So, in other words, GCSEs are not central. That accords with what Oxford says about GCSEs on its website.
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GCSEsGCSEs will be taken into account when we consider your application but they are just one aspect that we look at. GCSE results will be considered alongside your personal statement, academic reference, predicted grades and performance in any written work or written test required for your course.
If you are shortlisted, your performance in interviews will also be taken into account. Higher grades at GCSE can help to make your application more competitive, and successful applicants typically have a high proportion of 7,8 and 9 grades. However, we do look at
GCSE grades in context.
If you feel that you did less well in your GCSEs than you might otherwise have done because of extenuating circumstances, you may still be able to make a competitive application. Examples would include disruption caused by change of school or system, severe discontinuity of teachers, bereavement, and debilitating illness.
We take care to treat each application individually and would always take such extenuating circumstances into account, if they are brought to our attention. You may like to mention any such circumstances in your personal statement, and your referee should make sure to mention them clearly in their reference.
If for any reason this is not possible, then we would advise you to contact the college you applied to (or are assigned to if making an open application) once they are likely to have received your application. This is likely to be around the end of October.
For those who were due to take GCSEs in 2020 and 2021, we will take into account the difficult circumstances in which these grades were issued when we assess your application. Please follow our advice about
personal statements and
academic references which we update for each year of entry.
Tutors will want to see how you improve your academic performance after your GCSEs and that you do well in your A-levels or other equivalent qualifications.
We recommend that candidates take those GCSE subjects that they enjoy the most and are confident in achieving good grades in."