sre017@cck.cov.ac.UK (***SEMPSY***) (06/17/91)
I think I will settle this once and for all: O-Levels are taken at 16 in State and Public Schools in England. 8 are the usual maximum at state schools, and 10 at public schools(ie Kate). Therefore if your family has money your more likely to get more. O-Levels are graded A to E,grades D and E are regarded as failures. Generally E(30-40%),D(40-50%),C(50-65%),B(65-75%),A(75%-->) CSE's are the alternate exams ,they are graded 1 to 6,where 1 equates to a grade C at O-Level,2 to grade D,3 to grade E, 4,5,6 as ungraded O-Level. For interest CSE grade 4 is the national average grade obtained,so Kate is well above your Mr/Miss average. Unfortunately the O-Level was phased out after 1987,my year were the last to do O-Levels( I managed 9 O-Levels myself). It has now been replaced by the GCSE exam which is a combination of the O-Level and the CSE, it is generally regarded as inferior to the former exams. At 18 usually A-Levels are taken,you need these to get into Polytechnic and University.It is 2 for Poly and 3 for Uni.They usually will ask that you have at least 5 subjects covered by both O-Level and A-Level.For example 3 O-Levels in French,English,Physics and 2 A-levels in Maths and Chemistry( they usually expect that you passed these at O-Level as well) could get you onto a Maths Degree at a Polytechnic,an extra A-Level could get you into Uni.Obviously the quality of your grades are important,you would need 3 grade A's at A-Level in the right subjects to be even considered for Medical school. I hope this settles any queries about the education system in the UK,by the way Scott was right that Scotland does a different exam to the O-Level.O-Levels were only done in England and Wales. Andy Semple sre017@uk.ac.cov.cck
evan@castle.ed.ac.UK (E Welsh) (06/18/91)
sre017@cck.cov.ac.UK (***SEMPSY***) writes: >Scott was right that Scotland does a different exam to the O-Level.O-Levels >were only done in England and Wales. Ehm... I have ten English O levels which I obtained in Malawi (Africa). I then did two Scottish O grades the next year, along with my Highers and CSYSs (the Scottish version of A levels). Some foreign countries subscribe to the English exams. Evan... -- / __ /\ evan@castle.ed.ac.uk /\ Are you selling your \ \ |_ \ / \/ rew@lfcs.ed.ac.uk \/ soul to a cold gun ? / / |__VAN \/\/ELSH /\ evan@tardis.cs.ed.ac.uk/\ \ \ ================ \/ ecwu86@ercvax.ed.ac.uk \/ Kate Bush. /