Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do students need any prior attainment to be able to do this course?
A. No, students do not need to have prior attainment or experience to do this course.
Q. Are there any prohibited combinations for this award?
A. Yes. In any one examination series, we do not allow students to take examinations on this specification if they are also entered for other GCSE examinations on another specification of the same title.
Q. Do students need to demonstrate the quality of their written communication?
A. Yes, in GCSE Motor Vehicle and Road User Studies students must demonstrate the quality of their 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.
Examiners assess the quality of students’ written communication in their responses to questions or tasks requiring extended writing. The quality of written communication is assessed within Assessment Objective 3 in Paper 1 and in the internally assessed investigative study.
Q. What grades can students be awarded for this course?
A. We award GCSE qualifications on an eight grade scale from A*–G, with A* being the highest.
We award grades A*–D to students entered for the Higher Tier. We provide an allowed grade E as a ‘safety net’ for Higher Tier students just failing to secure a grade D.
We award grades C–G to students entered for the Foundation Tier. If students fail to attain a grade G, we report their results as unclassified (U).
Q. What Key Skills can students develop through following this course?
A. This specification provides opportunities for students to develop the following Key Skills:
- Application of Number;
- Communication;
- Improving Own Learning and Performance;
- Information and Communications Technology;
- Problem-Solving; and
- Working with Others.