Key Stage 4 qualifications at KLB SCHOOL

• Year 10 Guide to Coursework

GCSEs are the main qualification taken by 14 to 16 year olds, but are available to anyone who would like to study a subject that interests them. You can take GCSEs in a wide range of academic and 'applied' (work-related) subjects.

GCSE's: what they are

• GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. It's highly valued by schools, colleges and employers, so will be useful whatever you are planning to do afterwards.
• The qualification mainly involves studying the theory of a subject, combined with some investigative work. Some subjects also involve practical work. GCSEs are usually studied full-time at school or college, taking five terms to complete.
• GCSEs are at levels 1 and 2 on the National Qualifications Framework, depending on the grade you get. To achieve high grades, you'll usually be expected to show good levels of attainment in reading and writing.
  • grades D-G are at level 1
  • grades A*-C are at level 2
• GCSEs are available in more than 40 academic and eight 'applied' subjects. The applied subjects are related to a broad area of work, such as engineering or tourism. You can also take many GCSEs as short courses.
• Your school can advise you about the subjects available to you.
• For students in Years 10 and 11 (aged 14 to 16), it's compulsory to study some subjects as part of the National Curriculum. So it might be worth taking a GCSE so that you have something valuable at the end of your two years of study.

How you are assessed

• With GCSEs, you are assessed mainly on written exams, plus elements of coursework that you complete throughout the course. Coursework can include projects, fieldwork, artwork, experiments or investigations. Some subjects, like art and design, have more coursework and fewer exams.
• Some GCSE courses are made up of units; for these, you take exams at the end of each unit. Other GCSEs involve exams at the end of course.
• For some subjects, everyone sits the same exam. For other subjects, you have a choice of two tiers: 'higher' or 'foundation'. Each tier leads to a different range of grades. Your subject teacher normally decides which tier is best for you.
• Exams usually take place in January and May/June each year.

Marks

• Examiners work out how many 'raw marks' you need to get a certain grade. If you have taken a GCSE made up of units, your results slip may show a points score on the uniform mark scale (UMS). The UMS is a system examiners use to combine different unit marks to get your overall GCSE grade.

Grades

• GCSEs are graded A*-G and U (unclassified):
• higher tier exams leads to grades A*-D
• foundation tier exams leads to grades C-G
• The results are published in March and August each year.

If the exam doesn't go well

• If on the day of the exam something happens outside your control to affect your performance, you may be eligible for special consideration. Speak to your teachers as soon as possible.

Resits

• If your GCSE is made up of units, you can choose to resit individual units. The awarding body will count the higher mark from your different attempts. However, resitting takes time out from studying for other units, and is no easy option.

Re-marks and recounts

• If you think something may have gone wrong with marking your exam, your school or college can ask for a re-mark or recount.

Appeals

• If you are still unhappy, your school or college can appeal to the awarding body, and then finally, if necessary, to the independent Examinations Appeals Board.

Where they can lead

• Getting a GCSE can lead to a number of routes: for example, work, further study or an Apprenticeship.
• If you complete GCSEs at level 1, you could move on to other courses or work-based training at levels 1 or 2.
• Completing GCSEs at level 2 can lead to other level 2 courses and level 3 courses of all types. However, sometimes if you want to take a level 3 course (such as an A level), you'll be expected to have a GCSE in the same subject.
• If you're thinking about higher education, you may need GCSEs in certain subjects. Most universities and colleges will ask for five GCSEs grades A*-C, including English and maths (as well as A levels or equivalent qualifications).

Get advice about GCSEs

To find out more about the range of GCSEs on offer near you, speak to your teacher or contact your local college.

Find your local college or learning provider Advice for young people

For advice on learning and qualifications for 13 to 19 year olds, you can also contact Connexions Direct.

Call an advisor: 0808 001 3219

Information on GCSE's at KLB School

1. Coursework. This is a component of some subject courses. It is work done in school or for homework during Years 10 and 11 and which counts towards the final grade achieved, the amount varying from subject to subject. The coursework may include oral, aural and practical work as well as written project work. It therefore becomes important for pupils to work steadily throughout the two years of the course and keep up to date with the work set. Those who are nervous in examinations will benefit from this approach, as less emphasis is placed on a single end-of-course examination. Students must make themselves aware of the information available in school on the planning of their coursework for the various subjects they take and make good use of the project management pages of their Journals. Poor organisation in this area is one of the most common factors causing stress to year 10 and 11 students.
2. The examinations themselves are intended to be less of a memory test, more a test of understanding and reasoning.
3. There is much common ground in the syllabuses set by the different examination boards across the country; this makes it easier for those who have to change schools. 
4. Teachers choose those syllabuses which they think are most suitable for the pupils they teach.
5. There are various ways in which the full range of grades A* - G is awarded, e.g. in order to obtain the highest grades in Chemistry, an extra paper has to be taken; in Modern Languages, the more papers a candidate takes and passes, the higher their grades may be; in maths, the level of the paper taken determines the range of grades available. Therefore it is important to read the details of each subject carefully and ask the appropriate Head of Department if further explanation is needed.

Further details of specific GCSE courses can be found on many of the Departmental Pages on the website.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

Foundation Level (Part One) GNVQ Leisure and Tourism - OCR

Part One GNVQs (General National Vocational qualifications) are the new vocational alternatives to GCSEs. A Part One GNVQ is equivalent to two GCSEs and Foundation Level is appropriate for students targeted at Grades D - G. Vocational Education aims to provide students with some of the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to make the first step into the world of work.

The students will be involved in a variety of tasks designed to produce work for their portfolios. Evidence for their portfolios may be in the form of posters, photographs, audio and video recordings in addition to some written responses. The aim is for the students to learn by doing.

In this Leisure & Tourism course, students will be involved in a number of activities relating to the Leisure and Tourism industry, such as

• investigating visitor attractions and producing visitor information materials such as leaflets
• planning a visit to a tourist attraction, including making, booking and preparing timetables.
• investigating career routes and opportunities in the growth area of the service industry.

In addition they will have to produce evidence in the key skills (Level 1) in

• application of number
• communication
• Information Technology

Assessment of the work in the portfolio is done by the course teacher, the only exams will be three multiple choice tests which are taken at various times throughout the course.

All pupils will follow the two year Lifeskills course which is organised on a basis of rotation around a group of modules. The modules are organised to follow a particular pattern of progression and this is continued into the Year 11 programme. The course is non-examined.

Within Year 10 the course will cover Religious Education in which there will be elements of Careers, Sex Education, Drugs Education, Wealth and Poverty, and the formative stages of the production of an individual National Record of Achievement.

The Year 11 modules continue with extension work in Religious Education and some other modules, and introduces Citizenship and a second Sex Education module. The final Record of Achievement is produced using word processing skills.