GCSE continues to be the national educational benchmark for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Departments choose whether GCSEs or IGCSEs offer the best preparation for their pupils. We offer a wide selection of subject options, please see below for further details.
For pupils joining us from overseas in Year 11, we offer a one-year GCSE programme.
Choosing your subjects
Most pupils take up to ten subjects. The core GCSE subjects at Gresham’s consist of English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, all three Sciences and a Modern Foreign Language. Pupils have the choice of studying three separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics or a double award in Combined Science. We would envisage that those wanting to go onto a Sixth Form programme involving a Science subject would take separate Sciences. Taking Combined Science does not preclude any pupil from continuing in any Science through to A Level or the IB Diploma Programme or degree level, assuming a sufficiently high grade is achieved.
Pupils study the core subjects and then choose a further three subjects, or four if they have selected Combined Science. Occasionally, this may be reduced with the agreement of parents and the Deputy Head (Academic).
The core GCSE subjects at Gresham’s are:
All three Sciences OR COMBINED SCIENCE (DOUBLE AWARD):
One Modern Foreign Language:
All pupils will then make the choice of 4 optional subjects in preference order. Depending on whether the pupil chooses to take three individual Sciences or the double award in Combined Science, these will be 3 choices and a reserve, or 4 choices.
Optional subjects
ANOTHER Modern Foreign Language:
GCSE Prospectus
Find out more about the GCSE programme offered at Gresham’s in our GCSE Prospectus.
One Year GCSE Course
This one year course in Year 11 offers pupils the chance to study seven or eight subjects and is excellent preparation for the IB Diploma or A levels.