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Original poster

gcse higher/lower tiers advice, please

27 replies

citrus1 · 11/09/2010 16:14

Hi, could anyone explain the following - if you are doing GCSE's and you are "more able", do you get entered for higher tiers (or is that just for Maths) - my only concern is that if it turns out to be very tough, you may achieve a C/D whereas you may have got an A-C with the normal exams. Do you get a chance to do both? Sorry, but my GCSE knowledge is limited! Whatever happened to good old CSEs and O'levels!!! I hope this makes sense to someone! Thanks.

OP posts:
tokyonambu · 11/09/2010 16:34

I believe the best grade available on the foundation tier is C: you have to take the higher paper to get a B or a C.

In answer to your question, this is (sadly) just like O/CSE: the Foundation tier is the CSE, with the maximum grade an undifferentiated pass (a CSE Grade 1 was an O Level C). For anything else, you needed the O Level.

MmeBlueberry · 11/09/2010 16:32

Several subjects are tiered.

If you go for Higher tier, you generally can get anywhere from A* - D. Therefore, if you are a D candidate, you risk coming away with nothing if you have a bad day. The Foundation tier generally has a maximum grade of C.

We enter almost all of students for Higher tier, and only a handful at Foundation (we are a non-selective school, with a lower than average academic profile due to competitor selective schools).

Which paper you are entered for depends on performance in each individual subject. For some modular courses, you can be entered for a mix of foundation and higher.

Doesn't your school have a handbook to explain how this works in your specific school? It is difficult to give all the options, when the info you need has to be personal.