Years 10 and 11 Overview

At Lavington School we aim to provide a broad and balanced education that will enable our pupils to fulfil their potential both in school and later in life. This aim has led to the development of a curriculum that has two distinct elements - the core subjects which are compulsory and the options subjects which allow students to tailor their courses to suit their aspirations and needs.

Certificates and Qualifications

The GCSE

The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is awarded for achievements in most of the subjects that you could take. It usually includes an examination at the end of year 11 and usually (but not always) includes teacher-assessed coursework (see below). Grades A* to G are awarded to pupils who reach particular standards. GCSE examinations in most subjects can be entered at Higher or Foundation levels.

The Entry Level Certificate

The Entry Level Certificate is a qualification for students who are unlikely to gain Grade G at GCSE. It is based on the National Curriculum for KS4 and is related to GCSE syllabuses to allow two-way transfer between GCSE courses and Certificate courses where appropriate. In some subjects the assessment is made by the teacher, in others a final examination is used to assess achievements. Three levels of award are available: level 1, level 2 and level 3, where level 3 is the highest.

Diploma and Young Apprenticeship

Please see entries later.

Coursework and Teacher Assessment

Many of the skills that you will learn during the tenth and eleventh year cannot be tested by a written examination at the end of your course. These important skills, which include practical skills, oral (speaking) skills and the ability to tackle long pieces of work (coursework projects etc.) will be assessed by your teacher as the course proceeds.