Are any GCSE 2021 candidates actually sitting any this Autumn?

[ChocolateFace]

I've asked for DD to sit an exam which I think she has a fair chance of getting a higher grade in, as she's continued to work at it.

School have agreed (and will be charging me a fee), but I'm wondering if anyone else is doing this? The school office told me they haven't had any other requests.

Unless you are in a private school, they should not be charging you to sit the exam.

I suspect the fee is because DD has access arrangements - own room, and a reader and extra time. Although I can't help thinking they're just trying to put me off. They'll probably insist I pay by cheque, which could be interesting, as I'm not sure I even have a cheque book anymore

If they're charging for the extra access arrangements, that would surely be disability discrimination.

See www.gov.uk/government/publications/responsibility-for-autumn-gcse-as-and-a-level-exam-series/centre-responsibility-for-autumn-gcse-as-and-a-level-exam-series-guidance
for the guidance.

Under section 5.1: "We expect exam centres to pay fees for all students who are in the scope of this guidance (as outlined in section 4), rather than passing the cost of the entry fee on to students or their families. Where a candidate paid for their qualification in summer 2021, they should not be charged again."

Under section 5.2: "We do not expect exam centres to charge administrative fees to students who were on their roll in summer 2021. "

Thank you for the info, very interesting, and could come in very handy - I do wonder if they're trying to put me off! I will casually ask what the fee is for.

I think it is a re-sit fee.

The school will have paid the fee for entry for each subject in the summer. This was payable even thought here were no exams.

State schools have to pay for exam entries like this. It is standard for parents to have to pay for re-marks of exams or re-sits. These papers in the autumn count S re-sits as grades have already been awarded.

It is common for the total cost for a set of GCSEs to be £300-400 or more. We all know schools have very tight budgets and this is why they generally ask parents to pay for anything beyond the standard entry. And you've already had that provided.

The fee really isn't an issue, I happy to pay any costs and appreciate it's usually about £350 to sit a GCSE exam (but paid for, for maths and English). The sooner she passes, the sooner I can stop paying her tutor.

I feel like DDs the only person asking to actually sit an exam, as we haven't heard of anyone else asking to do this.

I'm more concerned about grade boundaries, etc and wonder if anybody knows about that.

I think it will be extremely low numbers re-sitting.
Grades were significantly higher this year, so more have passed or been able to move onto next stage.
Having not covered full courses or prepared for full exams, sitting the exam now is really unattractive to most.

It will be those who didn't get a 4 in Maths/Eng that might be considering it, if the lack of it is hindering them moving on, but most will be booked into courses where they will receive teaching and sit that exam at the end of the year.

So I think you're right, that entry levels for this Autumn sitting will be extremely low.

Grade boundaries aren't set in advance of papers. It depends on outcomes in a usual year...to maintain parity in terms of % of grades awarded at each level each year. It means you cannot know exactly what is required in advance for different grades, but given higher %s gained higher grades this year, I wouldn't expect the requirement to be quite as high as in 2019 when exams were last sat.

Grade boundaries for English GCSE last autumn were so low as to be practically subterranean.

My dd is going to resit a low uptake subject. I wonder how they’re going to do grade boundaries if hardly any take an exam. Will it be based on the summer GCSE results or just that exam do you know?

@AnInspectorBores

Grade boundaries for English GCSE last autumn were so low as to be practically subterranean.

This is the kind of thing I'm looking for someone to post

Hi! I'm an English teacher at a FE college and we're entering all our students who got a 3 into the November re-sits. Do you have any questions?
Sarah x

Hi, @MrsChinamano - I'm curious as to why DD hasn't been entered at college, as she got a 3, and also should she sit the exam at her previous school (as college have told me) or at college (which would be so much easier logistically- DD says she's not bothered about the access arrangement, which wouldn't be in place if she sat the exam at college)? The link posted by @lanthanum suggests she should take the exam at college.
DD really wants to take the exam, and I thought she was entitled to take it, but both school and college are being really difficult about communicating with me.

If it is a resit of an TAG grade because it won't be counted as a resit if she gets a 4 or above if she take it at the school where she took it before she would be able to replace the higher grade and it will be as if the first grade didn't exist (she can take the higher of the two) and they would be able to apply for a replacement certificate whereas I believe her new college wouldn't be able to. If she took it in Summer it is counted as an actual resit and would only be entitled to a different certificate and she would have both grades (if that makes sense).

1. Responsibility for entering students for autumn exams

In January 2021, the government announced it was no longer fair for GCSE, AS, A level and some VTQ exams to proceed as planned. Instead, students who were due to sit exams have received teacher assessed grades this summer. Students will also have the option to sit GCSE, A level and some AS level exams in autumn 20211_. Some VTQ students will be able to sit exams in autumn 2021 and spring 2022. Students can sit exams if they are not satisfied with their summer teacher assessed grade or if they need an improved result to move onto the next stage of their education, employment or training. This section applies to students who meet these criteria: 1 were entered for a teacher assessed grade (TAG) in summer 2021, or would have intended to enter had exams gone ahead (this includes private candidates) 2 any student who was aged at least 16 on 31 August 2021 can take the GCSE English language and maths exams in the November series For students who are continuing at the exam centre that had made, or intended to make, an exam entry for a qualification in the 2021 summer series, we expect that centre to enter them in the autumn exams, should the student wish them to do so. We expect exam centres entering students who are continuing at the same centre to extend these arrangements to those students who: • were private candidates in summer 2021 • were on their roll If a student has left a centre at the end of the summer, the arrangements for entering the autumn exams will differ depending on their circumstances. If a student has registered at another centre, the new centre (that is the one they are currently registered with) should enter them for autumn exams. If a student is entering English or maths this autumn as a condition of funding studentt_ (they did not achieve a GCSE grade 4 or above) the exam centre they will be continuing their qualification(s) with is responsible for entering them for the autumn exams where relevant.

@ChocolateFace

Im shocked to hear this - as she is the colleges responsibility she should sit with them. They will also receive the funding for this ...

If her AA arrangements are being carried mover from school then they should follow her to college. They have a duty to ensure all access arrangements are in place too. I have never heard of a student from a college being asked to go back their school to resit.

Good luck xx

@MrsChinamano - school have now entered her for the exam I assume the exam paper will have a summer date in it (that's when happened last year). I can see it would be very complicated for the college enter her for an exam board they don't usually use etc, she's taking an exam she wasn't able to take, so sitting it, rather than re-sitting it.

I know she's capable of passing, fingers crossed she pulls it out of the bag.