A level re-sits and independent candidates

[kitnkaboodle]

I see Gavin is currently talking about teacher assessments again for this year's A levels. My DS sat A level papers in October and, while he got decent grades in those, was toying with the idea of re-sitting in June to try to improve them further (having nothing else to do for the next six months ...).
I guess there are others in much worse situations than him - private summer candidates or re-sitters with no teachers to give them CAGs. Just felt we needed a support/information thread so try to pool anything that we might be able to glean for this forgotten group. As my DS's results came on December 18th (a day after official results day as his school chose to POST them out!), he isn't even registered for summer resits, so I guess he won't really have any option now.
But interested to hear others' thoughts and ideas - I'm sure there are a lot of worried students out there.

Hi again @Skerryberry! Thanks for the links. I had seen the link to the recent consultation elsewhere. Not sure I'm strong enough to read through 46 pages 🥴. But I see that they are definitely debating whether or not to have exams for private candidates only, so that might be of some consolation to people on this thread.

Ha! Ignore my previous post. I just read through the consultation and did the survey!! Took about an hour in total. For anyone else really concerned about CAGs again this year - especially private or re-sit candidates - I really recommend that you do the same. If you think that exams are much fairer for private candidates, it's your chance to have your say. There's even a question asking whether there should be an exam option available for anyone, not just for the private candidates. Thanks Skerryberry.

No problem. Just out of interest, which is your preferred option?

I am torn between option A and C.

I think exams are the only way to get a fair result.

I said that C was preferable. Not the mini exams because I would assume they'd be tailored towards schools, and not autumn exams because that could mean a second gap year . Do you have an interest in this then, Skerryberry? My DS is just concerned that the C grade he got in the autumn might bar him from getting offers from some of his wishlist unis. If there's the chance to resit in the summer then he'd probably do it and hope to improve it. On Jan 4th it looked as if that chance had been taken away, but now it looks as if it might possibly end up being an option?? Who knows - what a rollercoaster...

DS was not considering doing the summer exams, then he heard that his school was allowing Y14s to sit mocks in March with the Y13s so a CAG could be submitted.

As there is not a lot else to do during this unusual gap year, he is thinking... why not? He has a few days to decide whether to be entered for this summer, so the consultation made interesting reading.

I this DS would prefer exams. Will they make them sit 3 full papers, I wonder? These Autumn exam takers have had to work so much harder and jump through more hoops than so many of their peers.

I know. I'm really hoping that unis appreciate that too. I've advised DS to specifically mention that he has his grades from the exams he SAT in 2020! I haven't seen any data from the autumn series of A levels, have you? There were a few disappointed students on The Student Room, so I'm really hoping they get another chance to prove themselves this summer.

I can't see anything in today's announcement that addresses external or independent candidates. Anybody have any idea?

DS has a conditional offer based on achieving his final A level and can't access uni without a grade.

The consultation very clearly included these candidates but yet again affected cohorts seemed to have been ignored in the comms!

Linus33 here, scroll down to about half-way and you will see reference to private candidates

My DS is in the same position as yours.

Hello all. I was hoping this thread might get resurrected today ..

So that document says:
"There will also be a clear and accessible route for private candidates to work with a centre to receive a grade this year, at the same time as other candidates. Exam boards will provide centres with clear guidance on the evidence they can use to assess a private candidate. A list of available centres will be published shortly and, we are working with the sector to ensure there are sufficient centres available and at a similar cost to a normal year."

Does that mean that independent candidates who aren't studying at a school are going to have to pay to be assessed at an exam centre? Those are usually very expensive, so I'd welcome any comments/news that anyone finds out about that. My DS took A levels last October, got results in December and was hoping to improve one of the grades by resitting in the summer. At the moment, I'm not sure how that is going to be possible.

... and the BBC report I read earlier said that they will be offering exams in the autumn again this year. So if you wanted to do A levels then, then it would be ANOTHER gap year before uni. The effects of this are obviously going to knock on for years to come ...

There is a distinct lack of details on things. Anyway Gavin Williamson is currently updating the Commons. I won’t hold my breath on any more details on private candidates or those who resit.

So from what I understand from the statement to the House of Commons, there will be more details at the end of Spring Term. Private candidates were not mentioned in either the statement or any of the follow up questions (unless I missed it while getting a cup of tea). So that huge consultation was basically a waste of time. End of spring term is no way enough time for schools to get ready for exams and for an arrangement for exam centres to deal with providing fair results.

kitnkaboodle Does that mean that independent candidates who aren't studying at a school are going to have to pay to be assessed at an exam centre?

This is what I believe to be the case.

@movidensul

kitnkaboodle Does that mean that independent candidates who aren't studying at a school are going to have to pay to be assessed at an exam centre?

This is what I believe to be the case.

Yes I would assume so too.

After all the school is going to be asked to set and mark work for a student they may never have met and compare it withe exemplars and grade schemes. Why should they not be able to charge for this? They receive money from the government for their own pupils (or parents if at an independent school). Why would an indepdendent candidate assume this would be given to them free of charge?

@SeasonFinale by 'an exam centre' I assume they mean a private exam centre/tutorial college/'crammer' and not a regular school ...?

As those are all privately-run businesses, then no, I would not expect them to do any kind of grading/assessment for free. I don't imagine that ordinary schools are going to be asked to assess external candidates, especially as the gov doc talks about 'the usual cost' of assessment. But maybe I'm wrong.

Just wondering what the cost of doing 'a re-sit' this year might actually be. Sounds like it will either be a lot of money to get a private assessment, or another year of deferring uni so that actual exams can be sat in the autumn again.

We are not a crammer and we do allow private candidates to sit exams at our school ordinarily but they pay a fee to us to enable them to do so. I suspect if any approach us this year we would take a view once we see what would be required what our charge for this service would be.

They would also need to accept that they would be judged alongside what our pupils attain for similar work and that they are not simply buying the grade they are seeking.

I guess we now have to wait to hear about what centres will be assessing external/independent candidates. My DS is adamant that he won't be retaking in Autumn as that will mean another gap year.