Got fleeced as a Private Candidate. What should I do?
I applied at a school of my choosing to sit the exams.
Exam Officer of that school said I have to pay the cost of the exams £350 and her admin fee of £100 fee before the 21st February deadline. Which I did 2 weeks ago.
Here is the catch: There is a deadline the 21st February. After the date the exam entry is classed as "late" so the cost of the exams balloon up to £750.
The exam officer is saying that she now doesn't have the time to send my exam entry before the deadline (despite me sending the details and money over 2 weeks ago). And I now have to pay £750 fee. This is unfair.
Exam Officer of that school said I have to pay the cost of the exams £350 and her admin fee of £100 fee before the 21st February deadline. Which I did 2 weeks ago.
Here is the catch: There is a deadline the 21st February. After the date the exam entry is classed as "late" so the cost of the exams balloon up to £750.
The exam officer is saying that she now doesn't have the time to send my exam entry before the deadline (despite me sending the details and money over 2 weeks ago). And I now have to pay £750 fee. This is unfair.
Original post by McDonaldsEmploy
I applied at a school of my choosing to sit the exams.
Exam Officer of that school said I have to pay the cost of the exams £350 and her admin fee of £100 fee before the 21st February deadline. Which I did 2 weeks ago.
Here is the catch: There is a deadline the 21st February. After the date the exam entry is classed as "late" so the cost of the exams balloon up to £750.
The exam officer is saying that she now doesn't have the time to send my exam entry before the deadline (despite me sending the details and money over 2 weeks ago). And I now have to pay £750 fee. This is unfair.
Exam Officer of that school said I have to pay the cost of the exams £350 and her admin fee of £100 fee before the 21st February deadline. Which I did 2 weeks ago.
Here is the catch: There is a deadline the 21st February. After the date the exam entry is classed as "late" so the cost of the exams balloon up to £750.
The exam officer is saying that she now doesn't have the time to send my exam entry before the deadline (despite me sending the details and money over 2 weeks ago). And I now have to pay £750 fee. This is unfair.
Which exam board is this with? I assume the £350 is for three A levels, is that correct? It's worth checking that the fee you're being charged (excluding the admin fee, where the school can charge what they like) is accurate. For example, AQA make it clear here that the "late entry fee" is "100% of the original entry fee and is in addition to the entry fee." OCR same the same here: "Late entry (Stage 1): Charged for each entry received after the entry deadline. This fee is the equivalent of the original entry fee and is charged in addition to the entry fee". So for both of these (and I assume the rest, but haven't checked) the £350 should have doubled to £700. Where's the extra £50 going? To the school?!
If you have evidence that you provided details and payment two weeks ago, and if this is prior to any internal deadline set by the school (which is likely to be ahead of the exam board's 21st February deadline), then remind the exam officer that the schools had a legal obligation to fulfil the contract you and and it entered into. (I assume you have the appropriate paperwork to back this up.)
I would be tempted to point out that the school would be at risk of losing its accreditation with the exam board if you were to able to successfully prove to the exam board that the school had missed the deadline through incompetence, or had done so intentionally in order to profit from doing so. There's obviously a risk, however, that this approach might backfire.
Original post by DataVenia
Which exam board is this with? I assume the £350 is for three A levels, is that correct? It's worth checking that the fee you're being charged (excluding the admin fee, where the school can charge what they like) is accurate. For example, AQA make it clear here that the "late entry fee" is "100% of the original entry fee and is in addition to the entry fee." OCR same the same here: "Late entry (Stage 1): Charged for each entry received after the entry deadline. This fee is the equivalent of the original entry fee and is charged in addition to the entry fee". So for both of these (and I assume the rest, but haven't checked) the £350 should have doubled to £700. Where's the extra £50 going? To the school?!
If you have evidence that you provided details and payment two weeks ago, and if this is prior to any internal deadline set by the school (which is likely to be ahead of the exam board's 21st February deadline), then remind the exam officer that the schools had a legal obligation to fulfil the contract you and and it entered into. (I assume you have the appropriate paperwork to back this up.)
