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Secondary education

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Original poster

Is it possible to do an extra GCSE at home?

16 replies

EccentricaGallumBATS · 13/10/2010 10:23

On top of what is being done in school?

DD fancies something they don't offer at school.

Ant ideas? How would we go about this? exams? coursework marking?

TIA

OP posts:
CMOTdibbler · 13/10/2010 10:31

Nightschool ? DH did an AS level at night school when in the 6th form as his school didn't offer it

Decorhate · 13/10/2010 10:49

My dd is going to do an extra one (dance) but doing it through her dance school...
Also I think sometimes our local schools help with exam arrangements for things like extra languages (eg where a child speaks a second language but it's not one the school teach). Maybe ask the school itself or try to find a local tutor?

Original poster
EccentricaGallumBATS · 13/10/2010 10:50

will ask school. there is a night course in the next town over so will look into that too.
thanks.

OP posts:
RumRiddle · 13/10/2010 10:52

I did one through National Extension College years ago - it's a distance learning college and I went to the local college to sit the exam as an external candidate.

I've also done night school classes as well. It depends on what is available in your area.

runmeragged · 13/10/2010 11:01

I know someone who did 2 A levels at my school and a 3rd A level at a nearby school. Might that be an option?

Original poster
EccentricaGallumBATS · 13/10/2010 11:45

she wants to do Environmental Science if that helps.

I think this may be the start of her world domination and reorganisation plan Confused

timingwise - would she have to wait until next september? or if done via some distane learning thing could she start any time?

and is it logistically possible with evrything else she has to do (school stuff, dancing, hair and makeup, social life etc)

OP posts:
MassiveKnob · 13/10/2010 12:41

yes, you can. Any subject you like. Particularly IGCSE as it is exam only. Choose the subject, choose the exam board, buy the book, study at home. Email your independent schools to ask if they sit private candidates.

Pay the fee (around £35 per subject) sometimes admin fee or invigilator fee on top.

Turn up, do the exam, and away you go!

crazymum53 · 13/10/2010 13:18

Have a word with the Science department as if they do modular Science - she may be able to do some different modules from other students to get a GCSE qualification.

Environmental Science at AS/A2 level is offered by our local sixth form college but think that you don't need the GCSE to study it at A level. Double award Science and Geography would be the best combination for this.

scaryteacher · 13/10/2010 15:30

I'm teaching ds RE at home.

thatsnotmymonkey · 13/10/2010 15:36

You would need to talk with her tutor and then they would talk with the exam officer in the school to see if it is offered with an exam board they deal with. If so, then it could be a go. It might depend on the amount of coursework that is needed and who would mark this, the school may not have provision for this, or could be flexible, say letting the head of science monitor her work. Also there would be a small fee in setting up the exam- about £40, the school should pay. Schools can be very inflex about this sort of thing, so do your homework and offer up diff suggestions from here.

How many GCSEs is she doing? Self study is a big undertaking and without support would be something for the very capable and driven. Not saying your DD is neither of those. Just something to bear in mind.

SDeuchars · 13/10/2010 16:12

If the school deals with the exam board that offers the GCSE/IGCSE you want to do, then they can let you sit the exam - the question is if they will let you. If they charge, it should only be the fee to the exam board (about £30) unless it is at a time when there is no other exam and they need to have an extra invigilator.

tokyonambu · 13/10/2010 21:48

I did both an O Level and an A Level myself: just asked the school I was at at the time to enter me, paid them the few quid and sat the exams along with the other stuff I was doing through the school. Harder if there's course work or controlled assessments involved, of course, although the O Level I did had some course work that the school agreed to facilitate.

Original poster
EccentricaGallumBATS · 13/10/2010 22:17

good tips and suggestions - thanks.

i think first call will be to school science/geography teachers and see what they say.

DD is fairly bright and extremely sensible (gets it from me obviously). I'm just concerned about fiting it all in.

OP posts:
Brasso4 · 13/10/2010 22:19

I did GCSE Geography at home in the evenings but my dad was a Geography teacher! It was quite stressful but eventually I went on to study Geography at university and am now a Geography teacher myself. I entered through my school but I think we had to pay for it.

mumoverseas · 15/10/2010 13:05

I'd second the recommendation for NEC.

DS did GCSE law with them a few years ago. He did it by correspondance course and had to go to Cambridge to do the exam (although I'm sure its possible to arrange to do it elsewhere)
He also studied a second foreign language himself and was able to sit the exam at his school. A lot depends on the examining boards

thirtysomething · 15/10/2010 13:13

I did a language O' and A' level by myself at home using a grammar book and following the same guidelines for writing about the literature in that language as I used for my French O'/A levels at school. I then took the exam at a local independent (boys' school!) - was with the same exam board as the rest of my exams. It was actually very easy to do back then - imagine things haven't changed so much that it wouldn't be possible now?

FWIW when I then applied to Uni to do that subject they were very impressed that I had studied it on my own and I'm certain that's what determined my Oxbridge offer....

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