Higher School Certificate (England and Wales)

The Higher School Certificate (HSC) was an educational attainment standard qualification in England and Wales, established by the Secondary Schools Examination Council (SSEC). The Higher School Certificate Examination (HSCE) was usually taken at age 18, or two years after the School Certificate. It was abolished following the introduction of A-levels. The Higher School Certificate made it compulsory to study a broader range of subjects which impaired many students who were strong in either the sciences or the arts and humanities. The implementation of the A-Levels allowed pupils to select subjects according to their strengths and consequently study a narrower range of subjects in depth.