Edexcel (Edexcel Foundation)

Member Name: Trampmaster90

Product:	Edexcel Foundation
Date:	20/03/09 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Questions are simply put

Disadvantages: Mark schemes can be annoying at times

Edexcel are one of many exam boards which offers a broad range of GCSE and GCE subjects. Throughout my school life most of my gcses were with edexcel and all of my A levels were with edexcel.

Edexcel are quite highly favorable above other exam boards as the questions are seemingly easier put and better to understand and answer. I would say that edexcel are perhaps one fo the most popular exam boards amongst schools.

Edexcel release their results late august and each student is issued with a card containing a pin code to access your results online, which is good if you are away from the school area etc. My results have always come out on time so they are indeed reliable.

If there was a small fault with edexcel, it would be with their mark schemes. I can only speak for Maths, chemistry and biology on these terms. Having done countless past papers and cross checking with mark schemes etc I find that some subjects have it easier than others. For example in a biology 4 mark answer there may be up to 8 possible marks in the mark scheme, whereas in chemistry there are normally only 4 marks available on the mark scheme, sometimes 5 but rarely. Maths however is fair, as there is normally only one answer. I also notice that for similar answers, again speaking for chemistry, the answers on the mark scheme can vary from year to year, leaving you wondering what they will expecting when you take yur exam, so I normally learn off the mark scheme and include all past mark scheme answers in my answers. This is pretty unfair as this isn't testing your knowledge, but more testing your luck as to whether you write down what they are looking for.

Edexcel do publish their past papers and mark schemes for a set period on their website before needing to buy them. They also release eaxminer's reports etc which is useful.

Summary: An overall fair exam board.