Any mature students on here who have gone back to study A-levels??

Original post by thumus81

dont u need access to a laboratory for A level chem?

For the reformed A level specifications, there are twelve 'required practicals'. Your teacher has to confirm that you have taken and reached the required standard in these practicals, and you are then examined on them in the terminal examinations at the end of the course.

There is an option to not do the practicals, but to just learn the content of them for the examination. However, importantly, this would lead to you not receiving the practical endorsement for your qualification which, for most universities, is mandatory. Thus, you'd essentially be left with a worthless A level.

So it's very important to check that any distance learning course in Chemistry you consider makes adequate provision to take and be assessed in all twelve practicals.

Reply 442

flojenkins

1

Original post by thumus81

dont u need access to a laboratory for A level chem?

You do not have to have the practical endorsements.
I've checked with each university I'm reapplying to and as I will already have a degree they are willing to accept my application without the practical endorsement.
If you're in a similar position, just email them as the practical endorsements cost so much time and money.

Reply 443

alihaywood

I'm 55 and teaching myself A level maths. No reason, just because I've always wanted a maths A level.I'm finding teaching myself quite challenging, especially as I only started in Feb this year. I tried to find a FE college to go to in September but was told they only enrol 6th formers on their A level courses which I think is discriminatory. I'm a 55 year old woman, it's not like I'd be any trouble! And I expected to pay a fee!

Reply 444

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by flojenkins

You do not have to have the practical endorsements.
I've checked with each university I'm reapplying to and as I will already have a degree they are willing to accept my application without the practical endorsement.

That's obviously rather a different scenario - most students on this forum will not have a degree, so the practical endorsement is going to be important for them. :smile:

Reply 445

Snufkin

21

Original post by thumus81

dont u need access to a laboratory for A level chem?

Original post by Reality Check

For the reformed A level specifications, there are twelve 'required practicals'. Your teacher has to confirm that you have taken and reached the required standard in these practicals, and you are then examined on them in the terminal examinations at the end of the course.

There is an option to not do the practicals, but to just learn the content of them for the examination. However, importantly, this would lead to you not receiving the practical endorsement for your qualification which, for most universities, is mandatory. Thus, you'd essentially be left with a worthless A level.

So it's very important to check that any distance learning course in Chemistry you consider makes adequate provision to take and be assessed in all twelve practicals.

I believe the NEC gives students taking their distance learning A levels the opportunity to take the practical endorsement, although according to their website the only test centres are in Oxford and Coventry. https://www.nec.ac.uk/content/non-exam-assessment-what-you-need-to-know

Reply 446

Original post by Snufkin

I believe the NEC gives students taking their distance learning A levels the opportunity to take the practical endorsement, although according to their website the only test centres are in Oxford and Coventry. https://www.nec.ac.uk/content/non-exam-assessment-what-you-need-to-know

Yes - it's a shame the NEC hasn't added more centres where students can take the practical component. They're rather inconvenient if you live in Falmouth or Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Reply 447

OP

Couldn't agree more! That's one of the main reasons which held me back from doing the practicals for Biology, there were no test centres within a reasonable distance to me so the cost of travelling as well as the practical fees just wasn't financially feasible! :frown:

Original post by Snufkin

I believe the NEC gives students taking their distance learning A levels the opportunity to take the practical endorsement, although according to their website the only test centres are in Oxford and Coventry. https://www.nec.ac.uk/content/non-exam-assessment-what-you-need-to-know

Original post by Reality Check

Yes - it's a shame the NEC hasn't added more centres where students can take the practical component. They're rather inconvenient if you live in Falmouth or Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Reply 448

Original post by Philip-flop

Couldn't agree more! That's one of the main reasons which held me back from doing the practicals for Biology, there were no test centres within a reasonable distance to me so the cost of travelling as well as the practical fees just wasn't financially feasible! :frown:

It's just silly - the practical components are now, for 99.9% of people, essentially mandatory so to have two assessment centres is woefully inadequate.

@National Extension College - I wonder if you could comment on this. Are there any plans to open further centres for candidates to be assessed?

Reply 449

OP

Original post by Reality Check

It's just silly - the practical components are now, for 99.9% of people, essentially mandatory so to have two assessment centres is woefully inadequate.

Exactly! I can pretty much say goodbye to any STEM subjects if I hope to study at university as they tend to require the practical endorsement! I'll just have to find other alternatives after I've finished these A-levels I guess! Why is education made so difficult for mature students? Do we really only have one shot when we're teenagers? :frown:

Reply 450

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Philip-flop

Exactly! I can pretty much say goodbye to any STEM subjects if I hope to study at university as they tend to require the practical endorsement! I'll just have to find other alternatives after I've finished these A-levels I guess! Why is education made so difficult for mature students? Do we really only have one shot when we're teenagers? :frown:

I think the NEC basically becomes a less attractive option (that and other reasons, anyway). There always is the option of enquiring at your local sixth-form college or even school to see if they accept external candidates for the practical component (I know several near us do) but I imagine you'd need to be entered at that centre for the written exams as well as the practical component, which could make any external tuition/packaged course arrangements for A level tricky. Still, it's better than jollying off hundreds of miles to take a practical or two.

