As exams approach, pupils are wondering: what can I do to make this revision more effective? Perhaps some are regretting not starting revision sooner. Others are wondering why they didn’t pick a different subject or research another exam board. Many young children are also curious about why they are doing this particular qualification. The two main qualifications taken by 14- to 16-year-olds in the UK are IGCSE and GCSE. GCSEs or IGCSEs are a minimum requirement for most jobs as well as further education. They are also the only confirmed grades received by the university on your application.
The IGCSEs or International General Certificate of Secondary Education are considered by most to be equivalent to the GCSEs or General Certificate of Secondary Education. IGCSE’s were historically thought to be much harder due to their similarities with O-Levels and a greater grade percentage being based upon the final exam. While GCSE focused also included coursework. But when GCSEs were reformed in 2015, more rigorous content was introduced and a great deal of coursework was removed. However, some believe that rather than matching the difficulty level of IGCSE’s this has in fact made the reformed GCSEs more difficult than IGCSEs.
In order to decide which is harder, you must make your own judgments on the content of each course and how they are assessed. Still confused and considering which secondary school qualification is best for you? Then continue reading to find out more about IGCSEs and GCSEs.
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Are GCSEs Harder Than IGCSEs?
General Certificate of Secondary Education, more commonly known as GCSE, is the standard course and examination taken by pupils in the UK.
Many argue that the increasing number of private and independent schools that offer IGCSEs, as an alternative to the national curriculum of GCSEs, suggests that the latter is likely to have a higher level of difficultly.
This opinion is shown and further developed inthisarticle on the guardian by Toby Helm.The key differencebetween both coursesis the lack ofrigorouscoursework in the GCSE qualification.
IGCSEs were made for international pupils and so they lack the intensive coursework that is found in many GCSE subjects. Due to them being aimed at non-English speaking countries as well as Britain. Another reason for the increasing opinion that the International GCSEs are easier is the flexible annual schedule for when exams are available.
Resitting an IGCSE course is generally found to be more difficult than resitting a GCSE course. This is because GCSE resits are only available in November, after the main exams in June.
Many see the fact that independent schools offer and promote the IGCSE qualification to their pupils as unfair as this same option is not available to pupils in state schools. This may mean that pupils from private schools are more likely to get into universities that consider GCSE and IGCSE exam results as equivalent.
A comparison between GCSEs and IGCSEs was conducted in 2019 by the Department of Education.Thisstudy found that it was easier to achieve a grade A in English Language and English Literature in IGCSEs, due to the grading curve. While most other subjects appeared to be roughly equivalent, and some sciences had fewer high IGCSE grades.
Are IGCSEs Harder Than GCSEs?
International General Certificate of Secondary Education, more commonly known as IGCSE,is recognised to be an international qualification at the same level as GCSE or General Certificate of Secondary Education.
Before changes to GCSEwerefirstintroducedin 2017, the IGCSE was oftencompared andconsidered to be moresimilar tothe older O-Levels qualification than the current GCSEs.
For this reason, IGCSEs were often argued to be a more difficult examination since O-Levels were taught at a higher level. The study mentioned previouslyby the Department of Educationsuggested that it is harder to achieve a grade A in science subjectsunder IGCSE.
Also,high grades in IGCSE are conceived by some people to be more difficult to achieve than high grades in GCSE as IGCSE grades are solely based on the final examinations at the end of the course, due to the reduced or lack of coursework.
HowWere GCSEsReformed?
Alargedevelopmentof GCSEs took place in 2015-19,which saw a completerenovationof the content and structure ofthe General Certificate of Secondary Education qualification.
The new qualifications included a lot less coursework than the older GCSE qualifications.Assessmentwas shifted tobe mainly by exam, with other types of assessment used onlyin specific subjects.
Newer and moredemanding content,developed bythegovernment and the exam boards, was introduced.Modular courseswerereplaced with linear GCSEs. This meant that rather thanstudentswritingexams throughout their two years of learning, all of them would be taken at the end of the course.
In reformed GCSEs, examscanbe splitonlyinto ‘foundation tier’ and ‘higher tier’to increases the adaptability to different students’ abilities.Finally, resitting opportunities weredecreasedfor theEnglish language andMathsqualifications, to only be available in November.
The reformed GCSEs also included a conversion of the A* – G grading systems to a newnumber-basedgrading scale of 9 to 1, with 9 being the top grade.
The switch was madeasa way todistinguish between the new reformed General Certificate of Secondary Education and the older qualifications. Schools had been teaching the newer reformed GCSEs for three to four years, before the shift in grading systems.
Is theContent of theCoursesDifferent?
The topics discussed ineach qualification and the way in which they are assessed are the maincontributorsto the difficulty level ofeach qualification.
