The General Certificate of Secondary Education or GCSE—England’s standardized high-stakes tests—grading system has faced considerable upheaval over the last few years. This new accountability system moves away from letter grades to a 9-1 numerical scale. It aspires to make a clearer and more transparent distinction in student achievement. In 2014, former Conservative Education Secretary Michael Gove launched a revolution in curriculum. Then in 2017, the implementation of a new numerical grading scheme started.
Initially, the new grading system applied to three core subjects: English language, English literature, and mathematics. Its introduction by 2020, all GCSE subjects in England transitioned to a new 9-1 grading system. This type of grading system gives a highest grade of 9, the lowest of 1, and “U” for ungraded. It is a better approach to differentiate, especially among high-achieving students, as it provides more room for differentiation with the added scale of extra letter grades.
In Wales, the grading is still letter-based, using the A* to G scale. Unlike in England, the Welsh government brought in a series of overhauled GCSE courses into schools in September 2015, holding onto their own standard. In summer 2019, Northern Ireland rolled out a new nine-category grade scale. This grading scale stretches from A* all the way to G, and even boasts a C*!
Pupils who want to achieve a “standard pass” will have to get at least a grade 4. To get a “strong pass,” they need to achieve a level of at least 5. The awarding system is run centrally each year by examiners who mark students’ work according to specific guidelines. Significantly, the new numerical grades do not map directly to the old system of letter grades. The sixth row of grade 7 aligns with the sixth row of grade A. At the same time, grade 4 is essentially the bottom of grade C and grade 1 the bottom of grade G.
The recent shift away from traditional grading practices has opened a world of conversation on the impact that these practices have on students and teachers. The government emphasizes that the new system “recognises more clearly the achievements of high-attaining students,” highlighting its ability to reflect varied levels of student performance more accurately.
Additionally, it is essential for educators and students to understand whether a student has taken a “new, more challenging GCSE or an old reformed GCSE” as this can impact their evaluation in comparison to peers.
