These meet the Northern Ireland GCE and GCSE Qualifications Criteria and the Northern Ireland GCSE Design Principles
- Northern Ireland
GCSEs were introduced to mark student achievement at the end of compulsory education at age 16.
They are also used as an indicator of the most appropriate post-16 progression route for a student.
GCSEs are sometimes used as an entry requirement for post-16 study.
Since their introduction in 1986, GCSEs graded A* – G were used across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In England, new GCSEs graded 9 – 1 started to be phased in for first teaching from 2015.
Wales and Northern Ireland retain GCSEs graded A* – G.
First teaching of revised GCSEs in Northern Ireland began in 2017. See below list of subject areas for further information.
UCAS has published separate profiles for:
- CCEA
GCSEs graded A* – G will be available as short-course, single and double award qualifications.
GCSEs graded A* – G are either unitised or linear, depending on the subject.
- Agriculture and land use
- Art and design
- Biology
- Business communications systems
- Business studies
- Chemistry
- Child development
- Construction
- Contemporary crafts
- Digital technology
- Drama
- Economics
- English language
- English literature
- Food and nutrition
- French
- Further mathematics
- Gaeilge
- Geography
- German
- Health and social care
- History
- Hospitality
- Irish
- Journalism
- Learning for life and work
- Leisure and tourism
- Manufacturing and engineering
- Mathematics
- Motor vehicle and road user studies
- Music
- Physical education
- Physics
- Polish
- Politics
- Religious studies
- Science (double award)
- Science (single award)
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Statistics
- Technology and design
In September 2017, new GCSE specifications were introduced in the subjects listed above.
The full range of GCSE grades A* – G spans Levels 1 and 2 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework: Grades A* – C are Level 2; grades D – G are Level 1.
Single award and short-courses are graded A*, A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
Double award qualifications are graded A*A*, A*A, AA, AB, BB, BC, CC, CD, DD, DE, EE, EF, FF, FG, GG.
Attainment that is insufficient to lead to the award of a certificate is reported as unclassified – U.
GCSEs which meet the Northern Ireland GCSE Qualifications Criteria and Design Principles may use question papers which are targeted at either a single tier covering grades A* – G or two tiers of grades A* – D and C – G. This varies from subject to subject.
Unitised qualifications must allocate a weighting of at least 20% to each assessment unit.
Unitised qualifications must require that 40% of the assessment is terminal.
Linear qualifications must require that all components are assessed at the end of the course.
In unitised specifications units may be retaken once only before aggregation for the subject award.
In November there are resit opportunities for English language and mathematics.
The actual amount of time allocated to a GCSE varies between schools and subjects. However, the deemed standard size is as stated above.
Not yet available.
Not yet available.
Five grades at A* – C, generally including English language and mathematics, is regarded as an appropriate benchmark for Level 3 study.
The vast majority of applicants from Northern Ireland will present with GCSEs graded A* – G.
Universities and colleges with applicants across the UK that use GCSE grades in admissions will need to consider the differences between a 9 – 1 (9-point scale) and A* – G (8-point scale) model.
All Northern Ireland GCSE linear assessments must be taken in May or June.
Assessments for unitised GCSEs will be available in May or June.
Results are available in the latter part of August, one week after A level results.
GCSEs graded A* – G will continue to be current in Northern Ireland.
See above list of subject areas of revised GCSEs.
Grade outcomes by subject and total entries by subject are published by the Joint Council for Qualifications www.jcq.org.uk.
Sufficient Level 2 achievement at GCSE is generally a requirement for Level 3 progression.
Sufficient Level 1 achievement at GCSE should lead to Level 2 progression.
Some universities, colleges and employers ask for specific achievement at GCSE for recruitment.
Website address for further information: http://ccea.org.uk/regulation