NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

The general certificate of secondary education was introduced in 1988, replacing the GCE O level and the certificate of
secondary education (CSE) examinations, and now serves as the principal examination for secondary school pupils at 16 plus
in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The table below shows how the levels of the GCSE examination equate with its two predecessors.
GCSE O level CSE
A A —
B B —
C C 1
D
E
D
E
2
3
F — 4
G — 5
The GCSE is administered by five autonomous GCSE examination groups, four in England and one in Wales. In Northern
Ireland, the GCSE is administered by Niccea, the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and
Assessment. A subject passed at a grade below C is not counted towards university admission.
Admission to higher education, however, requires not only subjects studied at GCSE level, but also subjects studied and
passed at general
certificate of education (GCE) advanced level (A level).
A level examinations are normally taken two years after GCSE in the sixth form of secondary schools, sixth form tertiary
colleges or in colleges of further education.
The GCE A levels represent 13 years of education: six years of primary education, five years of general and two years of
specialised secondary education.
Children usually begin courses leading to the GCSE examinations in the fourth year of secondary school (year 10). They
occasionally take two or more preliminary examinations (often mathematics and French) at the end of fourth year, but most
subject examinations are taken at the end of the fifth year (year 11). Although only a small number of GCSE passes is
required for the general requirement for entrance to higher education, students usually take more as part of their general
education (between 5 and 10 subjects are taken).
Traditionally, students followed courses in two or three related subjects in the sixth form (years 12 and 13), for example the
sciences or the humanities. However, with the introduction of less conventional higher education courses, less traditional
combinations of A levels are now more common. There are five official pass grades, A to E, and a candidate not achieving the
required standard may obtain an N (narrow failure or near miss) grade.
AS (advanced supplementary) levels were introduced in 1987 and exams taken in 1989 with the purpose of broadening sixth
form studies beyond the traditional clusters of science or arts subjects. AS levels are designed to occupy half the teaching and
study time of an A level, but are set to the same standard and usually take two years to complete. Like A levels they are
graded A to E, with grade standards related to the corresponding A level grade. The syllabuses take account of the shorter
teaching and study time available, so that while the quantity of work is less, the quality is the same as required for the
equivalent A level grade. Two AS levels can therefore be regarded as the equivalent of one A level and are accepted in place
of one A level for university entrance.
International baccalaureate (IB)
Courses leading to the IB are offered in an increasing number of British schools, especially those boarding schools that cater
for children with overseas connections. The diploma is given at the end of a two-year period of study, paralleling the A level
years, to students who have met its wide-ranging requirements in six study fields. Students should attain a minimum of 24
points to obtain the IB and satisfy university matriculation requirements.