General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSEs) are available in all schools but the subjects that are offered by the schools may vary. Your teenager's prospects for going on to Further and/or Higher Education or getting a job get better if you have 5 or more GCSEs at grade C or above.
GCSE facts
There are 8 grades of GCSE: A*, A, B, C, D, E, F and G. You may need to get certain grades for your chosen career.
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Grades D-G are a Level 1 qualification; grades A*-C are a Level 2 qualification.
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A vocational GCSE will count as two GCSEs
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GCSEs are usually assessed by a mixture of coursework and exams.
Short GCSE courses
Your son or daughter's school may offer short GCSE courses.
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These count as half a GCSE course.
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They cover fewer subjects.
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They don't take as long to complete.
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You can take them in addition to your other GCSEs.
