What are the Hardest & Easiest Exam Boards at GCSE? (2023)

FAQs

Which exam board is the easiest for GCSE? ›

Which Exam Board is the Easiest for GCSEs? It is difficult to determine an overall easiest exam board for GCSEs as it may vary depending on the subject. However, some sources suggest that Edexcel iGCSE is considered the easiest board to take English Language and Literature under.

OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA) sets and assesses GCSEs, A levels and a wide range of vocational courses. It is one of the main examination boards used in the UK but is also part of Europe's largest assessment agency, operating in more than 150 different countries.

Based on the percentage of students that achieved a passing grade (Grade 4), AQA is the hardest exam board and OCR is the easiest exam board for GCSE Maths.

Both Cambridge and Edexcel are highly-regarded high school qualifications that are universally accepted by prestigious universities. Traditionally, CIE is considered to be harder, the main reason is due to the structured- high-order questions that are presented in your papers.

The only difference between AQA, Edexcel and OCR is the amount you can be awarded. Edexcel and AQA exams will be out of 240 marks, while OCR will be out of 300 marks. Don't worry though! Regardless of the exam board and the number of marks available, you'll still be marked within the same grading systems of 1-9.

The hardest is Pearson Edexcel, and the iGCSE branch of the qualification in particular.

FAQs. What are the different exam boards? The three most popular UK exam boards are AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance), OCR and Pearson Edexcel. In addition there is WJEC, the GCSE exam board for Wales, also used in England, and in Northern Ireland there is CCEA.

Casimir Ogbolu also achieved an impressive 7 grade 9s, a grade 8 and a grade 7, with his 9s in all three Sciences, English Literature, English Language, Religious Studies and Geography.

I took all exams with Edexcel. I used their papers alongside AQA, OCR and WJEC papers to prepare for exams. For Physics: The hardest questions are from OCR (old specification), followed by Edexcel (both new and old specifications). The easiest is AQA (new specification).

What is the easiest exam board for a level? ›

AQA – Assessment and Qualifications Alliance

Among various groups of students, this option is considered to comprise the easiest and most straightforward exam board.

India has the highest number of the world's most demanding examinations. India hosts seven of the twenty most difficult exams in the world. Despite the fact that India has many rigorous tests, South Korea is often regarded as having the most demanding school system.

All Group of 8 universities (Go8) in Australia accept Pearson Edexcel IALs. Pearson Edexcel IALs are recognised by US universities including: Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

When you prepare for your IGCSE or A-Level examinations, you tend to be in the dilemma of choosing between the Edexcel or the Cambridge Board. Both examinations have a similar level of difficulty, although individual students sometimes state that one exam is more difficult than the other.

Both programs are equally rigorous academically. Both emphasize the development of higher order thinking, including problem solving and creativity. Both offer well-balanced curriculum, high academic standards, practical real-world applications and international perspectives.

AQA, formerly the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, is an awarding body in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It compiles specifications and holds examinations in various subjects at GCSE, AS and A Level and offers vocational qualifications.

Summary – Edexcel vs Cambridge A Levels

Edexcel A Levels is an internationally recognized modular system examination. It is more UK-focused, with all the difficult and easy questions in a single paper. Cambridge A Levels is an international level preparatory qualification for university education.

OxfordAQA is a joint venture between Oxford University Press, a department of the University of Oxford, and AQA, the UK's leading academic awarding body.

The least popular subject at GCSE level was engineering, with only 2,305 students taking this subject in 2022.

Considered to be the easiest GCSE, food technology has a pass rate of 62.4%. The reason the pass rate percentage is slightly lower for this subject than you might expect is because it is often used as a dumping ground for students that aren't prepared to engage or don't have any interest in the subject matter.

How many GCSEs do you need? ›

How many GCSEs do you need to take? The minimum number of subjects you are asked to take at GCSE is five, with most students choosing between nine and ten different subjects. You can choose to take more than the average amount, though this is down to you, your preferences and academic ability.

Maths and English are the most important subjects as they are a requirement for most courses, apprenticeships, jobs and university degrees. You will usually need at least a grade 4 and above in Maths and English before you can get into these.

GCSE Biology can be tough, but it is certainly a manageable challenge.

These questions are extremely tough with different topics involved. Circle equations, trigonometry, simultaneous equations, just to name a few. Make sure to try each of them yourself before looking at the answers, but don't worry if you get it wrong. You can only become good in maths through practice and many mistakes.

I've seen sample exam material from the two — and I have to say the UK material is generally harder. The UK material also tends to require more essay-type answers — and the essays tend to be longer too (which presumably articulates with being more detailed). To get into a UK university US students need 5–7 AP classes.

What are the hardest test exams in America to pass? The USMLE, the Graduate Record Examination, the Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert, Mensa, the California Bar Exam, the MCAT, the Chartered Financial Analyst Exams, the SAT, and IELTS are the toughest tests in America.

The Cambridge Proficiency exam is the hardest of the Cambridge exams. Who is it for? Do this test if you really love English.

As mentioned above, the AQA exam board offers over half of the GCSE and A-Level qualifications in the UK. This makes it the most popular exam board for GCSEs in the UK. Other than this, Pearson Edexcel and OCR are the next most popular exam boards in the UK.

