Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do students need any prior experience of engineering to be able to take this course?
A. No, students don’t need any prior experience of engineering courses or the engineering industry to be able to take this course.
Q. Is there any level of attainment required to be able to study this specification?
A. No, there is no particular level of attainment required to study this specification.
Q. What grades can students achieve through studying this specification?
A. We award GCSE qualifications on an eight grade scale from A*–G, with A* being the highest. For students who fail to attain a grade G, we report their results as unclassified (U).
Q. Are there any prohibited combinations for this subject?
A. No, there are no prohibited combinations for this subject.
Q. Are students assessed on the quality of their written communication?
A. Yes, in GCSE Engineering students must demonstrate their quality of written communication. In particular, they must:
- ensure that text is legible and that spelling, punctuation and grammar are accurate so that meaning is clear;
- select and use a form and style of writing appropriate to their purpose and to complex subject matter; and
- organise information clearly and coherently, using specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Our examiners assess the quality of students’ written communication in their responses to tasks that require extended writing. The quality of students’ written communication is assessed within all the assessment objectives in Unit 1: Engineering Design and Graphical Communication and Unit 3: Engineering Technology.