I would be tempted to point out that the school would be at risk of losing its accreditation with the exam board if you were to able to successfully prove to the exam board that the school had missed the deadline through incompetence, or had done so intentionally in order to profit from doing so. There's obviously a risk, however, that this approach might backfire.
If you have evidence that you provided details and payment two weeks ago, and if this is prior to any internal deadline set by the school (which is likely to be ahead of the exam board's 21st February deadline), then remind the exam officer that the schools had a legal obligation to fulfil the contract you and and it entered into. (I assume you have the appropriate paperwork to back this up.)
I would be tempted to point out that the school would be at risk of losing its accreditation with the exam board if you were to able to successfully prove to the exam board that the school had missed the deadline through incompetence, or had done so intentionally in order to profit from doing so. There's obviously a risk, however, that this approach might backfire.
Yes for all 3 exams.
I have
- an invoice of the cost of the exam fees
- confirmation from the bank that the payment of the exam fees has been made
- email correspondence between the exam officer and me that she can accommodate me
Could you explain the legal obligation more please?
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by McDonaldsEmploy
Yes for all 3 exams.
I have
- an invoice of the cost of the exam fees
- confirmation from the bank that the payment of the exam fees has been made
- email correspondence between the exam officer and me that she can accommodate me
Could you explain the legal obligation more please?
I have
- an invoice of the cost of the exam fees
- confirmation from the bank that the payment of the exam fees has been made
- email correspondence between the exam officer and me that she can accommodate me
Could you explain the legal obligation more please?
OK. So you have a legally binding agreement with the school to pay £350 + £100 in admin fees for them to act as the exam centre for three A levels. You have paid the fee they requested, by the time they requested (I assume; did the school specify a deadline prior to 21st Feb?). You have therefore met your obligations.
The school have said that they are going to fail to meet their obligation to provide your details to the exam board before close-of-business tomorrow. (I've no idea how long that process should take, to be fair, but for it to take longer than two weeks seems pretty bizarre to me.) As a result, they become responsible to the late entry fee. Their inefficiency / incompetence; their cost.
The only wrinkle I can see here is if the school set a deadline of three weeks ago in the small-print of some document, or used some vague phrase requiring you to provide details/payment "in sufficient time". Hence why my first reply used the caveat "if this is prior to any internal deadline set by the school (which is likely to be ahead of the exam board's 21st February deadline)". Did you have a date by which you were asked to provide details and funds to the school?
You have very little time to get this sorted. Have you tried going above the exams officer's head and contacting someone in the senior leadership team, or the school's head? Or perhaps there's a senior exams office you can contact?
Original post by DataVenia
OK. So you have a legally binding agreement with the school to pay £350 + £100 in admin fees for them to act as the exam centre for three A levels. You have paid the fee they requested, by the time they requested (I assume; did the school specify a deadline prior to 21st Feb?). You have therefore met your obligations.
The school have said that they are going to fail to meet their obligation to provide your details to the exam board before close-of-business tomorrow. (I've no idea how long that process should take, to be fair, but for it to take longer than two weeks seems pretty bizarre to me.) As a result, they become responsible to the late entry fee. Their inefficiency / incompetence; their cost.
The only wrinkle I can see here is if the school set a deadline of three weeks ago in the small-print of some document, or used some vague phrase requiring you to provide details/payment "in sufficient time". Hence why my first reply used the caveat "if this is prior to any internal deadline set by the school (which is likely to be ahead of the exam board's 21st February deadline)". Did you have a date by which you were asked to provide details and funds to the school?
You have very little time to get this sorted. Have you tried going above the exams officer's head and contacting someone in the senior leadership team, or the school's head? Or perhaps there's a senior exams office you can contact?
The school have said that they are going to fail to meet their obligation to provide your details to the exam board before close-of-business tomorrow. (I've no idea how long that process should take, to be fair, but for it to take longer than two weeks seems pretty bizarre to me.) As a result, they become responsible to the late entry fee. Their inefficiency / incompetence; their cost.
