GCSE essays

The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is a qualification which students sit at the age of 16. Most students are entered for 8-10 subjects at GCSE although there are some schools where individual entries number 12 or 13 subjects. University admissions tutors and employers are more likely to be impressed by the more moderate range of good grades which show application and commitment.

There is quite a lot of work in each GCSE so it's always advisable to plan for that and make sure you can cope with the workload. In the vast majority ofschools GCSE Maths, English Language and Science are compulsory and the other subjects you will be entered for will be options that you choose from a range offered by the school (in some establishments a language is also compulsory and in others, Religious Studies too). All in all it's worth taking a lot of time in Yr 9 identifying those which you have to take, and then finding out as much as you can about the others before choosing your options.