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IGCSE exam centres this year...

7 replies

QuarkIsGreat · 12/01/2021 14:01

... That aren't massively taking the piss?

We're abroad at the moment and considering having to fly back for these exams.

£250 per subject is outrageous, so is £160 for the oral component of a language exam. The centre I found last year isn't doing any exams due to the GCSEs being cancelled.

If anyone has any recommendations I'd be really grateful!!

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LinzerTorte · 12/01/2021 14:42

I can't recommend any specific exam centres, but found this site useful when we were looking for an IGCSE exam centre for DD last year.

We decided against flying back to the UK in the end, however, after discovering that she could take the exams in Slovakia (we're in Austria, but there are no IGCSE exam centres here) - although obviously she didn't take them there in the end, either.

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SeasonFinale · 12/01/2021 14:47

Because of Covid regulations yiur child will need a separate room and separate invigilstion. Why do you think that is taking the piss?

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FluffMagnet · 12/01/2021 14:48

You're probably best looking for an exam centre outside the UK given the UK government's stance. Cambridge International have a Find a Centre type tool on their website.

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QuarkIsGreat · 12/01/2021 15:10

Thanks @LinzerTorte.

@SeasonFinale because those were the prices quoted by some UK centres late 2019, pre-Covid! The centre I contacted this year has said absolutely nothing about Covid; however, they did take great pains to point out that the registration had to be paid ASAP and the fee would be doubled if I missed the Feb deadline. Not a single word about separate rooms or special procedures. It's a money-making exercise that has nothing to do with Covid or invigilation.

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SeasonFinale · 12/01/2021 20:03

They will not be allowed to be in the rooms with students at that school as they will not form part of the year group bubble hence they will need to follow the Covid safe guidelines.

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itsstillgood · 13/01/2021 05:41

So many centres have stopped taking private candidates this year leaving us reliant on commercial centres which has pushed up prices. Finding a space at all is proving difficult and fewer centres in the UK are registered with CAIE.
You could try Tutors and Exams who now have 5 centres in UK.
But if you can find somewhere nearer outside the UK I would. I would not like to bank on IGCSEs going ahead in UK.

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BiBabbles · 14/01/2021 11:25

It's difficult this year - I know Tutors and Exams is being heavily promoted in a lot of home ed groups (and some online learning platforms like ICSLearn are partnering with them).

We've found a closer college still thankfully running (though reviews on how they handled things last year were mixed, but that looks true of everywhere), but doing iGCSE Science - Double is still £210 as it's £70 per exam rather than per subject.

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