GCSEs 2021 / 2022

[Silkiecats]

Hi My DD wants to come out of school and home ed due to anxiety but does anyone know if GCSEs in 2021 have made adjustments for home education? She would be taking them in 2022 but looked such a shambles last year for home ed and am worried 2022 will also go to teacher assessment.

Also does anyone know best way to go about it? Do we just deregister and book exams or use a company. We have some money but not masses though all ideas welcome. She is also considering another school but not sure what issue is with current school so hard to know how to solve. No SN. Thanks very much.

Exams this year for home educators have been shambolic, a debacle, a fiasco.

If it is something you want to look in to them this is the best place to start he-exams.wikia.org/wiki/HE_Exams_Wiki and going the Facebook group linked from there.

Thanks very much, sorry to hear that and thanks for link.

Hoping can get her back to school or at least a school but trying to see what options there are.

I think things have been ok exam wise for home educators who were signed up with course providers who could give predicted grades. Would she like on line lessons? You could try companies like Absolute Maths, SouthWest Science, English Elephant, Humanatees, Dreaming Spires and Learntec. There are quite a few others out there but we’ve had good experiences or reports of those.

I've been watching from the sidelines and it is still really tough exam-wise. It depends on having a good centre which is willing to work with you and also having someone who can provide assessed grades, who will be acceptable to the centre. Many kids have missed out.

There are a very few exam centres run by home ed families (FareGos for example) which have been really helpful, I understand. Of course they are swamped by the increased demand. In my area there's an exam centre which has always been renowned for its willingness to arrange whatever people need... at a very high price. Those who could afford it have got their CAGs there.

Many people have worried that the already scarce availability of exam centres will dry up further. Some centres have been very helpful, but of course its a huge time and effort for them, which their modest fees haven't covered. They have no obligation to take private candidates and after the last two years they may well decide that it's too much trouble to continue doing so.

I think you're right to be concerned. On the other hand, if your daughter's anxiety at school is very bad, it may be that home ed is the best way forward for her despite the potential exam problems. It would be wise to have some backup plans in mind. How set is she on doing the exams in 2022? I know a few people who decided to delay for a year in hopes that better solutions will be available by then. It's possible to sit some GCSEs at college, either as part of 14-16 provision or after the age of 16. It won't be the full range of subjects normally available at school or through HE, and might not suit a very academic child, but it's something.

Local home educators will be able to tell you more. If you join a local Facebook group, you can ask where and how people are doing exams. Nobody has a crystal ball, but they may have some idea whether particular local centres or tutor arrangements will be useful to you, or will tell you where they are travelling to. I'd be cautious of signing up to a long contract with any online school if you don't know how and whether your daughter can actually do the exams or get CAGs. Some online schools simply provide the education and leave arranging the exams to you.

Thanks so much for your help. I discussed deferring with her and she is adamant no but if she can't control the anxiety and things aren't back to normal which looks unlikely, she may have to do that. She is very academic and think she could learn easily, its just so difficult when its teacher assessment and also half way through. She was on she could take one or two early this Autumn for resits when not teacher assessment but no idea if that is going ahead this year, I got lost in all the changes.

Have you spoken to school to consider and alternative provision. In my area there is a provision for young people with anxiety. However, there is more demand than places.

It is easier to get places at provisions like this with support from current school as your DC is currently their responsibility while on roll.

Thanks, have been trying current school for a few days but no one replying. Have put in application to change school and DD seems to want that though am trying to establish all options so useful to know. Looks like Autumn 2021 isn't an option as it says resits and over 16s.

I personally would explore other options before deregistering at this stage. I am hugely passionate about the benefits of home education. But starting midway through GCSEs (you may need to change syllabus, or give up some subjects, plus the financial side) and with Covid uncertainty is a lot.
More home educators have been able to access grades than last year but for many (not all) that has come with extra costs - using courses/tutors when preferred to use a textbook, using a private centre, extra grading costs.
The big concern for next year is even fewer centres willing to take PCs. Many couldn't/wouldn't help this year. Next year may be worse. This year has been incredibly hard for exam centres (I work at FareGos), my fear is only the private centres and a handful of other places will be left next year.

Mental health should always come above qualifications though. If she's really struggling I would not leave her in. The test? question to me is would you be happy to forgo qualifications or take an extra year or two over them (not unusual)? If the answer to those is yes then home ed could be an option. If no and set on exams in 2022 I would try to find something that works staying in the system. If the anxiety is really bad can you ask for restricted timetable or EOTAS and stay in school roll for example.

Thanks very much for your help. DD really wants to take them in 2022 and I would prefer that too.

We are still registered at the moment. School aren't being very helpful at the moment but think they have been very busy. We have applied for a different school which DD is keen on but I'm struggling to see what the difference will be and a longer commute. But its worth looking at and if it is current school that is the issue it would be worth it.

DD has agreed to go to school tomorrow and do 1 day and meet with 2 staff so hopefully that may help. They are trying to insist she is in next week and just offering very short term phased return atm but think she isn't well enough for that.

So am also looking at home ed. In lockdown her grades went up so know the studying part is fine, she's fine to take exams, its just the teacher assessment would make things difficult. I have contacted one place that say they can do it but its getting exam centre as well.

To be honest it's hard to predict what will happen next year regards grades. It will probably be different to this year as this year has been so tough. Even if it went to TAGs I think centres will want to change their approach.
If you do go for home ed don't sign up to any thing straight away. It is easy to make expensive mistakes. Start from Wiki I linked earlier and join the FB group linked. There is lots of support out there from the home ed community if you tap in to it.