In this country the mainstream schooling system works towards a very closely monitored examination and grading system with a two tier system that follows throughout the student’s school life. Most subjects come under the umbrella of GCSE which standards for general certificate of secondary education. Some subjects have tiers of entry and these are:
Maths; combined science; physics; chemistry; biology; statistics; modern foreign languages. The teaching centre or schoool decides which tier to enter a student in acording to their percieved ability and known results previously. There is the foundation tier for students to awarded grades 5 to 1 or 5-5 to 11 in combined science. The higher tier os for students to be awarded grades 9 – 4, again 9-9 to 4-4 in combined science. There is some leeway for students who just miss a grade 4 or the equivalient combined science score, and they may be awarded grade 3 or 4-3 for combined science. There is government guidance for all students who can be taking any of the following : gcse; AS or A levels which is the next stage after gcse. Some schools do not follow these disciplines and offer the International Baccalaureat, core mathematics and pre-U.
