[HardyBoy]

I would like to study OCR AS Applied Science as a private (external) candidate. This includes exams, coursework and practicals.

Could I use practicals completed as part of my BTEC Level 3 Applied Science qualification? As nowhere seems to accept candidates for science practicals.

Please help any way you can, thanks.

[HardyBoy]

Any help would be great

[HardyBoy]

Could soembody actually reply please

[Data]

(Original post by HardyBoy)
I would like to study OCR AS Applied Science as a private (external) candidate. This includes exams, coursework and practicals.

Could I use practicals completed as part of my BTEC Level 3 Applied Science qualification? As nowhere seems to accept candidates for science practicals.

Please help any way you can, thanks.

I'm not even certain it is open to private candidates (as how will you get the coursework authenticated etc.) Not all specifications are. Have you checked with OCR that they would allow it?

[Tw1x]

Campbell Harris school accepts private candidates for AQA Biology practical, not too sure about OCR but you can check their website.

[gdunne42]

(Original post by HardyBoy)
I would like to study OCR AS Applied Science as a private (external) candidate. This includes exams, coursework and practicals.

Could I use practicals completed as part of my BTEC Level 3 Applied Science qualification? As nowhere seems to accept candidates for science practicals.

Please help any way you can, thanks.

Regular science A levels include a specific practical assessment that must be completed under controlled conditions, previous work could not be counted.
But isn't assessment for Applied Science largely based on coursework? In which case unless you can find a centre that is willing to mark the portfolio you produce and who are satisfied that it's genuinely your work, you won't be able to take this qualification. I don't think your chances of finding one are that great as it isn't a widely offered qualification (2700 candidates nationally last summer) and most centres don't want the hassle of private coursework/practicals. If you know a local college offering Applied Science to their students then I'd recommend you talk to them.

Have you contacted OCR?
http://www.ocr.org.uk/contactus/

[HardyBoy]

I have contacted OCR and it is available to private candidates. It is 66% coursework.

I can't travel to Campbell Harris,it is too far to travel. I do not know of any centres willing to authenticate the coursework or allow practicals. None of the local schools or colleges accept private candidates. I have found to centres for exams both of which have proviionally agreed to accept me.

How exactly does it need to be authenticted, could I not just get a teacher from my school to verify it is my work, and get them to submit it to the exam board - even though they do not accpet private candidates? (they have said they would consider exams as I a student there, but would not for private candidates)

This is a difficult qualification, but so are all coursework assessed qualifications. All centres for practicals appear to be in London and I have yet to find any anywhere for coursework.

Could my school do the practicals?, as I am likely to finish my BTEC Applied Science course early.

This is very confusing, surely as a student they would do the practicals and verify the coursework is my own work - but then if they could do that, surely I could use my BTEC work, which is already verified by the school.

Thanks everyone for the reponses. I look forward to further responses.

[HardyBoy]

I have contacted OCR and it is available to private candidates. It is 66% coursework.

I can't travel to Campbell Harris,it is too far to travel. I do not know of any centres willing to authenticate the coursework or allow practicals. None of the local schools or colleges accept private candidates. I have found to centres for exams both of which have proviionally agreed to accept me.

How exactly does it need to be authenticted, could I not just get a teacher from my school to verify it is my work, and get them to submit it to the exam board - even though they do not accpet private candidates? (they have said they would consider exams as I a student there, but would not for private candidates)

This is a difficult qualification, but so are all coursework assessed qualifications. All centres for practicals appear to be in London and I have yet to find any anywhere for coursework.

Could my school do the practicals?, as I am likely to finish my BTEC Applied Science course early.

This is very confusing, surely as a student they would do the practicals and verify the coursework is my own work - but then if they could do that, surely I could use my BTEC work, which is already verified by the school.

Thanks everyone for the reponses. I look forward to further responses.

[gdunne42]

(Original post by HardyBoy)

How exactly does it need to be authenticated, could I not just get a teacher from my school to verify it is my work, and get them to submit it to the exam board - even though they do not accpet private candidates? (they have said they would consider exams as I a student there, but would not for private candidates)

This is a difficult qualification, but so are all coursework assessed qualifications. All centres for practicals appear to be in London and I have yet to find any anywhere for coursework.

Could my school do the practicals?, as I am likely to finish my BTEC Applied Science course early.

This is very confusing, surely as a student they would do the practicals and verify the coursework is my own work - but then if they could do that, surely I could use my BTEC work, which is already verified by the school.