LNAT. The United Kingdom's Law National Aptitude Test has become one of the toughest examinations to crack. Oxford University initiated the leading law test to select the best students willing to study law in the institution. This exam lasts for 2.5 hours and involves reading and an essay section.

Oxford and Cambridge Examinations and Assessment Council (OCEAC)

Which is the No 1 toughest exam? ›

UPSC Civil Services Exam – India's Toughest Exam

The UPSC Exam is said to be the toughest exam in India. It is the most competitive and difficult exam that is conducted in India. The exam is conducted in three stages – Prelims, Mains, and the Interview round.

GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

Owned and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), GRE is among the world's most difficult exams. The exam is administered both online and in person. As a standardized test, GRE measures the overall academic readiness of students who want to attend graduate school.

RRB NTPC: India's Easiest Competitive Exam:

The Railway Recruitment Board holds the RRB NTPC 2022-23 Exam (RRB). The RRB NTPC 2022-23 examination will take place online and at the national level (computer-based test).

Teenager gets 100 per cent in 11 GCSEs The 16-year-old daughter of a professional footballer and beauty queen has achieved 100 per cent in every single one of 11 GCSEs. 28 August 2009 •...

According to this illustration, grade 4 requires 56 - 66 per cent, grade 5 requires 67 - 77 per cent and grade 6 requires 78 - 88 per cent.

For others, a grade 6, 7 or even an 8 would be considered good. This depends on the expectations that each individual student has about their own abilities. Essentially, any grade that you feel you are happy with above the standard pass grades of 4 or 5 can be labelled as 'good'.

It is one of the roles of the exam regulator Ofqual to ensure that one examiner isn't easier or harder to achieve a specific grade with than any other. Lately, Edexcel maths exams have tended to be a bit more challenging than AQA but the AQA grade boundaries have been a bit higher.

Edexcel – This board has the toughest science questions alongside AQA but edexcel takes a slight upper hand here. Edexcel – The time limit of this exam is said to be difficult to cope with. Although, the grade boundaries are quite reasonable therefore it's easier to pass.

The GCSE is mainly offered to students in the UK and can only be taken in the UK. Whereas, the IGCSE is an international certificate that allows students from all over the world to sit for the exam. IGCSE is offered in over 145 countries around the world.

Key differences

The AQA papers are equally weighted, putting less pressure on students to do better in one than the other. Edexcel's two papers are split 40%/60% and have a greater emphasis on persuasive and instructional writing. Edexcel offer students a choice of writing questions on both papers.

What is the easiest A level Cambridge? ›

✅ Gaokao (China)

The Gaokao is the feared university entrance exam at age 18, which lasts for 10 hours over two days of incredibly complex questions. Each year, millions of students in China take the gaokao, taken by students in their third and final year of high school typically from June 7 to June 8 or 9.

Central Teachers Eligibility Test (CTET): Easiest Competitive Exams in India. CTET, or Central Teacher Eligibility Test, is a national-level exam conducted in India by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Edexcel – This board has the toughest science questions alongside AQA but edexcel takes a slight upper hand here. Edexcel – The time limit of this exam is said to be difficult to cope with.

Question: Which board is the easiest in India? Answer: The syllabus of the CBSE Board is considered as quite comprehensive and easy to understand.

AQA – Assessment and Qualifications Alliance

Among various groups of students, this option is considered to comprise the easiest and most straightforward exam board.

Gaokao. One of the world's toughest exams Gaokao, is a college entrance exam in China and is infamous as one of the top 10 toughest exams in the world. Due to its difficulty level, some European and American universities have also started to accept Gaokao scores.

What is the hardest board exam to pass? ›

Is IGCSE harder than GCSE? IGCSE qualifications have traditionally been perceived by some people as “harder” than GCSEs because the final results were solely based on the end-of-course examinations, rather than offering the opportunity for students to complete coursework to contribute towards their final grades.

It is one of the roles of the exam regulator Ofqual to ensure that one examiner isn't easier or harder to achieve a specific grade with than any other. Lately, Edexcel maths exams have tended to be a bit more challenging than AQA but the AQA grade boundaries have been a bit higher.

IGCSEs are generally considered more challenging than the GCSEs, although this will depend on the subject. However, both courses are designed to give students a world-class education and to equip them with the skills they need for further study or employment.

CBSE may be a good choice for students seeking future careers in medical and engineering fields. ICSE may be a good option for seeking versatility in selecting subjects, overall student development, and developing strong English proficiency to study abroad.

The ICSE Board is more well-known than any other board, especially internationally. Students with an ICSE certification have an advantage in overseas institutions and universities, even though CBSE Boards are equally widely recognized.

What are the hardest test exams in America to pass? The USMLE, the Graduate Record Examination, the Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert, Mensa, the California Bar Exam, the MCAT, the Chartered Financial Analyst Exams, the SAT, and IELTS are the toughest tests in America.

The GCSE is mainly offered to students in the UK and can only be taken in the UK. Whereas, the IGCSE is an international certificate that allows students from all over the world to sit for the exam. IGCSE is offered in over 145 countries around the world.

AQA is the largest examination board for GCSEs and GCE A Levels in England.