Editing GCSE (section)

==History==
[[File:Gcsepapermockup.png|thumb|Mockup of the front of a GCSE exam paper]]
Before the introduction of GCSEs, pupils took the CSE ([[Certificate of Secondary Education]]) or the more academically challenging [[O‑Level|O-Level]] ([[General Certificate of Education]] (GCE) Ordinary Level) exams, or a combination of the two, in various subjects.  The CSE broadly covered GCSE grades C–G or 4–1 and the O-Level covered grades A*–C or 9–4, but the two were independent qualifications, with different grading systems. The separate qualifications were criticised for disadvantaging the bottom 42% of O-Level entrants, who failed to receive a qualification, and the highest-achieving CSE entrants, who had no opportunity to demonstrate higher ability.

In their later years O-Levels were graded on a scale from A to E, with a U (ungraded) below that. Before 1975 the grading scheme varied between examination boards, but typically there were pass grades of 1 to 6 and fail grades of 7 to 9. However, the grades were not displayed on certificates.

The CSE was graded on a numerical scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest and 5 the lowest passing grade. Below 5 there was a U (ungraded) grade. The highest grade, 1, was considered equivalent to an O-Level C grade or above, and achievement of this grade often indicated that the pupil could have taken an O-Level course in the subject to achieve a higher qualification. As the two were independent qualifications with separate syllabi, a separate course of study would have to be taken to convert a CSE to an O-Level in order to progress to [[A-level]].

There was a previous attempt to unite these two disparate qualifications in the 1980s, with a trial ‘16+‘ examination in some subjects, awarding both a CSE and an O-Level certificate, before the GCSE was introduced. The final O-level/CSE examinations were sat in 1987.

===Introduction of the GCSE===
GCSEs were introduced in September 1986<ref>{{cite book |last=Brooks Ron |title=Contemporary Debates in Education: An Historical Perspective |publisher=Routledge |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-582-05797-5 |location=New York |pages=21–23 |chapter=A decade and more of debate |ol=1863538M |chapter-url={{Google books|MGagBAAAQBAJ|page=21|plainurl=yes}} |orig-year=First published 1991}}</ref> to establish a national qualification for those who decided to leave school at 16 without pursuing further academic study towards qualifications such as [[A-level (United Kingdom)|A-levels]] or university degrees. The first GCSE exams were sat in 1988.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/thirty-years-of-gcse/zb4gqp3 | title=GCSE results in 1988: How the first pupils taking the exam 30 years ago coped }}</ref> They replaced the former CSE and O-Level qualifications, uniting the two qualifications to allow access to the full range of grades for more pupils. However, the exam papers of the GCSE sometimes had a choice of questions, designed for the more able and the less able candidates.

When introduced the GCSEs were graded from A to G, with a C being set as roughly equivalent to an O-Level Grade C or a CSE Grade 1 and thus achievable by roughly the top 25% of each cohort.

The [[Royal Alexandra and Albert School|Royal Alexandra & Albert School]] in [[Reigate]], [[Surrey]], trialled GCSE English in 1980. Those who passed would receive both a CSE and an O-Level certificate. There was still a separate English Literature O-Level exam.

===Changes since initial introduction===

Over time the range of subjects offered, the format of the examinations, the regulations, the content and the grading of GCSE examinations have altered considerably. Numerous subjects have been added and changed, and various new subjects are offered in modern languages, ancient languages, vocational fields and expressive arts, as well as citizenship courses.<ref>{{cite journal |last1= |first1= |date=25 August 1988 |title=GCSE examiners 'very impressed' after results study. |journal=The Times (London, England) |issue=63169 |page=6}}</ref>

====Introduction of the A* grade====
In 1994, the A* grade was added above the grade A to further differentiate attainment at the very highest end of the qualification. This remained the highest grade available until 2017, when numerical grades were introduced (see below). The youngest pupil to gain an A* grade was Thomas Barnes, who earned an A* in GCSE Mathematics at the age of 7.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=26 August 2014 |title=Seven-year-old Thomas Barnes 'youngest' student to land A* maths GCSE |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/seven-year-old-thomas-barnes-youngest-student-7668555 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220327144158/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/seven-year-old-thomas-barnes-youngest-student-7668555 |archive-date=27 March 2022 |access-date=27 March 2022 |website=Manchester Evening News}}</ref>

====Mathematics tiers====
Initially, the mathematics papers were divided between three tiers: higher (able), intermediate (less able) and foundation (near unable), to cover different mathematical abilities. The higher level corresponded to grades A–C, the intermediate level to grades C–E, and the foundation level to grades E–G. However, it was later realised{{when|date=September 2024}} that students who sat the foundation level exam couldn't pass the subject at grade C, so this system was replaced by a two-tier arrangement whereby the intermediate and foundation levels were merged. This brought the subject into line with other subjects that typically had foundation and higher-level papers. This meant that somebody who sat the new foundation level could now achieve a grade C and thus pass.

With the introduction of numbered grades, the higher tier provides grades 9–3, with 3 being classed as a "safety net" grade, and the foundation tier provides grades 5–1.

