgrove School Worcestershire West Midlands
Brooke House College Leicestershire West Midlands
Bryanston Dorset South West England
Canford School Dorset South West England
Cardiff Sixth Form College Cardiff Wales
Caterham School Surrey South East England
Charterhouse Surrey South East England
Cheltenham Ladies College Gloucestershire South West England
Chester International School Cheshire North East England
Chetham’s School of Music Lancashire North West England
Christ College Brecon Brecon Wales
City of London School Westminster Greater London
City of London School for Girls Westminster Greater London
Clayesmore School Dorset South West England
Clifton College Somerset South West England
Cobham Hall School Kent South East England
Concord College Shropshire West Midlands
Cranbrook School Kent South East England
Cranleigh School Surrey South East England
d’Overbroeck's Oxfordshire South East England
Dallam School Cumbria North West England
Dartford Grammar School Kent South East England
Dauntsey's Wiltshire South West England
Dean Close School Gloucestershire South West England
DLD College London Westminster Greater London
Downe House Berkshire South East England
Duke of York's Royal Military School Kent South East England
Dulwich College (UK) Southwark Greater London
Durham School Durham North East England
Earlscliffe Kent South East England
Eastbourne College East Sussex South East England
Eaton Square (Senior & Sixth Form) Westminster Greater London
Elmhurst Ballet School Warwickshire West Midlands
Eltham College Croydon Greater London
Epsom College Surrey South East England
Eton College Berkshire South East England
Fairley House Westminster Greater London
Fettes College Edinburgh Scotland
Framlingham College Suffolk East of England
Frensham Heights Surrey South East England
Frewen College East Sussex South East England
Godolphin and Latymer Hammersmith & Fulham Greater London
Gordonstoun Moray Scotland
Gresham's (Senior School) Norfolk East Midlands
Guildford High School Surrey South East England
Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Boys Hertfordshire East of England
Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls Hertfordshire East of England
Haileybury School Hertfordshire East of England
Hampton School Richmond Upon Thames Greater London
Harrow School Harrow Greater London
Highgate School Haringey Greater London
Hockerill Anglo-European College Hertfordshire East of England
Hurstpierpoint College West Sussex South East England
Ibstock Place School Wandsworth Greater London
Impington Village College Cambridgeshire South East England
Kent College, Canterbury (Senior School) Kent South East England
Kimbolton School Cambridgeshire South East England
King Edward VI High School for Girls Warwickshire West Midlands
King Edward's Witley Surrey South East England
King Edward’s School, Birmingham Warwickshire West Midlands
King's College School, Wimbledon Westminster Greater London
King's InterHigh Westminster Greater London
King's School Canterbury Kent South East England
King’s Ely Cambridgeshire South East England
Kingham Hill School Oxfordshire South East England
Knightsbridge School Kensington and Chelsea Greater London
Lady Eleanor Holles School Richmond Upon Thames Greater London
Lancing College West Sussex South East England
Latymer Upper School Hammersmith & Fulham Greater London
Leighton Park School Berkshire South East England
LGS Stoneygate Leicestershire West Midlands
Lord Wandsworth College Hampshire South East England
Loretto School East Lothian Scotland
Loughborough High School Leicestershire West Midlands
Lyceé Francais Charles de Gaulle (London) Kensington and Chelsea Greater London
Magdalen College School Oxfordshire South East England
Malvern St James Girls’ School Worcestershire West Midlands
Manchester Grammar School Lancashire North West England
Mander Portman Woodward (Birmingham) Warwickshire West Midlands
Mander Portman Woodward (Cambridge) Cambridgeshire South East England
Mander Portman Woodward (London) Kensington and Chelsea Greater London
Marlborough College Wiltshire South West England
Merchant Taylors' School Hertfordshire East of England
Millfield (Senior School) Somerset South West England
Monmouth School for Girls Monmouthshire Wales
Moorland Private School Lancashire North West England
Mount Kelly Devon South West England
Moyles Court Hampshire South East England
North Bridge House (Senior Canonbury) Barnet Greater London
North Bridge House (Senior Hampstead) Barnet Greater London
North London Collegiate School Edgware Greater London
Norwich School Norfolk East Midlands
