General Certificate of Education

The General Certificate of Education ( GCE) is the English education qualification, which is equivalent to the German school diploma.

4.1 UMS Marks
4.2 Results
4.3 Retests and Rejection note
4.4 Testing contestation

6.1 UCAS
6.2 Credit in Germany

Structure

British students deny in principle at the end of the last two school years ( Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth ) examinations in the three to four subjects, which they have chosen based on their personal interests and abilities. After the first year the student graduated from specialized tests at the level of an AS- Level ( Advanced Subsidiary ). The following year, the students courses that prepare for the A2 -level examinations occupied. If a student has passed both tests in a compartment, the AS -level transforms into an A - Level (Advanced Level ). AS and A2 exams are weighted equally: You can obtain a maximum of 300 points in each test and thus lighter in AS year, a potentially worse outcome of the A2 -year balance (eg, an AS -level with 271/300 points and the grade A plus the A2 Exam with 209/300 points and the grade of C results in the sum of one a-level with 480/600 points and the final score a).

Examination boards

The GCE exams are designed by Examination Boards and graded by them. These boards are partially privatized, but are subject to terms of course content to state control. Core curricula are drawn up by the Government to ensure that the curricula of the individual boards remain comparable. In detail, the curricula ( specifications ) but soft on each other. Schools are not tied to a particular Examination Board, but are free to determine which is to hold the examination in a subject at school. So should be ensured that the teaching concepts and content prevail, which holds the respective faculty of the school most appropriate.

The large Examination Boards are:

AQA, the English Examination Board,
OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and Royal Society of Arts Examinations )
Edexcel, so far the only organized private sector board
(NI) CCEA, the Northern Irish boards and
WJEC, the Welsh board.

Tests

Most tests for the GCE are written work ( written papers ). But there are also practical examinations ( practical exams ) and homework (course works), which are similar to created the technical work during the school year. Most examinations are held by the Examination Board on two dates, namely every January and June. Certain A2 subjects ( eg Edexcel German ) and all AEA tests ( further tests for the 10 percent of the students who have written the best grades ), however, only offered in June.

Modul-System

The final score of the year is made up of individual examinations (modules), which are weighted differently. The single module can be broken down beyond partial exams (units). For example, in chemistry, the module " lab work " to complete, you have to pass a practical and written examination, which account for both 50 % of the module mark. The modules have been assembled so that the lessons rhythm can orient on the strengths and weaknesses of each student. Thus, a student who shows particular weaknesses in relation to certain teaching content, make up test modules later. This allows, for example, the math student, the "Statistics" tutoring needs in the module, targeted support.

Conduct of the examinations

The written tests will be held simultaneously worldwide for all students. Are planned for this day two time windows at 9:00 GMT ( morning exams ) and at 13:30 GMT ( afternoon exams ) begin. A written individual examination usually takes 60 to 90 minutes. Most of all examinations are held on one day in a compartment. The total test duration in a compartment is limited to three hours per day. Because the schools Examination Boards are free to choose, there may be overlaps ( clashes ) of the allotted time window come ( The Edexcel A2 German audit found, for example at the same time with the OCR A2 Physics exam instead ) for which there are the following special rules: Up to a total test duration of three hours, the tests must be written as a direct result. If the total test duration exceeds three hours, the candidate must take a 90-minute, supervised lunch break. With a total test duration of more than six hours, the candidate may appeal the next morning at the beginning of morning time window a supervised night's sleep. The written examinations are held usually in large meeting rooms ( exam halls ).

House work is carried out during the school year and graded externally towards the end of either the faculty or internally by the Board. The dates for the oral and practical tests are usually set within the school. During all tests special behavior rules: The specimen shall not operate mobile phone at all. These will be confiscated at the entrance to the examination hall. In addition, the candidate must not talk until he is officially dismissed ( dismissed ). Failure to comply with these rules or tampering attempts you will be disqualified from the examination or even by the entire GCE.

Fraud will lead to disqualification in the examination subject. In severe cases, an attempted fraud in forfeiture of examination results lead. When such incidents at a school accumulate, the school may be deprived of the right of inspection.

Correction

After the test, all test materials are sent to the appropriate Board, which shall transmit the original or a scanned electronic document to either the corrector. These evaluate the examination and send the corrections ( marked scripts) back to the Board. First five percent of the work to be corrected by a given solution sketch. Thereafter, it is determined whether the solution sketch ( marking scheme ), are graded according to the work to another alternative response options should be extended or not. Subsequently, the remaining work to be corrected. Random samples checked a more experienced second corrector whether the auditor has complied with the solution sketch. The corrections can be seen by the samples fee.

UMS Marks

This board no note gradient develops between the examination, the tests will be based on a uniform scale of difficulty, the Uniform Mark System (EMS), evaluated. This UMS scale is to ensure the maximum comparability of individual examinations. The tests will be compared with the one with those of previous years and on the other with those of other boards. In addition, an average of the points actually achieved (raw marks) is calculated. On the basis of this value and the estimates of the examining committee, the result is devalued ( downscaled ) when the test was relatively simple, or upgraded ( upgraded ) when the test was unusually heavy. This UMS scores vary from year to year, but can be divided into individual compartments identify trends. For example, the grade in mathematics is often devalued, however, usually upgraded in physics.

Results

The results will be made available to the schools basically two months after the test available on the internet. A day later, students can also pick up the provisional results in printed form from their school. These provisional certificates will be issued individually by each Examination Board, so that a student can get up to five products. At this point the numbers in the individual units and the overall pass mark. If a candidate is not satisfied with his result, so there is the opportunity to challenge these results for him. There is also the option that the student requests a photocopy or the original script within a time limit.

Repeat tests and note rejection

Repeat tests (re -sits ) are available to all students available. Any number of specialized tests will be arbitrarily rewritten. If the examination is not to be included in the certificate, a note can be rejected ( decline ).

Test challenge

The student may appeal the test result. The result is depending on the application either only on completeness ( overlooked pages, etc. ) and errors ( in the addition of the partial results, etc. ) is checked ( re-check ) or content completely re-evaluated (re -marking ). When re -marking the work is sent to an experienced second corrector which graded the work again. But, for proofreading determines the final grade achieved. It can differ from the previous both upwards and downwards. For an additional fee contesting in summary proceedings ( express service) is being processed.

Music

It will be awarded the marks (grades ) A to E. A is the best grade. E is the worst, with which one is just ( equivalent to the German 4). Poor examination results are evaluated with U ( unclassified ). These marks are awarded on the UMS scale:

Although notes are also awarded for individual modules, but these are for guidance only. Only crucial are the notes specified on the AS- and A-level certificate. These scores are calculated by comparing the results of the modules are averaged.

Universities

UCAS

UCAS ( Universities & Colleges Admissions Service ) is responsible in the UK for the admission to higher education (about the Foundation for university admissions, formerly ZVS for all courses ). The notes are automatically sent via the Internet twice a year to the UCAS ( the end of September and April) and then forwarded to the universities, where you have applied.

Recognition in Germany

The GCE is recognized in Germany as fold -bound access to higher education and must be recognized by the Central Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle ( North Rhine -Westphalia). The calculation of the numerus clausus is based on the so-called Bavarian formula based on the UCAS Tariff. Simplified one can calculate it by using the following table (valid for A-level, which were filed as of May 2010):

Thus, the certificate is recognized, the conditions, the (link to Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle the district government Dusseldorf; Stand: May 14, 2011) are listed here, be fulfilled. The leaflet also detailed information on the conversion of the notes, or UCAS points found in a German numerus clausus or equivalent grades.

Education in the United Kingdom
Degree or certificate

21634