How does this work for private exams/schools?

[kmo0416]

If a school puts a student into a lower exam tier like Foundation instead of Higher for GCSE Maths and the students wants to change the tier to be higher but the school refuses, could the student/parents simply book a private test centre to sit whatever tier exam they wanted or could the school stop them since schools usually organise such things? Moreover, could a student who didn't have a disability but just for whatever reason wanted to not do exams at school pay to do their A-Levels or GCSEs at a private test centre as opposed to the school? I am not asking for home-schooled students but students who are enrolled at school or Sixth Form but just don't do exams there? Can the school stop them; would the school have to be notified?

Couldn't a student just organise a set of private exams with the same subject as learnt at school but an exam board that they find 'easier' thereby learning material at school but doing the 'easier' exam privately? Again, could the school stop them?

I think you can just book any exam privately if you pay?

You can book to do the exam somewhere else if you wish
One of mine did two sets of Alevel biology exams because he hated the Edexcel papers so did another board as well privately

The only issue to consider is getting to and from exams if you have some at school at some at a private location. You’ll need to ensure he can get from A to B in time.

My son was at a private school and they didn’t say anything. He couldn’t sit the other papers there simply because they weren’t registered with his choice of board or something like that. They had no problems. Whatever is best for the children is key here

Did he sit the International version of the Pearson (Edexcel) exams? The 'domestic' exams for all the exam boards are timetabled for the same times now - e.g. Biology Papers x, y, and z on the same days in June.

Both sets would have to be entered on the UCAS form if applying to university in the UK.

You can book to sit any exams at an external exam centre. Although not all exam centres offer all exams (so for example, some won't cover Edexcel or CIE).

But the content being taught at school won't cover all exams in the same subject. AQA, Edexcel, WJEC, OCR, CIE will have differences in content covered, topics, texts. They're not interchangeable. But of course, you can get a private tutor to teach the different content to cover that aspect.

But yes, all will have to be listed on the UCAS form. You can't leave the lower level/lower graded exams off.

yes you can pay to sit any exam (that is offered by your chosen exam centre). School has no say I wouldn't expect. For example I have worked with students sitting a mother-tongue MFL exam where the subject is not offered at their school, or they are sitting it early.

I agree tho, if you sit (say) AQA GCSE as well as (say) Edexcel in school, that would not be possible in the same year, as they are timetabled at the same time. You could not turn up to the school one you didn’t like I guess – but then you would surely need to inform the school.

@kmo0416 did you want to change to H tier for a DC of yours? I really would advise discussing with the school. There is nothing wrong with sitting F tier if it is more suitable, and it is recorded on the GCSE cert simply as the grade, rather than being flagged as F or H tier. If borderline 4/5 much better to sit F.

Yes International I believe as the school only do those for the GCSE as well.
Then the Cambridge as well for Biology

He chose the later as there was / is less essay writing. There wasn’t a lot of difference in terms of syllabus but he did have to teach himself some extras that weren’t covered by Edexcel.
He got a higher grade in the Cambridge. Which was how he thought it would pan out.