Students usually receive a certificate at the end of general lower secondary education or on completion of full-time compulsory education. In most European countries, this corresponds to a transition to upper secondary education.
In nine countries or regions, the certificate at this stage of education is awarded on the basis of internal final examinations and, in a further 12 countries, a combination of internal and external examinations are taken into account. In Ireland, the certificate is awarded wholly on the basis of an external final exam.
In contrast, in around a dozen countries, the certificate is awarded only on the basis of students' marks and work over the year.
Primary school leaving certificate required
Educational guidance and decision by a class/school council
Successful completion of primary school/reaching the appropriate age Continuation of single structure without transition
E D U C A T I O N A L P R O C E S S E S
Figure F14: Certified assessment at the end of general lower secondary education (ISCED 2) or full- time compulsory education, 2010/11
Source: Eurydice.
When a final examination is set, it includes at least one written part. Sometimes, the tests – written and/or oral – are compiled by a team from outside the school but they are usually administered by the school. Only in Belgium, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Iceland and Liechtenstein is the written part prepared within the school, which has complete responsibility for the test.
Where the certificate is awarded on the basis of marks and work during the year or the results of an examination set by the school, teachers are generally responsible for the mark shown on the certificate. In several countries, the mark given by teachers is either weighted by an external grade (Germany, France, Lithuania and Portugal) or decided solely on the basis of criteria established by an external authority (Estonia, Spain, Latvia, the Netherland, Austria and Sweden). In Ireland, Malta and Romania, the final grade is awarded solely by examiners from outside the school. In the United Kingdom (England, Wales and Northern Ireland), the final grade is also awarded by examiners from outside the school. Although internal assessment may also contribute, the external awarding organisation remains responsible for the control and moderation of any internal assessment and for the overall grade awarded.
Final grade based only on the marks and the work over the year
Final grade based on work over the year and an internal final examination
Final grade combining internal assessment and an external (or externally verified) final examination Final grade based only
S E C T I O N I I I – A S S E S S M E N T
Figure F15: Characteristics of certified assessment at the end of
general lower secondary education or full-time compulsory education (ISCED 2), 2010/11 When there is a WRITTEN/ORAL examination, it is set by:
the school (internally) the school with external verification an external body/authority
Written Oral
The final grade is given by:
students' teachers, based on their own criteria
teachers, but weighted by an external grade
teachers, on the basis of criteria defined by an external body external examiners
Source: Eurydice. UK (1) = UK-ENG/WLS/NIR Explanatory note
In the category ‘final grade combining internal assessment and an external (or externally verified) final examination’, the internal assessment can mean a final internal test, an evaluation of the marks obtained or the coursework done during the year.
Country specific notes
Belgium (BE fr): A certificate is awarded on completion of the second stage of secondary education, which is reached one year after the end of full-time compulsory education.
Belgium (BE nl): Schools have a large degree of autonomy for assessing students. They can decide whether or not examinations are organised and, if so, whether they are written or oral. Legislation only states that students need to obtain the final targets. It is up to the school, or class council, to assess whether or not students have succeeded.
Estonia: Oral examinations apply for languages and the practical component of some subjects, e.g. sciences, arts, etc.
Ireland: Some elements of course work (project work completed throughout the school year) are counted towards the final mark that students achieve in the external examination. The marks for this work are, in almost all cases, assigned by external examiners for work carried out in school.
Latvia: In a minority of education programmes, one part of the examination in the state language (Latvian) is oral, and is set by the National Centre for Education.
Malta: There are two different examinations: one that is taken at the end of Form 5 (the final year of secondary school), which is centrally administered by the Educational Assessment Unit of the Education Directorates, and the Secondary Examination Certificate (SEC), which is administered by the MATSEC Board of the University of Malta.
Slovenia: At the end of compulsory education, students take national (external) examinations in the mother tongue and mathematics and in a subject determined by the Minister. Examinations are set by the National Examination Centre. Results do not affect students' grades; they provide only additional information about their knowledge, and are written in the certificate.
United Kingdom (ENG/WLS/NIR): Oral examinations only apply to certain subjects such as modern languages. External qualifications are taken on a single-subject basis. They are certified by independent awarding bodies, which are government-regulated. Assessment schemes vary, but always incorporate external assessment. Some also include externally moderated internal assessment.
E D U C A T I O N A L P R O C E S S E S