Okay - it's easy really :-)
In the old days 16 yr olds took "General Certificate of Education
Ordinary Level" exams familiarly known as "GCE O levels" or "O levels"
for short. Passing your O levels was a basic requirement for continuing
in full time education after 16 yrs (the end of compulsory education).
4-5 would be a minimum pass rate and more able students would be
expected to do 8-9 sometimes even more.
Later a more basic exam was introduced for people who would not be able
to achieve even one O level pass. This was the "Certificate in
Secondary Education" or "CSE". A grade 1 was supposed to be equivalent
to an O level pass. The average pass was said to be Grade 5..
Later still the two exams were combined (in order to do away with any
negative connotations) and the new exam is what 16 year olds sit today -
"General Certificate in Secondary Education" or "GCSE". GCSEs are
graded from A-G, but only A-C are generally regarded as worthwhile as
they are the supposed equivalent of the old O level.
How are you doing so far?
After two years in the "6th Form" the 17-18yr old students take their
GCE Advanced Level exams ("A levels"). Usually studying 3 subjects
these exams are graded from A-E and are required for entry to
University.
Of course either of these levels (A level or GCSE) can be taken by
anybody at any time. There are also alternative study routes (General
National Vocational Qualifications for example) but I'm not getting into
that.
Having got 2-3 A-levels students can continue to University. It is
different in Scotland (where degrees are 4 years), but in England and
Wales a Bachelor's degree (undergraduate) is usually 3 years.
Bachelor's degrees are awarded with or without honours and are divided
thus:
*Ist Class Honours
*Upper Second Class Honours (2.i)
*Lower Second Class Honours (2.ii)
*Third Class Honours
*Pass or Ordinary
Sorry it's so long. I'm off home now.
David
Original message
Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 11:47:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Annette Taylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Please explain British system to us nonknowledgeable Yanks
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
At 01:53 PM 5/26/2000 GMT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> It may not be a great surprise to anyone to hear that she did not in
> fact finish the course (A level Geography as it happens) and left
> college before the exams in the summer.
>
I was going to post this just to David, but decided maybe other tipsters
could benefit from a response to my query below.
I am familiar with people talking about "sitting" their O-levels and
A-levels,
but frankly it's gibberish to me.
Could you please explain to me the different levels, and if you can,
could you
relate these to the american educational system for comparison?
Also, for you Canadians, is your system the same as ours? If not, how is
it
different?
I'll also take explanations from anyone else who wants to contribute
from
their country.
It makes discussions so much more in context to understand what level of
students we are talking about.
thanks
annette
ps. I have switched mail systems from pine to eudora so my signature
line
may be missing. I still have to figure it out.
------------------------------
--
David L Gent
South Birmingham College
Cole Bank Road
Hall Green
Birmingham
B28 8ES
UK
Telephone: +44 (0)121 694 5030
Facsimile: +44 (0)121 694 5007
Electronic Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
