<P> Prior education to GCSE level is generally required of pupils wishing to pursue A Level courses or the BTEC Extended Diploma and International Baccalaureate . GCSE exams were introduced as the compulsory school - leavers' examinations by the government of the United Kingdom . GCSE examinations are typically taken at the age of 16 but may be taken at any age . </P> <P> BTECs can also be taken . These are marked with a different grading system: level one, grades D--G, and level two, pass (C), merit (B), distinction (A), and distinction * (A *) (pronounced distinction - star). New regulations require that BTECs now include some form of examination, usually done online . The difference between BTECs and GCSEs is that the BTEC course is heavily coursework - based . </P> <P> At the end of the two - year GCSE course, towards the end of August of that year, candidates receive a grade for each subject that they have sat . Before the transformation of the GCSE grading system from alphabetical to numeric grades, the pass grades, from highest to lowest, were: A * (pronounced "A-star"), A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Grade U (ungraded / unclassified) signifies that a pupil achieved nothing worthy of credit; therefore, no GCSE is awarded to the pupil in that subject . For GCSEs after reformations, the pass grades are 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1, but a "good pass" which is generally required, is grade 4 or higher . The U grade stays the same as mentioned above . </P> <P> Broadly, the same proportion of students will achieve 4 and above as currently achieve C and above, and the same proportion of students will achieve grade 7 and above as currently achieve A or A * . </P>

Is a grade d at gcse a pass