GCSE Maths and English
What are GCSEs?
GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. It’s the part of the National Curriculum taught to pupils aged 14 to 16 in years 10 and 11. It includes exams where results have a significant bearing on a child’s future career.
When do they take their GCSEs?
At the end of Key Stage 4 – year 11.
How are GCSEs graded?
In the past GCSE students were given marks between A* (the highest) and G (the lowest). Scores below a G were marked as U for ‘ungraded’. However, things have changed. Grades now range from 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest). Here’s how the new grades compare to the old:
- Grade 9 – The top mark is even higher than the old A*
- Grade 8 – Below an A* but above an A
- Grade 7 – Slightly below an A but only just
- Grade 6 – Slightly better than a B
- Grade 5 – Below a B but above a C. Also called a ‘strong pass’
- Grade 4 – Equivalent of a C. Also called a ‘standard pass’
- Grade 3 – Below a D but above an E
- Grade 2 – Between an E and an F
- Grade 1 – Between an F and a G
- Ungraded – The lowest mark possible. As in the old system, a U denotes a fail.
What do The Learning Centre cover for GCSEs?
As children need GCSEs for further education, TLC deliver these sessions using a structured programme covering the foundations of Maths and English skills that you will need for exams at the end of Year 11. We cover the following exam boards for Maths: AQA, Edexcel and OCR. As for English, the exam boards are: AQA, OCR, Pearson and WJEC Eduqas.
Currently, the texts that we teach are:
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The English sessions include model essay questions and answers. I will help you to infer and analyse the novels with your personal response too. The essay questions that you attempt to answer will be marked against the GCSE mark scheme giving you an accurate picture of your current strengths and weaknesses.