The only wrinkle I can see here is if the school set a deadline of three weeks ago in the small-print of some document, or used some vague phrase requiring you to provide details/payment "in sufficient time". Hence why my first reply used the caveat "if this is prior to any internal deadline set by the school (which is likely to be ahead of the exam board's 21st February deadline)". Did you have a date by which you were asked to provide details and funds to the school?
You have very little time to get this sorted. Have you tried going above the exams officer's head and contacting someone in the senior leadership team, or the school's head? Or perhaps there's a senior exams office you can contact?
Yes there was an internal deadline entailing me to give details (not funds) before 3rd February. I did this in 31st January.
Original post by DataVenia
OK. So you have a legally binding agreement with the school to pay £350 + £100 in admin fees for them to act as the exam centre for three A levels. You have paid the fee they requested, by the time they requested (I assume; did the school specify a deadline prior to 21st Feb?). You have therefore met your obligations.
The school have said that they are going to fail to meet their obligation to provide your details to the exam board before close-of-business tomorrow. (I've no idea how long that process should take, to be fair, but for it to take longer than two weeks seems pretty bizarre to me.) As a result, they become responsible to the late entry fee. Their inefficiency / incompetence; their cost.
The only wrinkle I can see here is if the school set a deadline of three weeks ago in the small-print of some document, or used some vague phrase requiring you to provide details/payment "in sufficient time". Hence why my first reply used the caveat "if this is prior to any internal deadline set by the school (which is likely to be ahead of the exam board's 21st February deadline)". Did you have a date by which you were asked to provide details and funds to the school?
You have very little time to get this sorted. Have you tried going above the exams officer's head and contacting someone in the senior leadership team, or the school's head? Or perhaps there's a senior exams office you can contact?
The school have said that they are going to fail to meet their obligation to provide your details to the exam board before close-of-business tomorrow. (I've no idea how long that process should take, to be fair, but for it to take longer than two weeks seems pretty bizarre to me.) As a result, they become responsible to the late entry fee. Their inefficiency / incompetence; their cost.
The only wrinkle I can see here is if the school set a deadline of three weeks ago in the small-print of some document, or used some vague phrase requiring you to provide details/payment "in sufficient time". Hence why my first reply used the caveat "if this is prior to any internal deadline set by the school (which is likely to be ahead of the exam board's 21st February deadline)". Did you have a date by which you were asked to provide details and funds to the school?
You have very little time to get this sorted. Have you tried going above the exams officer's head and contacting someone in the senior leadership team, or the school's head? Or perhaps there's a senior exams office you can contact?
Should i just approach the school tomorrow and explain to a senior member of staff?
Original post by McDonaldsEmploy
Should i just approach the school tomorrow and explain to a senior member of staff?
That sounds like a good approach. Make sure you have all the relevant facts to hand (with evidence). So you'd want the deadline you were given for providing details, the lack of a deadline for providing payment, the actual date you provided both etc.
Let us know how you get on. Good luck.
It is frustrating though. 
I contacted AQA and they said if the school has the details and payment then it should only take a couple of minutes to enter the exams and sent it on their system.
I contacted AQA and they said if the school has the details and payment then it should only take a couple of minutes to enter the exams and sent it on their system.
Original post by McDonaldsEmploy
It is frustrating though.
I contacted AQA and they said if the school has the details and payment then it should only take a couple of minutes to enter the exams and sent it on their system.
I contacted AQA and they said if the school has the details and payment then it should only take a couple of minutes to enter the exams and sent it on their system.
That was a smart move.
Clearly, the exams officer could submit your details tomorrow if they wanted to.
When you approach the school, let them know that you've spoken to AQA. Ask what the reason for the delay is, given that AQA have indicated that it's a trivial process to submit your details to them.
Original post by DataVenia
That was a smart move.
Clearly, the exams officer could submit your details tomorrow if they wanted to.
