No November/January resits? What about illness?

[nostress]

What's the score with A levels and GCSEs at the minute? I'm just looking at A level specs as I'm thinking about applying for a teaching post (been out of teaching for 10+ years). There appears to be no January exams at all. I had heard about it a year or so back re the GCSEs but I thought it was more about English/Maths. Does this mean if you are sick in June/July you would have to wait a full year to get a second chance at taking the exam? It seems bizarre to me. I can understand the first attempt must be in June of Y11/12 etc. and the first attempt counting for league tables. But you used to be able to resit O levels in November!

[FirstVix]

So far as I know November resits are still available. The key is the word REsits. So OK for post 16 (or any student who sat in June year 10/9/8 etc).
I believe that it'll no longer be available as a FIRST exam entry.

[crazymum53]

The November resits are for GCSEs (not AS and A2) and this is only for Maths and English. For all other subjects at GCSE and for A levels, resits are only available in the June examination series (exams are in May and June).
Early entry is also being discouraged so students now have to sit the majority of GCSE exams at the end of Y11.

[MezleyM]

No January exams for AS/A2 levels anymore, and the new specs that are coming out at the moment (for first teaching Sept 2015) will have a terminal exams at the end of 2 years (how it was pre curriculum 2000).
I mean this nicely, but you sound like you have been out of teaching for more than 10 years (O levels were last sat in 1987). Before applying for any jobs you need much more up to date knowledge of what goes on in schools. Is there a school that you could maybe spend a week observing? You are going to find this is the least of your worries in terms of changes!

[nostress]

I'm not worried about other aspects, I'm just curious about these changes in particular as my son is in Y11. I know Gove wants to go back to the 'good old days' of O levels but you had November resits then. I've just finished a PhD in Education so I have been in schools but just not teaching. Basically analysing the curriculum and interviewing pupils/teachers. So I think I've got a fairly good idea! Although I have been told not to do it by teachers! The post is only part time and the school is very small.

[noblegiraffe]

If kids are ill don't they just estimate their results? We've had kids miss papers through illness and they haven't had to resit.

[Hobnobissupersweet]

Agree noble giraffe, if the kids are ill over the exam period then they get their estimated grade, no problems. Yes it removes the ability of the others to constantly improve their grades but tbh it is probably the only one of goves reforms I have no issue with. In real life you do not get endless chances, and it am old enough for my exams to have been one chance only, I do not think we have served students well with the opportunities to do endless resits.

[Agggghast]

Hobnob, driving test? I am not sure that it is a bad message to let young people feel that if they fail/underachieve they should pick themselves up and try again. I think times are very different and early entry encouraged pupils and gave them the confidence and ambition to aim higher.