Year 9 Options Booklet 2013 - St Marylebone School

What is a GCSE?
Frequently asked questions
GCSE stands for General Certificate in Secondary Education. It is a qualification that is recognised
and valued by schools, colleges and employers, so will be useful whatever students are planning
to do for their post 16 education. The qualification involves studying the theory of a subject,
combined with some investigative work. Some subjects may also involve practical work. GCSE’s
are graded A* - G.
What is a GCSE short course?
A GCSE short course only covers half of the content and students gain a half GCSE grade. It allows
students to gain qualifications in compulsory subjects such as Religious Studies. They are graded
at A*-G.
What is a BTEC?
BTEC qualifications are suitable for a wide range of students. They encourage and recognise
achievement in students, some of whom may not be getting the most out of ‘traditional’ academic
study. Those who enjoy hands-on, practical work with plenty of real-life situations tend to find
stimulation and success through BTEC qualifications. BTEC courses are entirely coursework based
with some practical assessments or work experience.
What is controlled assessment?
Controlled assessment is a form of internal assessment of work covered in the course. Replacing
coursework, controlled assessment:
• encourages a more integrated approach to teaching, learning and assessment
• enables teachers to confirm that pupils carry out the work involved
Controlled assessment differs from both coursework and external examinations. It may, for
example, allow supervised access to sources, such as the internet, for research purposes.
Not all GCSEs have controlled assessment. Some subjects still have the original format of
coursework. See each subject page for more details.
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