Why Do Private Candidate Not Use School as Centre for UCAS?

[janeeire244]

Imagine someone is a private candidate who is reapplying through UCAS and re-taking their A Levels. Their former school has told them that they would be happy to help with a reference. But, why would their former school tell them to apply as an independent candidate with the teacher then filling out the reference instead of applying through the school as a centre like last year?

What's different?

Wouldnt the school want to guide the applicant or read their personal statement or see their university choices like if they were applying the first time around?

What's different is you are no longer on the school's roll.

I would advise just saying thank you for them going above and beyond in letting you resit there. They don't have to do that.

I'd guess it's because they are 19 or over so not able to do it though the school anymore

I don’t understand your puzzlement. If they’re a private candidate, the school has nothing to do with them, so the school will not be reading any personal statements or be listed as their school.

The school isn't allowed to say that they are the applicant's school unless they are their school. That's the difference. If they aren't enrolled at the school, they can't say that they are.