The Ordinary Grade (commonly known as the "O-Grade") of the

Scottish Certificate of Education The Scottish Certificate of Education (or SCE) was a Scottish secondary education certificate, used in schools and sixth form institutions, from 1962 until 1999. It replaced the older Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) and the Scottish Leaving Ce ...

is a now-discontinued qualification which was studied for as part of the

Scottish secondary education system Secondary education in Scotland can take up to 6 years, covering ages 11 to 18, from S1 to S6. Education is not compulsory after the age of 16, the age of majority in Scots law. ''Note: Some ages vary because of the child's birth year.'' I ...

. It could be considered broadly equivalent to the old

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

O-Level The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-dept ...

qualification and is the predecessor to the Standard Grade. Along with its more advanced sibling, the '

Higher Grade In the Scottish secondary education system, the Higher () is one of the national school-leaving certificate exams and university entrance qualifications of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) offered by the Scottish Qualification ...

', the O-Grade was the bedrock of the Scottish educational system for many years. Its name refers to one of the two levels at which the Scottish Certificate of Education was awarded, the Higher Grade being the other. The term "O-Grade" can also be used to refer to a pass in a subject at that level, e.g. "He has seven O-Grades". Courses were studied over two years, taking place during the third and fourth years (age 13-16) of a pupil's time at secondary school. They were available in a wide range of subjects. A good pass at O-Grade would normally enable a pupil to take the same subject at Higher Grade in his or her fifth (or possibly sixth) year, if so desired. This did not always follow however, particularly as many more pupils left school at the end of their fourth year than is the case nowadays. Over time, the O-Grade was gradually phased out and replaced by other educational assessments. Its replacement, the Standard Grade, focused more closely on

coursework Coursework (also course work, especially British English) is work performed by students or trainees for the purpose of learning. Coursework may be specified and assigned by teachers, or by learning guides in self-taught courses. Coursework can e ...

and the application of knowledge. The Standard Grade has eventually been replaced by the National 4/5 qualifications, as part of the introduction of the Curriculum for Excellence. According to the BBC, Learning Minister Dr. Alasdair Allan and teachers in general claim that the change from the O-Grade system to the latter systems (Standard Grade & National 4/5 qualifications) was a major shake-up in the Scottish education system and involved excessive bureaucracy.

References

Educational qualifications in Scotland Secondary school qualifications School examinations Secondary education in Scotland {{Scotland-education-stub

See also

References