The Student Room Group

How Do I Take An Extra GCSE?

Hi, I am fourteen and am starting my GCSE's but due to changes at our school they have cut one of our options, instead of offering the maximum of 12 GCSE's there will be 11. So I decided not to take history.
But I have recently found out that you take a GCSE outside of school by independent learning then paying to take the exam. Could anyone help me with this? I would love to know:
-where I can take it (London??)
-who I can speak to
-the cost of this

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Reply 1
I took an extra GCSE in year eleven. I simply taught myself the syllabus, went to the exams officer and asked him to enter me for it. He entered me, but said I might need to pay about £30. In the end, they didn't get me to pay for it because they wanted to be able to say that someone had done that GCSE, but I think that they would for History simply because lots of people do it. The bonus of that is that you can easily find cheap textbooks.

Ask your exams officer or History teachers at school. It might be an idea to try and learn a bit of it now, and then ask them in October or November, at the end of the first half term, so that you can show you've already put work into it. Otherwise they might think you're just going to sit around doing nothing. That way, you can also get them to let you do a mock at the same time as the students who have lessons in it. If you get a decent grade, on a par with the other students, they'll probably be ok with entering you for the exam.

Normally exam entrance fees are around £30, I think, but you'll have to get textbooks too, or you could use BBC Bitesize. I personally didn't bother getting a textbook for Latin and just used online stuff, but I haven't got my results yet so I'm not sure how that will end up.
there will be a college of further education near you that offers this for sure, you will probably do a class in the evening but it will only be once a week or so, lots of prep. I didnt do history so I dont know if its the sort of thing you can self study for, and I dont know how smart or motivated you are, but you can do it one way or the other. If you study independently (wise to still take advice from teachers on exam technique etc) you can register with the college of FE as an independent candidate and just go there to sit the exams.

Good for you!
Original post by RookieblueFreak
Hi, I am fourteen and am starting my GCSE's but due to changes at our school they have cut one of our options, instead of offering the maximum of 12 GCSE's there will be 11. So I decided not to take history.
But I have recently found out that you take a GCSE outside of school by independent learning then paying to take the exam. Could anyone help me with this? I would love to know:
-where I can take it (London??)
-who I can speak to
-the cost of this


What's the point? 11 GCSEs is already well above average. You don't need more GCSEs. It's much better to do well in fewer GCSEs (as far as I know, many universities that take your GCSEs into account only look at your top 8 and ignore the rest) than to do less well in tons. You're not doing yourself any favours by studying extra GCSEs, you're just adding a lot of pressure. If you really want to study history, just study it yourself. You'll probably get a much better education by self-teaching yourself interesting things than sticking to the rigid, uninspiring GCSE curriculum.
Reply 4
You can self study History fairly easy, there's loads of revision videos on youtube and resources on samlearning, bitesize, etc.
Original post by Chlorophile
What's the point? 11 GCSEs is already well above average. You don't need more GCSEs. It's much better to do well in fewer GCSEs (as far as I know, many universities that take your GCSEs into account only look at your top 8 and ignore the rest) than to do less well in tons. You're not doing yourself any favours by studying extra GCSEs, you're just adding a lot of pressure. If you really want to study history, just study it yourself. You'll probably get a much better education by self-teaching yourself interesting things than sticking to the rigid, uninspiring GCSE curriculum.


I get your point, and I have studied all my options but the problem is that I am realising that it is something I want to pursue at A-level. Sadly unlike computer science it is something that you can't take you at A-level without a GCSE. I am very dedicated to my school work and am sure I can secure good grades even with an extra one.

Thanks though xx
Original post by RookieblueFreak
I get your point, and I have studied all my options but the problem is that I am realising that it is something I want to pursue at A-level. Sadly unlike computer science it is something that you can't take you at A-level without a GCSE. I am very dedicated to my school work and am sure I can secure good grades even with an extra one.

Thanks though xx


If you want to study it at A Level, why did you decide not to take it for GCSE then? The obvious solution here is ask your school to change your options to allow you to study History. If you're intending to study it at A Level, I really strongly suggest you don't self teach or you'll miss out on critical exam technique.
Original post by Chlorophile
If you want to study it at A Level, why did you decide not to take it for GCSE then? The obvious solution here is ask your school to change your options to allow you to study History. If you 're intending to study it at A Level, I really strongly suggest you don't self teach or you'll miss out on critical exam technique.


Hi, I have asked my school, but as it is a very popular course, they have had to turn others away because there isn't enough space. I do understand that I will be behind and it is a risk I am willing to take. I didn't decide to take it because at my school the teachers in simple terms suck. Sadly this seems to be my only option.
:smile: x
Original post by Aisa
I took an extra GCSE in year eleven. I simply taught myself the syllabus, went to the exams officer and asked him to enter me for it. He entered me, but said I might need to pay about £30. In the end, they didn't get me to pay for it because they wanted to be able to say that someone had done that GCSE, but I think that they would for History simply because lots of people do it. The bonus of that is that you can easily find cheap textbooks.

Ask your exams officer or History teachers at school. It might be an idea to try and learn a bit of it now, and then ask them in October or November, at the end of the first half term, so that you can show you've already put work into it. Otherwise they might think you're just going to sit around doing nothing. That way, you can also get them to let you do a mock at the same time as the students who have lessons in it. If you get a decent grade, on a par with the other students, they'll probably be ok with entering you for the exam.