When you approach the school, let them know that you've spoken to AQA. Ask what the reason for the delay is, given that AQA have indicated that it's a trivial process to submit your details to them.
Clearly, the exams officer could submit your details tomorrow if they wanted to.
When you approach the school, let them know that you've spoken to AQA. Ask what the reason for the delay is, given that AQA have indicated that it's a trivial process to submit your details to them.
So I went to the school early.
Told the receptionist that I won't leave until I see a senior member of staff about a "complaint". One of the vice principals actually came. I explained the situation. He then told me if the exam officer doesn't have the time, there is nothing he can't do about it. I repeated what you said about legal obligation to process before the deadline, as I did send £452 payment (exam fee plus the exam officer's admin fee) I made to the school's account before their internal deadline of 10th February. That made him think, then he left after saying "he'll see what he can do."
10 mins later, the exam officer comes into the waiting room tells me she can suddenly process the exam entry today after "careful consideration."
What a charade.
Original post by McDonaldsEmploy
So I went to the school early.
Told the receptionist that I won't leave until I see a senior member of staff about a "complaint". One of the vice principals actually came. I explained the situation. He then told me if the exam officer doesn't have the time, there is nothing he can't do about it. I repeated what you said about legal obligation to process before the deadline, as I did send £452 payment (exam fee plus the exam officer's admin fee) I made to the school's account before their internal deadline of 10th February. That made him think, then he left after saying "he'll see what he can do."
10 mins later, the exam officer comes into the waiting room tells me she can suddenly process the exam entry today after "careful consideration."
What a charade.
Told the receptionist that I won't leave until I see a senior member of staff about a "complaint". One of the vice principals actually came. I explained the situation. He then told me if the exam officer doesn't have the time, there is nothing he can't do about it. I repeated what you said about legal obligation to process before the deadline, as I did send £452 payment (exam fee plus the exam officer's admin fee) I made to the school's account before their internal deadline of 10th February. That made him think, then he left after saying "he'll see what he can do."
10 mins later, the exam officer comes into the waiting room tells me she can suddenly process the exam entry today after "careful consideration."
What a charade.
A charade indeed, but fantastic news that your exam entry was processed by the deadline. Well done for persisting!
Original post by DataVenia
A charade indeed, but fantastic news that your exam entry was processed by the deadline. Well done for persisting!
Thanks for the guidance when i was stressed out yesterday.
Original post by ssssingh
is this for 3 alevels or one alevel with 3 exams?
3 alevels
Original post by ssssingh
youre lucky tbf i paid 1200 for my alevels private candidate
Ouch. Perhaps you should claim the "fleeced" crown from @McDonaldsEmploy?
Original post by ssssingh
I've claimed it
£450 for 3 alevels is such a good price where do you find these prices? I've looked for a while and thought I purchased one of the lowest but it still amounts to £700+ for 3
Original post by McDonaldsEmploy
I applied at a school of my choosing to sit the exams.
Exam Officer of that school said I have to pay the cost of the exams £350 and her admin fee of £100 fee before the 21st February deadline. Which I did 2 weeks ago.
Here is the catch: There is a deadline the 21st February. After the date the exam entry is classed as "late" so the cost of the exams balloon up to £750.
The exam officer is saying that she now doesn't have the time to send my exam entry before the deadline (despite me sending the details and money over 2 weeks ago). And I now have to pay £750 fee. This is unfair.
Exam Officer of that school said I have to pay the cost of the exams £350 and her admin fee of £100 fee before the 21st February deadline. Which I did 2 weeks ago.
Here is the catch: There is a deadline the 21st February. After the date the exam entry is classed as "late" so the cost of the exams balloon up to £750.
The exam officer is saying that she now doesn't have the time to send my exam entry before the deadline (despite me sending the details and money over 2 weeks ago). And I now have to pay £750 fee. This is unfair.
Original post by Shush2020
£450 for 3 alevels is such a good price where do you find these prices? I've looked for a while and thought I purchased one of the lowest but it still amounts to £700+ for 3
its on AQA's website.
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