Let's hope they address this issue. Are you still to start your A level choices, or have you made them?

Reply 451

Snufkin

21

Original post by Philip-flop

Couldn't agree more! That's one of the main reasons which held me back from doing the practicals for Biology, there were no test centres within a reasonable distance to me so the cost of travelling as well as the practical fees just wasn't financially feasible! :frown:

Original post by Philip-flop

Exactly! I can pretty much say goodbye to any STEM subjects if I hope to study at university as they tend to require the practical endorsement! I'll just have to find other alternatives after I've finished these A-levels I guess! Why is education made so difficult for mature students? Do we really only have one shot when we're teenagers? :frown:

I thought all schools/exam centres that admit private candidates are obliged to offer the practical component as well? Were there really none near you? That is unfortunate. :frown:

Reply 452

OP

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Reality Check

I think the NEC basically becomes a less attractive option (that and other reasons, anyway). There always is the option of enquiring at your local sixth-form college or even school to see if they accept external candidates for the practical component (I know several near us do) but I imagine you'd need to be entered at that centre for the written exams as well as the practical component, which could make any external tuition/packaged course arrangements for A level tricky. Still, it's better than jollying off hundreds of miles to take a practical or two.

Let's hope they address this issue. Are you still to start your A level choices, or have you made them?

I already have my A2 Bio exams lined up for this month :frown:

Original post by Snufkin

I thought all schools/exam centres that admit private candidates are obliged to offer the practical component as well? Were there really none near you? That is unfortunate. :frown:

They probably are obliged to! That's why my chosen exam centre asked me to sign a document to declare that they have offered me the opportunity to participate in the practical assessments (which they didn't). But if I didn't sign it then I wouldn't be allowed to sit any exams through them, and I would have wasted all this time studying for them! :frown:

Reply 453

Snufkin

21

Original post by Reality Check

but I imagine you'd need to be entered at that centre for the written exams as well as the practical component, which could make any external tuition/packaged course arrangements for A level tricky.

It shouldn't do, most people find their own exam centres. I think the NEC has 12 exam centres in various cities, but it is much more convenient to make private arrangements with your local high school, that's what I did. Of course, a lot of schools/centres won't have the resources to provide private candidates with the practical endorsement so they may just stop taking private candidates altogether.

Original post by Philip-flop

They probably are obliged to! That's why my chosen exam centre asked me to sign a document to declare that they have offered me the opportunity to participate in the practical assessments (which they didn't). But if I didn't sign it then I wouldn't be allowed to sit any exams through them, and I would have wasted all this time studying for them! :frown:

You should report them! Have you told the exam board?

Reply 454

OP

Original post by Snufkin

It shouldn't do, most people find their own exam centres. I think the NEC has 12 exam centres in various cities, but it is much more convenient to make private arrangements with your local high school, that's what I did. Of course, a lot of schools/centres won't have the resources to provide private candidates with the practical endorsement so they may just stop taking private candidates altogether.

That's what I did as well! The high school I'm doing my exams through are the closest and also the cheapest. But again, none of the exam centres "local" to me would even offer the practical assessments so in the end it was merely just a case of finding the cheapest price and considering the distance.

Original post by Snufkin

You should report them! Have you told the exam board?

I'm scared to report them in case I'm not allowed to sit my exams. Not only that, it's my word against their's, and it doesn't exactly work in my favour considering the document I signed declaring that they "had" offered me the opportunity. :frown:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 455

Schadenfreude65

14

A level practicals are offered by 3A Tutors in Bristol. I took my son there a few years ago for some of his GCSEs, and can definitely recommend them.
http://www.3atutors.co.uk/

Reply 456

OP

Original post by Schadenfreude65

A level practicals are offered by 3A Tutors in Bristol. I took my son there a few years ago for some of his GCSEs, and can definitely recommend them.
http://www.3atutors.co.uk/

Yeah I think 3A Tutors were one of the very few places that offer the practical assessments. The thing is, not only were they too far for me to travel to, but they didn't offer the practicals for my chosen exam board (Edexcel). They suggested that I change to AQA but at the time it seemed like too much of a risky move considering the content between the two boards vary a fair bit and I had already learnt all of AS and most of A2 :frown:

Thanks anyway! Really appreciate the fact that someone has acknowledged the difficult position I'm in :smile:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 457

Owain53

12

Original post by Philip-flop

Just want to build a community of mature students who are studying A-levels. Anyone?

State your age, what you were doing previously, and what A-levels you are studying :smile:

Yeah, 2 years ago when i was 21 I started a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma. Finishing it now, my predicted grades are D*D*D but I'm hoping that I will get D*D*D*

So all in all, went well. Had no problems with adjusting back to college life.

Reply 458

OP