Notting Hill & Ealing High School Kensington and Chelsea Greater London
Oakham School Rutland East of England
Oxford International College Oxfordshire South East England
Oxford International College, Brighton West Sussex South East England
Plymouth College Devon South West England
Portland Place School Westminster Greater London
Prior’s Field Surrey South East England
Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate Yorkshire North East England
Queen Margaret's School for Girls, York Yorkshire North East England
Queen Mary's School, Thirsk Yorkshire North East England
Queen's College, London Marylebone Greater London
Queen’s College, Taunton Somerset South West England
Queenswood School Hertfordshire East of England
Radley College Oxfordshire South East England
Reading School Berkshire South East England
Reigate Grammar School Surrey South East England
Rendcomb College Gloucestershire South West England
Rishworth School Yorkshire North East England
Rochester Independent College Kent South East England
Roedean School East Sussex South East England
Rossall School Lancashire North West England
Royal Grammar School Guildford Surrey South East England
Royal High School Bath (Senior School & Sixth Form) Somerset South West England
Royal Hospital School Suffolk East of England
Rugby School Warwickshire West Midlands
Ruthin School Denbighshire North West Wales
Scarborough College Yorkshire North East England
Seaford College West Sussex South East England
Sedbergh School Cumbria North West England
Sevenoaks School Kent South East England
Sexey's School Somerset South West England
Sherborne International School Dorset South West England
Sherborne School Dorset South West England
Shrewsbury School Shropshire West Midlands
Sidcot School Somerset South West England
St Albans High School for Girls Hertfordshire East of England
St Catherine's, Bramley Surrey South East England
St Edward's School Oxfordshire South East England
St George’s School, Ascot Berkshire South East England
St Joseph’s College Suffolk East of England
St Lawrence College Kent South East England
St Mary's Calne Wiltshire South West England
St Mary's School, Cambridge Cambridgeshire South East England
St Mary’s School, Ascot Berkshire South East England
St Michael's School Monmouthshire Wales
St Paul's Richmond Upon Thames Greater London
St Paul's Girls' School Hammersmith & Fulham Greater London
St Swithun’s School Hampshire South East England
Stonyhurst College Lancashire North West England
Stowe School Buckinghamshire South East England
Summerhill Suffolk East of England
Taunton International School Somerset South West England
Taunton School Somerset South West England
The Abbey (Junior School) Berkshire South East England
The Abbey (Senior School) Berkshire South East England
The BRIT School Croydon Greater London
The Cedars School Croydon Greater London
The Kingsley School Warwickshire West Midlands
The Laurels School Croydon Greater London
The Leys School Cambridgeshire South East England
The Mount, Mill Hill International School Barnet Greater London
The Perse School Cambridgeshire South East England
The Purcell School Hertfordshire East of England
The Royal Alexandra and Albert School Surrey South East England
The Royal Ballet School Westminster Greater London
The Sylvia Young Theatre School Westminster Greater London
The Worthgate School Kent South East England
Tonbridge School Kent South East England
Tring Park School for the Performing Arts Hertfordshire East of England
Tudor Hall Oxfordshire South East England
Uppingham School Leicestershire West Midlands
Warwick School Warwickshire West Midlands
Wellington College Berkshire South East England
Wells Cathedral School Somerset South West England
Westbourne School Cardiff Wales
Westminster School Westminster Greater London
Westonbirt School Gloucestershire South West England
Wetherby Arts School Kensington and Chelsea Greater London
Wetherby Senior School Westminster Greater London
Whitgift School Croydon Greater London
Wimbledon High School Merton Greater London
Winchester College Hampshire South East England
Windermere School (Senior School & Sixth Form) Cumbria North West England
Withington Girls' School Lancashire North West England
Woldingham School Surrey South East England
Wolverhampton Grammar School Staffordshire West Midlands
Worth School West Sussex South East England
Wychwood School Oxfordshire South East England
Wycliffe Senior School Gloucestershire South West England
Wycombe Abbey Buckinghamshire South East England
Wymondham College Norfolk East Midlands
Yehudi Menuhin School Surrey South East England

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