The"General Certificate of Education 'Ordinary' Level Examination", otherwise known as the "GCE 'O' Level" or the "O Levels"

is the examination taken by students of Secondary Education in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries or regions associated with the British curriculum. The "GCE 'O' Level" is a subject-based qualification. The "GCE 'O' Level" functions as to determine the standards of middle-secondary students and usually not required in the entry to college. This usually encompasses students of Grade 8 to Grade 10. The "General Certificate of Education 'Advanced' Level Examination", otherwise known as the "GCE 'A' Level" or the "A Levels" is the examination taken by students of PostSecondary Education or Pre-University Education in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries or regions associated with the British curriculum. Similar to the "GCE 'O' Level", the "GCE 'A' Level" is also a subject-based qualification. The "GCE 'A' Level" functions as to determine the standards of post-secondary students and is an internationally-recognized qualification to enter recognized colleges or universities. This usually encompasses students of Grade 11 to Grade 12. Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_O_level_and_A_level_in_ British_curriculum#ixzz29Qvp7yId

Secondary Education places students in the Special,Express,Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) course according to how they perform at the PSLE.The different curricular emphases are designed to match their learning abilities & interests. Based on results of the PSLE, students undergo secondary education in either the "Special","Express","Normal Academic" or "Normal Technical" course. Both Special & Express are 4-year courses leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) "Ordinary""O" level examination.The difference between Special & Express is that in the Special course,mother tongue language (English and mother tongue) are taught at a higher level (Higher Mother Tongue) & thus more difficult.A Third Foreign Language - namely French,German & Japanese - can be taken in addition to the mother tongue or to replace it.This seems especially popular with students who are struggling with their mother tongues.Non-Chinese students may also study Chinese Language,while non-Malay students are given the opportunity to take up Malay Language as a Third Language. Normal is a 4-year course leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Normal""N" Level examination,with the possibility of a fifth year followed by a Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Ordinary""O" Level examination."Normal" is split into "Normal (Academic)" & "Normal (Technical)",in the latter students take more subjects that are technical in nature,such as Design & Technology,while in the former students are geared towards an eventual sitting of the GCE "O" Level examination & normally take subjects such as Principles of Accounting.In 2004,MOE announced that selected students in the Normal course would have flexibility to sit for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Ordinary""O"

Level examination direct,without having to sit for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Normal""N" Level examination.