A Levels, O Levels

[Pajama Girl]

Would you please explain what they are, what they mean? What's a good result?

[JillP]

These are 'General Certificates of Education' G.C.E.s. The 'O' level is 'Ordinary Level' and 'A' level is 'Advanced Level'. I don't know what a good result is these days, but I would think that the more you have, the better educated you are thought to be.

[JillP]

G.C.E. 'O' Levels and 'A' Levels are usually taken before leaving school and I would think that 'A' Levels are taken after 'Sixth Form College'.

[Jules001]

O Levels are the old name for qualifications now known as GCSE's (General Certificate of Secondary Education). They are as has been said normally taken in the last year of secondary school (in UK age 16). The grades are A* which is the highest followed by A,B,C and in my day were considered to be a pass (although we didn't have A*) the following grades although awarded were (in my day) generally deemed to have a fail grade D,E,F G - you can also get a U which means that the exam is Unclassified. A Levels are taken after GCSE's and are normally taken at a 6th Form College, these are done in two separate stages AS level which is completed over 1 year and then you can proceed on to the A2 year which will then give you a full A Level, these are graded A - E with A being the highest grade.

[Pajama Girl]

Jill and Jules, thank you.

And what is a Sixth Form College?

[tracy6697]

You go to sixth form college or a regular college when you have finished school usually at 16. They are where you study A-levels and similar qualifications.

[JillP]

Not to give too much away but, in my day, G.C.E.'s were the norm. They were taken usually by the smarter kids who had gone to Grammar School. G.C.S.E.'s were brought about for us kids that went to Secondary Modern School, although when I left school, all the boys got was a safety razor and a bible, where the girls got a pack of 'feminine needs' and a bible.