Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now doing their best to prepare for their soon-to-be upon General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams. The important dates for 2025 are set in stone! The first GCSE exams start on Mon 5 May and the last exam finishes Wed 25 June. Results day is scheduled for Thursday, August 21, starting at 08:00 BST.
In England, students will now be graded on a 9-1 numerical scale. A grade of 4 represents a “standard pass” level ability, whilst a grade of 5 shows a “strong pass”. Wales and Northern Ireland have letter grading systems for their exams. Students sitting exams with English exam boards, such as AQA or Pearson, would do so in a much different style.
For students who missed the opportunity to get a passing mark, maths and English resits will take place starting November 5. The grading system for new style GCSEs in 2025 will continue the structure used in 2024. This sort of consistency would help students and educators alike.
GCSEs are usually mandatory subjects in England, even serving as the foundation for maths and English. Scottish students follow an alternative qualification framework with National 5s and Highers. National 5 exams have already started and will finish by early June, with results coming out on August 5.
Students, you need to be wide awake and not just watch out there! The exact dates of GCSE exams vary due to which exam board their school chooses. The major boards are AQA, Pearson, OCR, WJEC and CCEA. For those unable to attend an exam due to illness, it is crucial to communicate with their school or college promptly.
We want students to proactively seek out resolution if they are uncomfortable with their grades and believe it is inaccurate. Students shouldn’t be afraid to stress test their school or university. Or you could go for T-levels, BTecs, National Voc Voc qualifications, TechBacs, Cambridge Technicals. These choices offer excellent substitutes for standard GCSEs!