Thanks everyone for the reponses. I look forward to further responses.

The centre that is entering you for the qualification has to authenticate it is yours AND mark it against quite complex assessment criteria.
OCR won't mark it, they just moderate a sample of the work from a school to make sure your teachers are marking it properly.
Unless your teachers are geared up to offer the qualification it's a massive amount of work to do it properly and satisfy the examiners.
I'm sure a lot of the BTEC work you've already done would make great input to a coursework portfolio but you need to find a centre to take you on. Talk to your BTEC teachers they may be able to establish a link to another local school/college to enable you to do it.

[HardyBoy]

(Original post by gdunne42)
The centre that is entering you for the qualification has to authenticate it is yours AND mark it against quite complex assessment criteria.
OCR won't mark it, they just moderate a sample of the work from a school to make sure your teachers are marking it properly.
Unless your teachers are geared up to offer the qualification it's a massive amount of work to do it properly and satisfy the examiners.
I'm sure a lot of the BTEC work you've already done would make great input to a coursework portfolio but you need to find a centre to take you on. Talk to your BTEC teachers they may be able to establish a link to another local school/college to enable you to do it.

So my school could authenticate and mark the work? Then they would have to submit it to OCR for it to be moderated?

Some of the BTEC work could be used for the A-level?, but I'd need extra and possibly to improve it as A-level is harder than BTEC. My school could be the centre, as it would not be much work for them - they just need to authenticate and mark the work and then send it off.

Of course I can talk to my BTEC teachers, as I could ask them to mark the new coursework additionally, there wont be much difference between BTEC and A-level in the same subjects. No local centres take on private candidates, which means they cannot establish a link unfortunately.

Really awkward that no local centres do coursework and practicals. What would the situation be with the practicals, would my school be able to do that? I would just need to use their labs - then they sign a witness statement to say I have carried out the neccessary practicals for the course criteria.

Thanks for your help, I look forward to your response.

[gdunne42]

(Original post by HardyBoy)
My school could be the centre, as it would not be much work for them - they just need to authenticate and mark the work and then send it off.

It would be a huge amount of work for a teacher who is not teaching the qualification to learn about the assessment criteria and do a proper job of marking that satisfied the examiners. I'm not even sure they'd be allowed to do it if your centre does not offer the qualification. Do not underestimate the hoops they have to go through to be allowed to do it or the cost involved or overestimate their willingness to take on the work. It will not be worth their while to go through all the pain for one student. Discuss it with them by all means but don't be suprised if they refuse.

[HardyBoy]

(Original post by gdunne42)
It would be a huge amount of work for a teacher who is not teaching the qualification to learn about the assessment criteria and do a proper job of marking that satisfied the examiners. I'm not even sure they'd be allowed to do it if your centre does not offer the qualification. Do not underestimate the hoops they have to go through to be allowed to do it or the cost involved or overestimate their willingness to take on the work. It will not be worth their while to go through all the pain for one student. Discuss it with them by all means but don't be suprised if they refuse.

What about the practicals, would they be able to that? That just needs a witness statement to be completed.

[HardyBoy]

To be honest it is rediculous how hard it is being a private candidate. Everyone that does coursework and/or practicals seem to be in London.

All I need is someone to mark the coursework and allow the use of their labs.

[gdunne42]

(Original post by HardyBoy)
To be honest it is rediculous how hard it is being a private candidate. Everyone that does coursework and/or practicals seem to be in London.

All I need is someone to mark the coursework and allow the use of their labs.

I understand your frustration. The simple fact is that GCSE and A level are not really designed with private candidates in mind, they are designed to be taught and assessed in a school/college environment. There is no incentive for a centre to take on the burden. Offering exams is fairly easy and low cost. Any syllabus that involves either assessed practical work (controlled assessment) or coursework is a nightmare, as far as I know only AQA offer a service where they will mark private candidate work.

[HardyBoy]

(Original post by gdunne42)
I understand your frustration. The simple fact is that GCSE and A level are not really designed with private candidates in mind, they are designed to be taught and assessed in a school/college environment. There is no incentive for a centre to take on the burden. Offering exams is fairly easy and low cost. Any syllabus that involves either assessed practical work (controlled assessment) or coursework is a nightmare, as far as I know only AQA offer a service where they will mark private candidate work.

AQA does not offer Applied Science to private candidates. Yes they do offer a coursework marking service - but not practicals sadly.

[HardyBoy]

Can any teacher authenticate coursework, or does the centre have to accept private candidates/be my place of study?