Achieving certain GCSE grades can be the deciding factor when applying to sixth form colleges, university or to enter the industry you’re looking to build your career in.
During this time, especially with exam cancellations due to the current pandemic, failing your GCSEs or just missing out on the grade you wanted can be devastating. However, it is not the end of the world or a reflection of what you’re going to achieve in the future. There are still many options available for you.
Resitting your GCSEs doesn’t have to be a negative experience. It can show true determination and can provide you with the extra time and push needed to achieve your goals.
At Achieving Success, we have the tools to help you prepare and be confident for your GCSE retakes. Here is our complete guide on resitting your GCSEs.
Calculated Results And GCSE Retakes 2020
Calculated Results
In August 2020, students will receive a calculated result in place of an overall result incorporating an exam grade. These calculated results will be based upon the predicted grade they were likely to achieve having sat the exam and will also include the following:
- Participation in class
- Grades from homework and in-class work
- Performance and participation in music, drama or PE subjects
- Participation in non-exam assessments, including those incompleted
- Assignments, coursework or mock exams taken
- The student’s performance throughout their course duration
- The rank order of students within each grade for each subject, where one is the highest attaining student, to be used in statistical standardisation applied across all schools
- A declaration from the Head of the school or college making their submission
The Additional Series
Additional series or GCSEs can be taken by a student whose calculated grade is not a true reflection of their performance. They may also be taken if a certain grade is needed for a student to progress onto their next stage of education.
If a pupil does not have enough evidence for their subject teacher to produce a calculated grade, then they will also qualify for the additional exam series to achieve an overall grade.
As a student, the school or college that originally enrolled you should enter you into the additional series or GCSE retakes based on the information they have at their disposal. If you are especially unhappy with your calculated result, have a chat with your teachers or the school board about the process involved and the options available for you.
Retakes will commence in the autumn and pupils may also have the chance to retake in the summer of 2021 following the usual practice.
Where Do I Resit My GCSEs?
Once regulations have eased up surrounding the current pandemic, you should be able to resit your GCSEs in one of two ways. You may resit at school or college and study alongside your AS Levels or you can resit as a private candidate and attend an online course.
GCSE Retakes At College
Many schools and colleges allow students to resit their exams alongside AS Levels, requiring you to attend additional timetabled lessons to ensure you’re fully prepared. Depending upon how you learn best, night classes may be available for you to manage your schedule more efficiently, allowing you to learn in a classroom environment without interrupting your studies. Your exam should then be sat alongside other members of your class and scheduled as normal.
GCSE Retakes Online
Retaking your GCSEs online gives you more flexibility and studying can be organised within your own time, scheduled around commitments and extra-curricular activities. This can make it easier to focus on both your retakes and AS Levels separately.
Online courses allow you to work through the material at your own pace and receive one-to-one learning with your own personal tutor. This tutor will be more in tune with your strengths and weaknesses than learning in a classroom environment, allowing you to spend more time on the things you struggle with the most.
Tuition Centres
You may also consider enrolling at a tuition centre which provides a happy medium between the two. At Achieving Success, we provide students with a bespoke syllabus, taught by qualified teachers in purpose-built classrooms, allowing you to receive the one-to-one support you need, but in a structured and dedicated classroom environment. During the current pandemic, all teaching is being provided via our online classrooms.
As a private candidate you will be expected to organise your exam resits yourself. Around six months before you’re due to sit your exams, you should contact your school to request sitting the exam as a private candidate.
When Do I Resit?
The availability of resit exams can vary depending upon the exam board. In normal circumstances, they would commence during exam season around May and June.
However, some exams, such as English and Maths are available to resit in both January and November. Your school or online tuition teacher should be able to give you details on the availability of these exams and their dates.
When Do I Get My Results?
Receiving exam results will depend upon the date you sat them and are as follows:
- Exams sat in May or June should receive results in August
- Exams sat in November should receive results in January
- Exams sat in January should receive results in March
How Much Will It Cost?
There are two costs that you should expect to pay when resitting your GCSEs: course or tuition fees and exam fees. Your course fees will depend on how you choose to study and will include tuition and the materials needed.
If you study at college or school, you can expect to pay over £1,000 per subject you wish to resit. Online courses and tuition centres provide the same level of quality and offer more individual support, but at a much more affordable price, averaging around £300/£400 for the overall total cost.
For individual exam fees, you can expect to pay around £100 per exam. These can vary in price depending upon the exam centre or school you choose to sit your exam with, so it is best to compare prices.
How Can Achieving Success Help You?
If you are looking to retake your GCSEs, Achieving Success has a number of options available to you. With six tuition centres in Birmingham and the surrounding areas and with online classes provided during the current pandemic, you can benefit from bespoke tuition from one of our qualified teachers.
Depending on how you wish to learn, we provide intensive GCSE holiday workshops that prepare students to retake their exams in a short period of time, focusing on understanding the language used in exam papers and the skill required to achieve optimum marks. We also provide GCSE tuition on a monthly subscription basis that encompasses the defined learning outcomes required by the current national curriculum.
For more information on our options available for GCSE retakes, please get in touch today to arrange a call-back with a member of our team. Alternatively, you can contact us at info@achieving-success.co.uk or give us a call on 0121 769 2795. We’d be thrilled to create a bespoke programme to achieve your goals.