Information Regarding GCSEs for Teacher Training Degrees
It is a government requirement that all Trainee Teachers have attained grade C in GCSE English language, Maths (or equivalent), and for Early Years and Primary GCSE Science. For our Secondary PE, Sport and Dance Education BA Hons, GCSE or an equivalent qualification must be completed before starting a teacher training programme.
However for our Primary Education X120 and PGCE Early Years X121 courses, you must have your GCSE grade C in English language, Maths and Science before applying to LJMU. Applications without these will not be considered.
If you have taken a qualification that you believe to be equivalent to a GCSE, please contact the Faculty's Recruitment Team on 0151 231 5340 or email ecl-recruitment@ljmu.ac.uk.
You will be asked to provide a copy of the syllabus and an academic tutor will compare this with LJMU's syllabus. If all the necessary subject areas are covered then LJMU will accept the qualification and there will no need for further study. However, if any other qualification is being claimed as equivalent at enrolment without first having been assessed you cannot be enrolled on the course until this has been carried out. Unfortunately, if the content of a syllabus does not cover the same areas as LJMU's GCSE equivalence tests, you will not have met the government's requirements and therefore be unable to join the course for that year's entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.
Can I complete my GCSEs during my degree?Answer
No, you must have your GCSEs before enrolling on your degree
Q. On my UCAS form, I said I had an English grade C, but this is my English Literature grade – does this matter?
A
Yes, you must have a grade C in English language – you must contact us to correct this information
Q. I haven’t got my GCSE(s) and it’s not a condition of my offer to gain them – do I need to get them?
A
The GCSE requirement is a government defined one that cannot be overlooked – you must achieve these before enrolling. Please contact us urgently.
Q. I have a qualification that I believe to be equivalent – will you accept it?
A
The only way to be sure is to contact us with as much information as you can regarding your qualification. We will usually make a decision within a couple of days.
Q. I was born before September 1979, I thought I didn’t need Science?
A
Recent legislation means that we cannot change our entry requirements based on age – you do need GCSE Science for a September 2007 (and beyond) start on any Primary course.
Q. I haven’t got my GCSEs or an equivalent qualification – how can I go about gaining these?
A
There are several ways of gaining either your GCSE or an equivalent qualification – the availability of any of these depends on the time of year.- Take your GCSE – you can either do this through a night school, or through college. If necessary, you will find that you can register yourself as an independent candidate and sit the GCSE with current pupils at a registered exam centre.
- Sit the LJMU Equivalence Tests – LJMU will accept these in place of your GCSEs provided you pass. These are available in English language, Maths and Science.
- Find an equivalent qualification in your area – again, please check with us that we will accept it.
Q. What if I fail my GCSE (or equivalent) exam?
A
Let us know. The earlier we know, the more we can do to try and help. Please do not turn up at enrolment in September and expect to start the course without your GCSE(s).
Q. Which GCSEs do I need for my course?
A
You need English language, Maths and a Science for: Primary Education and for PGCE Early Years.You need English language and Maths for our Secondary PGCE courses.
Certification
At enrolment, we require original certificates to authenticate your GCSEs. The Statement of Results slip provided on results day is not sufficient. If you have not got your certificates, you must contact the relevant exam board as soon as possible to obtain a replacement. If you took your GCSEs with several different exam boards, you must contact all those that you sat your English language, Maths (and Science) with.