Coursework is a type of assessment used only in some subjects, when specific skills need to be tested that cannot be assessed through an exam. It iswritten or practical work done by a student during a course of study,thatcountstowards a final mark or grade.
Final examinations arewritten test papers meant toassessspecificskillsand knowledge of students within a settime period.There may be more than one of these for one subject and each one lasts anaverageof 2hours, with some exceptions such as Artwhich lasts 10 hours long.
In the past, the assessment of GCSEs included far more coursework and less rigorous content than IGCSEs, whose content was similar to the O-Levels. However, after the renovation of GCSEs, a lot of coursework was taken out and more content was included. This means that both qualifications have around the same amount of content now.
Although, since IGCSEs areInternationalGCSEs, they are more adaptable to English speaking countries which is shown historically by the lower amount of coursework.Also,in the current day as some topics particular to British education, such as Shakespeare in English literature, are not included in the IGCSE course.
Is the Grading System the Same forIGCSEs and GCSEs?
Both IGCSEs andGCSEsare graded by the 9-1 system and grade boundaries are set within exam boardsto decide grades.
Whendiscussing theleniency in grading systems of each qualification,manybelieve it is easier to achieve an A* in IGCSEs than GCSEs shown inthis survey conducted by education data labs.
Though universities and schools view them as equally challenging and of the same level shown bythis response by Cambridgediscussingtheequalleniency of IGCSE marking.
In the past, the grading system had not always been 9-1. Both GCSEs and IGCSEs used to be graded by the A*, A, B, C, D, E, F and G grading system with a 9th grade “U” signifying “Ungraded”. Then, there was a relatively recent change, in 2017 – 18, from the A* – G system to the 9 to 1 grading.
Equivalents to the previous grades are shown below:
| Number-based Grading | Letter-based Grading |
| 9 | Grade A* |
| 8 | Grade A* |
| 7 | Grade A |
| 6 | Just above a Grade B |
| 5 | Between grades B and C |
| 4 | Grade C |
| 3 | Between grades D and E |
| 2 | Between grades E and F |
| 1 | Between grades F and G |
| U | Ungraded (below G) |
After each individual student’s paper is marked, grade boundaries are set. These are done within exam boards.This is because, although it is unlikely, the difficulty level of the exam may vary between exam boards meaning that if grade boundaries were set using all grades from all boards, an inaccurate and unfair result would be given. The boundaries are set by senior examiners, who use judgement, statistics, and expertise.
WhichExamsBoardsDo GCSEsand IGCSEs?
Aside from the difficulty of the content between these two qualifications, there are a few other differences, one of which is the ExamBoards that are available for either course.
There are three Exam Boards that carry out IGCSE’s and these are Cambridge International Assessment or CIA, by which the qualification was developed, Pearson Edexcel, and Oxford AQA.
However, there are many more available for GCSE.The five available exam boards are AQA (The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance), OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations), Pearson Edexcel, CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment) and WJEC (Welsh JointEducation Committee).Although,not all subjects are included by all Exam Boards.
Aside from some vary in subjects, there are very minor differences if any between these exam boardswithin onespecific subject.
WhichCountries are GCSEsandIGCSEsWrittenIn?
GCSEsare taught and written in England,Wales,and Northern Irelandwhile Scotland has aseparate system of qualifications.Although some independent schools within Scotland offer GCSEs.On the other hand,IGCSEs areavailablefor writing and studyingin many more countries than GCSEs asthey are recognisedto betheInternationalGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education.
Similar toGCSEs,IGCSEsare also written in the United Kingdombut they are also written widely in international schools. Theycan bewritten in Indiaas well, in the month of February. They are also writtenunder the Edexceland Cambridgeexam boardin Hong Kongas well asSingapore,Malaysia,the United Statesandaround 150 other countries.
This means that IGCSEs are more adaptable to different countries than GCSE’s shown by the optionality to cover Shakespeare in the English Literature qualification. This is also shown by the load of coursework. Historically, there has always been a reduced amount of coursework in most IGCSE qualifications with more focus being on final examsin order toadapt to non-English speaking countries.
When are GCSE and IGCSE Exams Taken?
GCSEs are sat by14- to 16-year-oldsin Year 11.Children generally start learning the course in Year 10, though some independent schools start earlier – in Year 9.However, the exact time of the year at which the examinations are written varies between and within both courses:
Person Edexcel IGCSEs are examined bi-annually in May/June as well as November.
Oxford AQA IGCSEs are written at the same time as Edexcel: bi-annually in May/June as well as later in November.
Finally, Cambridge International GCSEs are conducted in February (in India only), May and later in October.
GCSEs are generally written in May/June, for all exam boards as well as Mathematics and English Language being available in November.
How Many GCSEs / IGCSEs Can You Take?
