What IGCSE is

The IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is a set of subject qualifications usually taken at around age 16, at the end of a two-year course. It is offered by three main exam boards: Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel (where it is called the International GCSE) and OxfordAQA. Universities and sixth-form colleges around the world recognise it.

Students typically take between five and ten subjects. Most take English, Mathematics and at least one science, then choose others such as languages, humanities, business or computer science.

How the exams work

  • Each subject is assessed mainly by written papers sat at the end of the course.
  • Some subjects have two levels, often called Core and Extended (Cambridge) or Foundation and Higher (Edexcel). The lower level limits the top grade available, so the choice matters. Your child's teachers decide this with them.
  • The main exam window is May and June, with results in August. Some subjects can also be taken in other series. See exam dates.
  • Grades are given either as A* to G or as 9 to 1. See how grades work.

How you can help

Help them plan, then step back

A written plan stops revision becoming one long worry. Sit down once and map out the weeks to the exams together. Our revision plans are a good starting point. After that, check in weekly rather than daily.

Ask about questions, not hours

Hours at a desk can hide a lot of re-reading. A better question is "how did your practice questions go, and what did you get wrong?" Practice questions are the single best sign that revision is working.

Protect sleep and routine

Regular sleep, meals and some exercise do more for exam performance than late nights. In exam season, a calm, predictable home is a real advantage.

Talk to the school early

Teachers know which level your child is entered for, their predicted grades and where they struggle. If something is worrying you, ask early in the year, not in May.

Seeing how they are doing

Many parents want to support revision without standing over their child. The Green Bridge parent app links to your child's account and shows which practice tests they have done and how they scored, so you can see progress and talk about it at the right moments.