Where to sit AQA GCSE/ iGCSE privately (with extra time)

[52andblue]

Can anyone advise please?
It looks as though my ds will need this option next summer.

I am NE and struggling to find an exam centre (school won't help)
I could travel to Newcastle, Edinburgh or if necess, London

He needs to sit AQA GCSE's in Eng, Eng Lit, Physics, Chem, Biol and Maths (tho pref iGCSE for Maths itself).

He should qualify for extra time and laptop (ASD, Dyslexia, Anxiety, all diagnosed) although School have arranged nothing as yet (not due to lack of genuine need _ they are useless & in special measures)

God knows what happens if the Govt makes exams CAG instead but for the moment I'd like to have him set up for private entry if anyone can advise?

You could try www.tutorsandexams.uk/. They accept private candidates for GCSEs and iGCSEs and offer access arrangements. They have several centres in the UK. Your nearest one will probably be Doncaster.
The deadline for access arrangements for this Summer has been moved to March so there is still time for extra time etc to be organised.
if your ds is out of school for health reasons, your local hospital education service may be able to help as an exam centre. They offer extra time etc.

OP. If you don't mind my asking, if he is registered with a school, why isn't school helping and how can he go to a centre elsewhere if he can't go into school to sit them?

Interested as my y11 isn't currently attending school due to anxiety...

AQA give this list on their website:

www.aqa.org.uk/student-and-parent-support/private-candidates/finding-a-school-or-college

Mine are younger so not had this but it maybe worth trying your local authority education department SN team to see if they can help.

Does your son have an EHCP? Can the LA use an existing special school as an exam centre? You can use PB to fund exam fees. The LA will fund staff and admin.

If he is still registered at local m/s it can still be used as the nearest centre. He can be in a separate room with additional measures as required. But it needs to be organised ASAP.

Ime even if the nearest special school is not authorised for a particular exam board for iGCSE or because their usual cohort don't sit GCSEs they have to get authorisation (disclaimer with an EHCP).

Talk to your LA. Absolutely doable. Get it in place now.

Don't minimise the logistics - most subjects are at least 2 papers and maybe days apart and may have a 9 am start.

He needs this to be as close to home as possible with dry runs/mocks built in to provision. This will be NT peers experience. He deserve at least the same, and then additional measures.

DS1 was enormously stressed by staff wasting 15 minutes of his exam time trying to figure out how to switch an unfamiliar computer from replace to insert text. You need a dry run to address unforeseen issues and this is not likely if you have to travel and enter as a private candidate.