General Certificate of Secondary Education

The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is a set of exams taken in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and other British territories. They are usually taken by students aged 15–16, after two years of study. Some students can take their exams early if their teachers think the students are capable. Most students taking their GCSEs study between 5 and 25 subjects.
All pupils have to study English, mathematics and science until they are 15-16. They do not have to take the GCSE exams, but the large majority do so. In Wales, students must also study Welsh until they are 14.
Most schools require that a pupil passes 5 or more GCSE exams at grades 4 or 5 or above before they can move on to study A-levels.
In 2020, the exams were cancelled for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subjects.
Many of the subjects in this list are not offered by every school.
Required.
In all schools students have to study Mathematics, Science, and English linguistics and literature.