Normally exam entrance fees are around £30, I think, but you'll have to get textbooks too, or you could use BBC Bitesize. I personally didn't bother getting a textbook for Latin and just used online stuff, but I haven't got my results yet so I'm not sure how that will end up.


Oh, thank you some much for all of this, I haven't spoken to my exam officer but he will advice me against it because my friend asked about taking history as well and he basically said no! we were going to help each other out :smile: You have answered everything but I am having a problem getting a school or exam centre to accept me. I live in London ??

thanks so much xx
Reply 9
Just wondering, who said the maximum for doing GCSEs was 12? I'm doing 16, all in school...
Reply 10
Try London Brookes College, they let private candidates sit exams there. Apparently History normally costs £280, including controlled assessment sessions and marking, which is quite a lot, but it is a definite possibility.
Reply 11
If you're doing Edexcel History, you could use this website to find somewhere close to you. You might find somewhere cheaper.

The key thing is, if you're doing it somewhere else, apply early. The price increases the later you leave it.
Reply 12
This website is probably easier to use, and it can also help.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 13
Surely your school will let you sit as a private candidate? We had kids not from our school (homeschooled presumably) come in and take the exams, as well as kids doing Japanese/greek/russian etc which aren't languages my school offers but they were bilingual so... Just ask your school
Original post by Its_Tito
Just wondering, who said the maximum for doing GCSEs was 12? I'm doing 16, all in school...


I did 11 also, 2 of them early and then a GNVQ ICT qualification.

I'm curious how you managed to have 16.

Triple Science etc?
Original post by RookieblueFreak
Hi, I am fourteen and am starting my GCSE's but due to changes at our school they have cut one of our options, instead of offering the maximum of 12 GCSE's there will be 11. So I decided not to take history.
But I have recently found out that you take a GCSE outside of school by independent learning then paying to take the exam. Could anyone help me with this? I would love to know:
-where I can take it (London??)
-who I can speak to
-the cost of this


I would say that 11 is sufficient, however, having said that, I took 15 (one of which was done outside of school).
Teach yourself the syllabus, and make sure you're confident with exam structures and the material so you don't do it recklessly and end up with a grade you don't want, perhaps if there is a teacher in your school who has some knowledge of the subject, it might help?

I went to chinese school to 'learn' chinese but I mostly self taught using textbooks, and then when it came to the start of the year that I was meant to take the exam, I went to my exams office and they gave me a form to fill out to ask me what GCSE i wanted to take etc. After it was all confirmed I was given study leave on the day of and the day before the exam, much like you normally do, and given a timetable for when my exams were :smile:

If your school won't call in an invigilator for you, then you will have to search around for exam centres (it's really easy to google this :smile: ) and then it will let you apply for an exam. :smile:
Original post by -=|Jay|=-
I did 11 also, 2 of them early and then a GNVQ ICT qualification.

I'm curious how you managed to have 16.

Triple Science etc?


Well, 15 and an extra Qualification...I'm going into Year 11 this September, so yeah. My school does a lot, I know, but I was just wondering how the whole idea of 12 maximum came about...it's all up to your school, it may be 12 you're allowed to do through your school.

Maths (Year 10)
Additional Maths (Year 11)
English Language (Year 10)
English Literature (Year 11)
Triple Science (Year 11)
History (Year 11)
Food Tech (Year 11)
Spanish (Year 11)
Functional Skills (Year 9)
Religious Studies (Year 11)
Business Studies (Year 11)
Drama (Year 11)
PSHEE (Year 9 and 10)
PE (Year 10)
Original post by Its_Tito
Well, 15 and an extra Qualification...I'm going into Year 11 this September, so yeah. My school does a lot, I know, but I was just wondering how the whole idea of 12 maximum came about...it's all up to your school, it may be 12 you're allowed to do through your school.

Maths (Year 10)
Additional Maths (Year 11)
English Language (Year 10)
English Literature (Year 11)
Triple Science (Year 11)
History (Year 11)
Food Tech (Year 11)
Spanish (Year 11)
Functional Skills (Year 9)
Religious Studies (Year 11)
Business Studies (Year 11)
Drama (Year 11)
PSHEE (Year 9 and 10)
PE (Year 10)


You do exactly the same subjects as my school o_o
Original post by Magnesium
You do exactly the same subjects as my school o_o


Haha seriously? That's weird :redface:
Original post by Its_Tito
Just wondering, who said the maximum for doing GCSEs was 12? I'm doing 16, all in school...


I'm doing 16 too, but i'm also doing 2 as-levels and i am self teaching 3 of the 16 gcses and the 2 as- levels. The skl pay for my self taught ones

These are the subjects:

Maths (getting results tomorrow)
Additional maths
Astronomy (self-taught, results tomorrow)
RS
Philosophy and ethics (self taught)
French
Spanish
German (self-taught)
Italian
Music
History
Triple science
English lang
English Lit

AS:

Spanish
Maths

OP, by all means self-teach yourself an extra GCSE, and if you have a valid reason, you may be able to convince your school to pay for the exam and any coursework that may come with the exam

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