Due to the very similar level of difficulty, the number of IGCESs or GCSEs you can take are the same.The vast majority ofstudents study 9/10 GCSEsalthough some choose to do 11.They will be awarded five GCSEs in the core subjects, which are English Language, English Literature, Maths, Science (2/3 GCSEs).
Additionally, students then choose 4 subjects to be awarded GCSEs in. Students may also choose to supplement these with a first language GCSE when they speak a first language, with an available GCSE, that is not English.
What Subjects Should You Take for GCSE / IGCSE?
As well as deciding betweenboth coursesand which exam board, the subject which you are taking these courses for are incredibly important. Also, it is important to decide theparticular subjectsyou are interested in taking beforeresearching the details as there may be minor differences within subjects that may impact you.
The subjects offered also depend upon the examboardbut they are similar between and within both qualifications. The subjects you can choose from also depends greatly upon the school which you go to as schools can’t offer all possible subjects.
What Subjects Do IGCSEs and GCSEs offer?
- Maths (compulsory)
- English (compulsory)
- Separate Sciences (or Dual science arecompulsory)
- Dual Science(or separate sciences are compulsory)
- First Language courses of Arabic, Chinese,English, French,Germanandothers
- Second language courses ofAfrikaans,Chinese, English,Hindiand others
- Foreign language courses ofArabic, Chinese (Mandarin),Dutch, French, GermanGreekand many others
And GCSE offersall ofthe aboveas well asa few others that are not offered by IGCSEincluding:
- Dance
- Astronomy
- Electronics
- Statistics
- Psychology
- And many others
Still haven’t found a specific subject that you love? Check outthisfull list of available IGCSE subjects under CIA. Find out more about the available GCSE subjects onthiscollection of subject content by the government.
What Other Qualifications are Equivalent to GCSE / IGCSEs?
In Scotland, which uses its own system of secondary education, National 5 awards are done during the time of GCSEs,14–16-year-olds.These are graded using a letter scale with a numbered band scale within each letter grade.
This scale is starts with A Band 1 being the highest and equivalent to an A* and then A band 2 being equivalent to an A. Itcontinues onlike this with B band 3 being a higher B and N band 4 being a lower B etc. This continues until D band 7 which is just below a C but still considered a pass.
Students generally do 6 or 7 of these awards. They can take a minimum of 5 and some independent school do up to 8 in one sitting. There are many subjects available – more than both IGCSEs and GCSEs. Find a full list of available Nat 5 subjectshere. This award is offered by only one exam boards called Scotland’s National Qualifications morewell-knownand SQA.
Are GCSEs and IGCSEs important?
As a minimum requirementfor almost all jobsand university courses,GCSEs or International GCSEsare arguably the most important qualifications you can do.Studying GCSEs provides you with an essential foundation in a range of subjectsespecially the core subjects English Language and Mathematics.
Both IGCSEs and GCSEs arehighly-regardedsecondaryqualifications that are accepted by top-ranking universitiesall around the worldand other educational institutions both in the UK and beyond.
Can You Retake IGCSEs and GCSEs?
Whether someoneoriginally failed or got a score they were unsatisfied by, many people a yearwould like the opportunity to have a second chance at their final GCSE or IGCSE exams.
Anyone can retake their GCSEs, regardless of age or previous experience.You can enrolto resit your GCSEs at a local school or college.In order tobe prepared to resitthe GCSE subject or subjects you wouldlike;you will be given a timetable toattend GCSE classes with others in your year.
Some GCSE subjects can be resat in a November and January period as well as the main May and June period – whenever you feel ready.
International GCSEs can also be resat, in the same way and time as GCSEs. If the course involvedcoursework,then you can carry that forward and just re-sit the exam. Additionally, IGCSEs candidates can also ask for a retake entry. This is when the candidate took the same syllabus in the exam series immediately before the current one.
What Happens After GCSEs and IGCSEs?
After you completeeither of these qualifications, what is the next step?It’s further education.The General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A-Level, or more commonly the A-Level), is an academic qualification taken in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by students completing further education.
Further education refers to secondary or pre-university education, after GCSE and IGCSE level. Pupils generally complete three awards of subjects in depth with the grading system being a letter scale and A* being the top grade.
Another option available in several independent privateschool is the IB Diploma Program.Thisis for high school students, specifically those ages 16-19.Pupilsgenerallycompletesix of these.The grading system isa number point system withthe perfect score being 45pointsandwith anything above24guaranteeing an award.
On the other hand, in Scotlandand Wales, childrenare able toleave at the age of 16 to get a job.In England children must complete higher educationbutthey are able to do thiswithoutstayingon at school or goingto college–they can get a job with a training element to it, but they cannot work full-time without some training.Though there aregovernmentfunding programs availableto those who wish to stay on at schoolbut cannot afford it financially.
In Scotland, after the GCSE level, which is done as National 5 awards, students who decide to continue further education do Higher and Advanced Higher awards.