====2000s reforms====
Between 2005 and 2010 a variety of reforms were made to GCSE qualifications, including increasing modularity and a change to the administration of non-examination assessment.

From the first assessment series in 2010, controlled assessment replaced coursework in various subjects, requiring more rigorous exam-like conditions for much of the non-examination assessed work and reducing the opportunity for outside help in coursework.

====2010s reforms====
Under the Conservative government of [[David Cameron]] various changes were made to GCSE qualifications taken in England. Before a wide range of reforms, interim changes were made to existing qualifications, removing the January series of examinations as an option in most subjects and requiring that 100% of the assessment in subjects from the 2014 examination series be taken at the end of the course. These were a precursor to the later reforms.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/82560-specification.pdf|title=GCSE 2012 French/German/Spanish Specification|date=May 2012|website=ocr.org.uk|access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref>

From 2015, a large-scale programme of reform began in England, changing the marking criteria and syllabi for most subjects as well as the format of qualifications and the grading system.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Get the facts: GCSE reform |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/get-the-facts-gcse-and-a-level-reform/get-the-facts-gcse-reform |access-date=2017-11-27 |website=Gov.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/new-gcses-what-changes-exams-results-education-curriculum-9-1-department-for-education-a7906251.html|title=Here's what the new GCSE grades mean|date=2017-08-22|work=The Independent|access-date=2017-11-27|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Under the new scheme all GCSE subjects were revised between 2015 and 2018 and all new awards were to be on the new scheme by summer 2020. The new qualifications are designed such that most exams will be taken at the end of a full two-year course, with no interim modular assessment, coursework nor controlled assessment except where necessary (such as in the arts). Some subjects retain coursework on a non-assessed basis, with the completion of certain experiments in science subjects being assumed in examinations and teacher reporting of spoken language participation for English GCSEs as a separate report.

Other changes include the move to a numerical grading system to differentiate the new qualifications from the old-style letter-graded GCSEs, publication of core content requirements for all subjects and an increase in longer, essay-style questions to challenge pupils more. Alongside this a variety of low-uptake qualifications and qualifications with significant overlap will cease, with their content being removed from the GCSE options or incorporated into similar qualifications. A range of new GCSE subjects was also introduced for pupils to study from 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newgcses.campaign.gov.uk/|title=GCSEs in England have changed|website=newgcses.campaign.gov.uk}}</ref>

GCSE examinations in English and mathematics were reformed with the 2015 syllabus publications, with these first examinations taking place in 2017. The remainder were reformed with the 2016 and 2017 syllabus publications, leading to first awards in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

For [[GCSE Science]] the old single-award "science" and "additional science" options are no longer available, being replaced with a double award "combined science" option (graded on the scale 9–9 to 1–1 and equivalent to 2 GCSEs). Alternatively pupils can take separate qualifications in chemistry, biology and physics. Other removed qualifications include a variety of design technology subjects, which are reformed into a single ‘design and technology’ subject with several options, and various catering and nutrition qualifications, which are folded into "food technology". Finally several "umbrella" GCSEs such as "humanities", "performing arts" and "expressive arts" are dissolved, with those wishing to study those subjects needing to take separate qualifications in the incorporated subjects.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/gcses-as-and-a-levels-new-subjects-to-be-taught-in-2015|title=Completing GCSE, AS and A level Reform – GOV.UK|website=gov.uk|date=6 June 2014 |language=en|access-date=2017-11-27}}</ref>

====Implications for Wales and Northern Ireland====
These reforms did not apply immediately in Wales and Northern Ireland, where GCSEs would continue to be available on the A*–G grading system. However, owing to legislative requirements for comparability between GCSEs in the three countries and allowances for certain subjects and qualifications to be available in Wales and Northern Ireland, some 9–1 qualifications were to be available and the other changes were mostly adopted in these countries as well.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ccea.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/news/2017/Aug/Statement%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bqualification%2Bregulators%2Bon%2Bchanges%2Bto%2BGCSEs%2BAS%2Band%2BA%2Blevels%2B2017%2Bupdate.pdf |title=Statement from the qualification regulators on changes to GCSEs, AS and A levels |author1=Ofqual |author2=Qualifications Wales |author3=CCEA |date=August 2017 |website=ccea.org.uk |access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref>

In Northern Ireland a decision was taken by [[Minister of Education (Northern Ireland)|Minister of Education]], Peter Wier ([[Democratic Unionist Party|DUP]]), in 2016 to align the A* Grade to the 9 Grade of the English reformed qualifications.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2016 |title=Statement from Minister of Education, Northern Ireland, on changes to GCSE grading. |url=http://ccea.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/news/2016/Jun/minister_oral_statement_on_grading_june16.pdf |access-date=17 November 2018 |website=ccea.org.uk}}</ref> The first award of the new A* grade being in 2019. A C* grade was also introduced in Northern Ireland to align to the 5 Grade in England, again with first awarding in 2019. GCSEs in Northern Ireland remain modular and Science practicals can count towards the overall grade. Speaking and listening also remains a component of the GCSE English Language specification.