You are most likely to have heard of GCSEs. You normally study these when you are 15 and 16 in a range of subjects.

You can take them alongside Foundation Learning programmes, Diploma and Young Apprenticeship programmes.

You have to do Functional Skills as part of GCSEs in English, ICT and maths but you don’t have to do separate Functional Skills exams

GCSEs are aimed at learners working to Level 2:

• more than 50 different subjects are available
• many schools offer a similar range of subjects eg: English, Maths, Science, Languages, Design and Technology, Humanities, Arts
• Applied GCSEs are also available eg: Science, Business, IT
• GCSEs are mostly classroom learning with theory, subject-based and practical work.

The English Baccalaureate (Ebacc)

The EBacc is not a qualification in itself. It is a way for government to measure schools against a group of subjects (English, maths, History or Geography, the sciences and a language). Pupils therefore do not pass or fail an EBacc they might simply be taking those subjects in school.