GCSE Resits

[RunningOutOfNames]

DD attends a state grammar.

She was predicted A* in RS paper taken in Y10 and got a C. Her teacher wants her to resit, the head refuses as he doesn't want the pupils to think they can always have another go if they're not happy with the result.

This is in stark contrast to DD2's school where they take GCSEs over three years and keep resitting until they're happy with the result (or, presumably, get too old and have to leave school!).

She wants to resit and I'm happy to pay the exam fee if necessary.

Anyone know where I stand on this?

It depends on how strict the school policy is. You need to speak to the Headteacher.

It is important for your daughter to resit this exam because the GCSE grades are taken into account in the UCAS process. Top universities are increasingly requiring something like 7A* before even looking at the application. A subject like RS demonstrates a lot of transferrable skills which are valued in Higher Education and industry.

If the school won't budge, you may be able to enter her as a private candidate in an independent school, but you will have to get your skates on if you want to arrange this for a May/June exam.

OK, is it full or short course? If it is Full Course then she may be doing another paper this year, and the results of the two should be combined and averaged to get the grade.

I don't see why the head won't let you pay for her to resit at school, and depending which board, this may be her last chance to do so as the specification changed from September. This year there are both new spec and legacy specs being taken, but I don't know about next year.

It's full course and she has got another paper in June. She got such a low C that I'm not sure she can still get an A.

I will contact the head - I can understand he doesn't like resits but it's putting the girls at a disadvantage when every other school seems to do it, and I take MmeB's point about how important GCSE grades are now.

Thanks both.