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Coursework/Internal assessment - what to expect

This aspect of your assessment is an important part of the qualifications you take in Years 11 to 14. Knowing what to expect and how best to approach it can help you get higher grades.

Why does coursework / internal assessment matter?

Many of the subjects you’ll study in Years 11 to 14 are assessed on a mixture of internal assessment and exams. The internally assessed element of a subject can make up a significant proportion of your final mark and for some subjects, this counts for more than half of the total.

It can be a useful way of showing what you can do, where an exam wouldn’t be appropriate, for example, a music presentation or a science experiment, but it can also allow you to:

  • study a subject in more depth
  • take more responsibility for what you study
  • have more control over the pace at which you study

Internally assessed assignments can be set over several days or weeks, so there’s also less chance of your grade being affected if you have an ‘off day’.  

What to expect

The coursework / internal assessment you’re given can take various forms. It could include:

  • projects and fieldwork
  • written work or extended essays
  • artwork
  • experiments and investigations
  • performances
  • oral work

Coursework / internal assessment is assessed internally by your teachers or tutors and may be set at any time during your course. You may do some of your coursework outside school hours and some at school under the supervision of your teachers.

GCSEs

For GCSEs, the mix of exams and internal assessment varies from subject to subject. Some, like art and design, have more coursework and fewer exams.

AS and A levels

AS and A levels are normally made up of about 70 per cent exams and around 30 per cent internal assessment, but this also varies from subject to subject.

You may also have to do coursework if you take vocational qualifications, or the International Baccalaureate Diploma. The amount of coursework will also depend on which awarding body (exam board) offers the qualification.

Top tips for doing coursework

For some ‘dos and don’ts’ about completing coursework, see ‘Coursework: top tips for success’.

Need help and advice on coursework?

If you’re getting stuck with coursework, often the best thing to do is speak to your teachers. You can also find lots of help online. The BBC’s Revision Guide and Teacher websites are full of tips and good ideas for coursework, homework and revision.

Changes to coursework

For revised GCSE and GCE qualifications coursework has now been replaced with internal assessment. The revised GCE qualifications started in September 2008 and the revised GCSEs began in September 2009.

Controlled assessment tasks now form part of the revised GCSEs and these are a form of internal assessment.