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AIBU?

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Original poster

Home schooling GCSE Geography

30 replies

jt9998 · 19/01/2022 18:46

Good evening - I was wondering whether anyone had any experience of entering their child for a GCSE as an external candidate? My child has been studying independently and I am now looking to enter them for the exam - I was wondering whether anyone had any advice ? Many thanks

OP posts:
gogohm · 19/01/2022 18:48

As you are asking about a single subject I'm guessing they are young? Be aware that for university entry purposes they expect them to be taken within 2 years (so can split over 2 summers but no more) I know a home schooled child who found this out. They enter by contacting a local private school or you can usually do them through further ed colleges

Original poster
jt9998 · 19/01/2022 18:55

No he’s 16, he did the first year in school but is an elite athlete so has a lot of time off - the school advised he dropped a GCSE but he wanted to continue with the course independently and enter as an external candidate- he’ll take his other GCSEs at school. Thanks I’ll contact local Private schools.

OP posts:
Moonface123 · 19/01/2022 19:02

My son sat his at a local international college, it was cheaper than an exam centre.

Original poster
jt9998 · 19/01/2022 19:11

Great thank you

OP posts:
xyzandabc · 19/01/2022 19:15

If he's already taking GCSEs at a school, I'd ask them first if they can enter him, you would obviously need to pay for the entry. Would be easier than faffing about finding a different school.

Leeds2 · 19/01/2022 19:29

If he’s taking GCSEs at a school, I would ask them if he could do the exam with the school’s candidates.

WhenZoomWasJustAnIceLolly · 19/01/2022 19:30

That isn’t true, that they need to be taken within 2 years. Dh is an admissions tutor who has just confirmed this.

ErrolTheDragon · 19/01/2022 19:32

@Leeds2

If he’s taking GCSEs at a school, I would ask them if he could do the exam with the school’s candidates.
I'd definitely try that first. For one thing, if he's sitting other GCSEs at the same time, it may be hard or impossible logistically to move him elsewhere, if he's got more than one paper on the same day.
Original poster
jt9998 · 19/01/2022 19:39

I have asked already - they said they can’t enter him as an external candidate as he’s on the roll as a current student.

OP posts:
JustOneMoreStep · 19/01/2022 19:39

Definitely ask the school if they are prepared to enter him as its logistically more straightforward and often much cheaper.....I think the last time I had a student who hadn't studied with me (in school) entered it cost about £20 for the exam plus a £20ish admin fee (charged by the school, but know other schools waive this in some circumstances!).

Having said that, some schools aren't keen to enter students they haven't taught because it's not possible to enter the same student as both an internal and external candidate with the same exam board at the same centre so the results skew the teachers averages/results. Not something that bothers me professionally, but know some staff don't allow external candidates as a result.

itrytomakemyway · 19/01/2022 19:43

Any local school should be able to enter him as an external candidate.

Can I also recommend Crash Course Geography on You Tube as an excellent revision tool?

Original poster
jt9998 · 19/01/2022 19:43

This is one of the concerns- I emailed the school last week and then called me today to say they can’t enter him as an external candidate as he’s currently on the roll at the school. It’s an unusual situation I suppose so they might not have much/ any experience so not sure if their info is accurate or not?

OP posts:
xyzandabc · 19/01/2022 19:43

That's a shame, our school would have entered him, probably paid for it too.

I hope you find somewhere, I know a lot of centres are not keen on accepting 'unknown' externals, hence the suggestion of entering via his own school. The deadline for entries is 21 February so now is definitely the time to get something sorted. After that it will be double or triple fees and centres will be even more reluctant to enter externals

Good luck

xyzandabc · 19/01/2022 19:45

@itrytomakemyway

Any local school should be able to enter him as an external candidate.

Can I also recommend Crash Course Geography on You Tube as an excellent revision tool?

Able to, yes, willing to, no.
Original poster
jt9998 · 19/01/2022 19:45

@itrytomakemyway

Any local school should be able to enter him as an external candidate.

Can I also recommend Crash Course Geography on You Tube as an excellent revision tool?

Brilliant thank you!
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Tirnanogg · 19/01/2022 19:49

Do you know which syllabus he's been studying? I teach IGCSE geography to private candidates using the Cambridge International syllabus, and our exam board has a search function for exam centres who accept private candidates - his might have something similar.

Tutors and Exams have quite a lot of centres across the country, and they cover a lot of exam boards; a local FE college might also be able to help.

Good luck!

girlmom21 · 19/01/2022 20:00

Why can't the school just submit him for the exam normally if he's doing other GCSEs?

Original poster
jt9998 · 19/01/2022 23:00

@Tirnanogg

Do you know which syllabus he's been studying? I teach IGCSE geography to private candidates using the Cambridge International syllabus, and our exam board has a search function for exam centres who accept private candidates - his might have something similar.

Tutors and Exams have quite a lot of centres across the country, and they cover a lot of exam boards; a local FE college might also be able to help.

Good luck!

Thank you it’s AQA they do have a list of exam centres that have informed them they accept private candidates - I was hoping he could do it at a nearby school in case he has other exams the same day. It says anywhere can accept external candidates if they choose to.
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trekcrockett · 19/01/2022 23:05

See if you have a Tutors and Exam centre near you. They have most exam boards covered and will help you through the process of entering the exam etc.
It'll be £150-200 per subject.
Book in now as exam centres are filling quickly with home educated kids.

Original poster
jt9998 · 19/01/2022 23:05

@girlmom21

Why can't the school just submit him for the exam normally if he's doing other GCSEs?
He withdrew from Geography in order so they would authorise time off for training, the only way they would authorise it was if he dropped a GCSE. He wanted to continue to study Geography so has done so independently, so as far as the school is concerned he hasn’t taken Geography so won’t enter him in the usual way. I was hoping they could enter him as an external Candidate (therefore not taking any responsibility for the teaching of the subject) but they said they can’t do this.
OP posts:
Original poster
jt9998 · 19/01/2022 23:16

@trekcrockett

See if you have a Tutors and Exam centre near you. They have most exam boards covered and will help you through the process of entering the exam etc. It'll be £150-200 per subject. Book in now as exam centres are filling quickly with home educated kids.
Thank you
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TheHoptimist · 19/01/2022 23:46

@girlmom21

Why can't the school just submit him for the exam normally if he's doing other GCSEs?
Because he hasn't studied it as their student but it will be included in their results.
TheTeenageYears · 20/01/2022 03:58

@girlmom21

Why can't the school just submit him for the exam normally if he's doing other GCSEs?
I would guess because they don't want the result going on their stats if it's not good.

@jt9998 I hope you find somewhere and that the school have been otherwise supportive - they'll be quick enough to claim recognition for any sporting success i'm sure.

rrhuth · 20/01/2022 04:12

If I were you I might try again with the school. They are being very unsupportive of an athlete. Have you spoken to the head?

The idea they won't help kids who are trying to juggle two important things (school + sport) is making me cross!

Original poster
jt9998 · 20/01/2022 06:11

@rrhuth

If I were you I might try again with the school. They are being very unsupportive of an athlete. Have you spoken to the head?

The idea they won't help kids who are trying to juggle two important things (school + sport) is making me cross!

I’m going to give them a ring again and find out what the reason is- I did wonder whether it was a rule to stop schools entering students they expected to under perform as external candidates- so they would not show up on their stats?
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