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Original poster

School won’t release GCSE Certificates from 2021

40 replies

DottyPeacock · 08/06/2022 09:36

DD took her GCSEs last year. She was emailed her results to her school email address which she no longer has access to. School told us at the time they were hoping to arrange a presentation evening but couldn’t at present because of Covid, which was fair enough.

The school still won’t allow students to collect their certificates. They have said they will email copies if they are requested but won’t allow collection of original documents.

DD is at sixth form and now looking at universities for after her a-levels and lots of her friends are applying for jobs which they need certificates for.

Is anyone else in this position? I have emailed the school and they don’t seem to want to budge from this. It seems all other local school have laid on proms and presentations for their students whilst DDs school has done nothing, save for an email in February saying they were hoping to arrange something for this academic year.

OP posts:
AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 08/06/2022 09:40

Have you rung them and asked why they won't allow collection? It seems an extreme postion

I dont think you can do anything about proms etc, too late for that but perfectly reasonable to expect a certificate assuming they were actually produced for the covid non exams

CountessOfSponheim · 08/06/2022 09:41

As a practical measure, she can contact the exam board(s) and get a ‘certified statement of results’ which she can use for applications.

Links to who to contact can be found at www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate

CountessOfSponheim · 08/06/2022 09:42

I wonder if the school has lost the certificates and is frantically trying to cover that up until they find them?

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Original poster
DottyPeacock · 08/06/2022 09:43

I’m not worried about the prom. DD probably wouldn’t go anyway. It’s just a bit jarring that other schools have done something to mark the end of school, albeit late because of Covid, and DDs school seemingly can’t be bothered to allow them their certificates.

I have phoned the school this morning but the exams officer is in exams so couldn’t talk to me, so I’ve sent another email.

OP posts:
FlibbertyGiblets · 08/06/2022 09:44

If school remains stubborn after one last request for the certs I would ask my MP to step in.

12Thorns · 08/06/2022 09:44

does she owe the school money? Otherwise just turn up and demand them. They belong to her. Threaten to call the police if they refuse to hand over her legal property

Moosake · 08/06/2022 09:46

Have they said why? This seems very strange.

Original poster
DottyPeacock · 08/06/2022 09:47

Thank you @CountessOfSponheim. I know we can get replacements but it’s something we shouldn’t need to spend time and money applying for when her certificates are sitting in an office half a mile up the road.

OP posts:
beachcitygirl · 08/06/2022 09:48

If the school have twitter - put it on there & tag your MP & councillor.
For some
Reason this seems to work with loads of things when all reasonable discussion fails.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 08/06/2022 09:48

FlibbertyGiblets · 08/06/2022 09:44

If school remains stubborn after one last request for the certs I would ask my MP to step in.

Really? That would be your next step? You wouldn't ask the exam board or find out whether the email notification OK for whenever it's needed. That feels like a disproprtionate leap

dcadmamagain · 08/06/2022 09:50

It’s not the schools property / it’s the students. Report to exam boards

BuffaloCauliflower · 08/06/2022 09:51

This is bizarre, surely the certificates are the property of the child? Go and say you’ve come to collect your child’s certificates, there is no reason for them to withhold them.

Original poster
DottyPeacock · 08/06/2022 09:53

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair The certificates were definitely produced. DD was the year that had to sit exams, even though they’d had no real schooling or teaching. And she no longer has access to the email that was sent as the school
email addresses have been switched off. All she has is a very blurry photo of her laptop screen.

I was wondering if any other school are doing this or if hers is the only one.

OP posts:
FlibbertyGiblets · 08/06/2022 09:53

Yes I would. I wouldn't know how to resolve if asking school for the certs remained unsuccessful. Your MP is there to help. But I am not you, shrug.

MermaidEyes · 08/06/2022 09:59

This is very strange. Schools usually receive the certificates around November time, if any haven't been collected within a year they will often send them back to the exam boards. I wonder if they have done this already by mistake? Definitely kick up a fuss, email the headteacher if you haven't already. Students need their certificates for job and university applications. If they don't want hordes of kids turning up to collect them then they should be posting them out.

Simonjt · 08/06/2022 10:02

The certificates belong to your daughter, is she the one calling or emailing, or you? In which case are they tell you you can’t collect? They do need your daughters permission to give them anyone.

I can understand the school not wanting visitors in the school day due to both logistics and safeguarding.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 08/06/2022 10:03

FlibbertyGiblets · 08/06/2022 09:53

Yes I would. I wouldn't know how to resolve if asking school for the certs remained unsuccessful. Your MP is there to help. But I am not you, shrug.

MPs are there to help but not parent you, would you really not be able to think of any way to sort this out yourself? I agree we are different people but it's strange to me that you'd struggle to resolve it but then I'm used to standing my corner and would have no issue with making a fuss at the school which seems the obvious thing to do

MarshaBradyo · 08/06/2022 10:05

Ds signed for his certificates

Original poster
DottyPeacock · 08/06/2022 10:09

@Simonjt DD and her friends have been contacting the school and have been either fobbed off or ignored. She has asked me to get involved today to see if a parent gets a different response.

I have called the school this morning who told me to email the exams officer who is busy with this years exams which I have now done and will wait for her response.

OP posts:
Moosake · 08/06/2022 10:15

If this doesn't get resolved then I'd consider calling the police. They are her property.

ChewOnAPickle · 08/06/2022 10:21

The exams officer will be in English Lit this morning which is clearly a very busy time as pretty much all students will be in for that and our school has said further maths for this afternoon. Hopefully they will see your email and help out.

I think the school have lost them otherwise why couldn't they be collected or posted out?

Original poster
DottyPeacock · 08/06/2022 10:30

Thanks for all the responses. School are saying they won’t give them out because they want to do a presentation.

DD, along with lots of her friends did not go to the sixth form attached to the school and I assume lots will have gone to other setting to do apprenticeships or other courses.

Personally I think a whole academic year is a long time and lots of students, DD included, will not want to go back for a presentation.

OP posts:
DiamondBright · 08/06/2022 10:30

Moosake · 08/06/2022 10:15

If this doesn't get resolved then I'd consider calling the police. They are her property.

Massive overreaction, no wonder the Police are so stretched if people really call them for stuff like this.

My DD recently collected her certificates from 2020, she just went to student services and picked them up. I would email head of sixth form as the next point of escalation.

DiamondBright · 08/06/2022 10:33

If she's not in the sixth form of the same school I would email the head of school. Not all students would go back for a presentation anyway so picking them up should always be an option.

Moosake · 08/06/2022 11:05

DottyPeacock · 08/06/2022 10:30

Thanks for all the responses. School are saying they won’t give them out because they want to do a presentation.

DD, along with lots of her friends did not go to the sixth form attached to the school and I assume lots will have gone to other setting to do apprenticeships or other courses.

Personally I think a whole academic year is a long time and lots of students, DD included, will not want to go back for a presentation.

Can they try saying they aren't interested in a presentation?

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