Resitting A2s

[Clutterfreeintraining]

Sorry if this has been covered recently, I've scrolled through but couldn't find anything similar.
Ds will receive his A2 results on Thursday. I'm preparing for the worst (based on various factors) and have asked ds to consider resitting. He would be happy to sit the exams but does not want to go back to school for a year or to college.
Does anyone know what happens in this situation? Where would he sit the exams? Would he have to book himself in for the resits? Or would he have to enrol on an online course?
Any advice gratefully received

His sixth form may be happy for him to sit the exams as an externals candidate, so he’d just attend for the exams. There might be a cost attached but you’d have to speak to the school to find out their policy on this.

Colleges may also offer this, but definitely would charge.

Sorry hit post too soon. I’d encourage him to just try and retake the year (as in attending school) if at all possible. He’s had a long time without school, so that structure and support would likely be really valuable (and potentially even necessary) to help him get the best grades possible.

There is also a October resit option for A Levels, if he’d consider that?

Thank you for the reply - so helpful

I thought there was an autumn resit but couldn't find any information at all, only summer resits.

I can definitely see your point re taking the whole year again but I know he wouldn't even consider it. The majority of yr13 (before school shut at least) was a nightmare for him. He had problems with one of his teachers and lockdown came as a welcome relief to be away from the whole situation.

I'll wait and see what results he gets and then approach the school about resitting.

@Clutterfreeintraining, autumn resits for A levels In England are 5th - 23rd October. Schools/exam centres have to enter the students by the 4th September so he’d probably have to decide pretty quickly.

www.jcq.org.uk/jcq-announces-examination-dates-for-the-autumn-2020-series/

If your DS does that series, it’s risk free as the higher of the calculated grade or the resit grade will count. It doesn't give long for revision, but perhaps he will only have to resit one or 2 subjects rather than all three? He’d have to start revising straight after results day. (This week, eek!)

This has been discussed in depth on the higher ed board but it’s on a thread about starting university, so you may have missed it? And the threads are really long!

The very best of luck for Thursday. My DS is also awaiting results.

Are you in England? I’ve just noticed you call them A2 exams. They aren’t A2 exams anymore, as they aren’t linked to AS. Advice for Wales may be different.

Thanks for that info.
We are in Wales so maybe that's why I couldn't find anything on Autumn resits.
At least I know it might be possible for him to sit the exams in school whether that be in October or next June.
Fingers crossed for everyone waiting for results !!

I’ll have a search for the Welsh equivalent info for you.

gov.wales/examinations-and-assessments-coronavirus#section-40243

I’m sorry, @Clutterfreeintraining, it seems you are right and in Wales they aren’t doing Autumn resits for A2 at all. The next opportunity to take the exams is next summer.

Thank you for taking the time to look, much appreciated.
To be honest, I think either would have been ok for him to resit. Will see what school say about it after results day - their support is generally quite patchy but I feel a bit more confident about asking now.

How did it go, @Clutterfreeintraining?

Hi Millicent - Thank you for asking - his final grades are far better than either of us expected so a huge relief but feel awful for the students who didn't get what they needed for their next steps.
How did your ds get on?

Nc fail

Oops to NC! Really glad to hear that! DS was a lucky one, too and has his first choice. It does feel like it was down to the luck of which school he ended up in for sixth form, which isn’t particularly satisfying. But there you go, can’t complain.

I can't quite put into words how I feel about it really. I'm just relieved it's over with.
Glad your ds got his first choice