Which GCSE subjects are compulsory in 2024?

Going for GCSEs means taking the first step towards your career. Every time, I meet a student who is going for GCSE, I suggest choosing the subjects wisely. But one thing that I always notice is that many of the students are not even aware of the compulsory subjects. In fact, “Which GCSE subjects are compulsory” is the most common question asked me. Thus, here I am with the latest insights on the subjects that are compulsory to take.

Quick Takeaways

• You will need to take three compulsory subjects during your GCSE qualifications. These are English language, Maths, and Science.
• These core subjects are kept compulsory for GCSE until you get a clear idea of what you want to do in your future. 
• Yes, schools do have other subjects compulsory so that the students can learn about them as well.

However, you must read till the end so that you do not miss any important facts related to which subjects are compulsory for the students.

Which GCSE Subjects are Compulsory in 2024?

For the GCSE level, there are many GCSEs but the main compulsory subjects called core subjects such as math, English, and science and you have to take at least 9 GCSEs. A math subject in GCSE has one grade; after finishing the course, the student will receive one grade. GCSE in English has two separate subjects English language and English literature.

The subject of GCSE in the English language is compulsory as per government guidelines in every school. But most of the schools do offer English literature which is not a compulsory subject to be taken. Also, you need to choose the subject of science. You can either choose separate science or combined science (double and triple science).

If the student chooses combined science they will have a total of 2 GCSE grades and if they choose separate science, they will get separate three grades for each subject. However, it is a difficult course. If you want to take combined science then you need to have high or good grades in Science and Maths. The subject of separate science is not compulsory to be there in every school but the subject of combined science is compulsory according to the government. However always remember that if you do not get good grades in your GCSEs, you do not need to lie in your UCAS application as it will make your wrong impression. Further, we have discussed why there are compulsory GCSE subjects to take up.

Why are there compulsory GCSE subjects? 

The age of 14 is the age when you have to pick your GCSE options mostly. At this age is not much mature, you can not decide what will be good for your future life. So these core subjects are kept compulsory for GCSE until you get a clear idea of what you want to do in your future. As the core subjects help you to provide basic literacy and math skills that are used in every stage of life. And with the help of science, the student will get the skills of technology, etc. However, you must know how many GCSEs will you be getting for each of the compulsory GCSEs.

Why is GCSE maths compulsory?

 Maths is a subject which is important for everyone in their life later. Every person should have basic math skills. For example, if they want to use their bank account they should know the basic skills of math for paying any item. Maths is going to help them a lot. In the future, if the student wants to pursue the field of Engineering then math will be useful as they already have the basic knowledge about the subject. As this is a compulsory subject you may need it for your further or higher education. Thus try to do it online as it will help you to get the GCSE maths score quicker. You must also remember that you may have to resit them at the university.

Why is GCSE English compulsory?

English is considered as the course subject for the student so that they are able to speak English as communicating in English is mostly required professionally for working in any field. If you know English well, you will be able to communicate with other people easily. Taking English classes will help you to have different viewpoints and will get to know about the culture and the lifestyle of other students. 

Why is GCSE science compulsory? 

Learning science will help students to understand the world around them. As the student will get to learn about thinking skills they will be able to have problem-solving thinking. And they will get to be trained on how to deal with complex situations by learning about Complex formulas.

Do different schools have different compulsory subjects for GCSE? 

Yes, schools do have many many options to make different subjects compulsory for the school and also according to the government guideline. The subject which is very common to be studied by every school is religious study and there are many schools that do consider religious study to be the core subject. This is because by studying the subject you will get to know about the culture.

And the other subjects which are compulsory in many schools are history, geography, and modern foreign language. GCSE language is one of the most common GCSEs that is compulsory in many schools. If you are attending a school that is an engineering school then there they will offer you what will be helpful for the student to attend An engineering School. However, you must always remember that after completing year 11, you will have to take A-levels. Therefore, based on what A-level you want to take, you will have to choose the right GCSEs.

Conclusion

The three main compulsory subjects at GCSE levels are math, English, and science. The grade a student can earn with math is 1 GCSE. In English, it is for 2 GCSEs further English is divided into English language and English literature and in science, it is worth 2 GCSEs in which again the science is divided into two subjects combined science and separate science.

FAQ