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Physics practicals at home?

Im self studying A Level physics (not sure which exam board to pick yet) and was wondering how required practicals are handled without a college? All I have is youtube lol
You have to take exams in an exam centre, which is generally a school. Most home schooled students would contact said exam centre/school and ask to join in when the class would do a practical
Original post by OBTFOREVER
Im self studying A Level physics (not sure which exam board to pick yet) and was wondering how required practicals are handled without a college? All I have is youtube lol

pick a board
Reply 3
Original post by summerbirdreads
pick a board

How about AQA?
Reply 4
Original post by Roasted Potato
You have to take exams in an exam centre, which is generally a school. Most home schooled students would contact said exam centre/school and ask to join in when the class would do a practical

are the practicals truly mandatory? can I not get away with just knowing the steps/theory? for AQA
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by OBTFOREVER
How about AQA?

honestly the board you choose doesn't matter but you need to choose one so you can follow a structured syllabus and use the correct resources and prepare for the exam better
Reply 6
Original post by summerbirdreads
honestly the board you choose doesn't matter but you need to choose one so you can follow a structured syllabus and use the correct resources and prepare for the exam better

yeah I chose AQA at first but wanted to know if any exam boards out there requires you to do a practical instead of just knowing the theory/steps behind it
Original post by OBTFOREVER
are the practicals truly mandatory? can I not get away with just knowing the steps/theory? for AQA

I think the international board doesn't have a practical component, so maybe you can look into them
Reply 8
Original post by summerbirdreads
I think the international board doesn't have a practical component, so maybe you can look into them

thank you!!! will double check now
Original post by OBTFOREVER
thank you!!! will double check now

I think it's the Edexcel International one that doesn't have practicals, I'm not sure though but one of them definitely have a non practical option but also look into centres or collages that does the international boards, there probably aren't many
Reply 10
Original post by summerbirdreads
I think it's the Edexcel International one that doesn't have practicals, I'm not sure though but one of them definitely have a non practical option but also look into centres or collages that does the international boards, there probably aren't many

Can anyone sit these exams or only for international students? I’m from UK just restarting year 12 on my own (I’m 17)
Original post by OBTFOREVER
Can anyone sit these exams or only for international students? I’m from UK just restarting year 12 on my own (I’m 17)

they do International boards here as well! many home-educated people sit the igcse exams for science subjects, so they probably do A-Levels as well but you'll probably have a hard time finding a centre/school/collage that does the international boards
Reply 12
Original post by summerbirdreads
they do International boards here as well! many home-educated people sit the igcse exams for science subjects, so they probably do A-Levels as well but you'll probably have a hard time finding a centre/school/collage that does the international boards

Ahh I wish I could be where you are… do you know where to find these centres? I tried googling but the only one I found is in Bristol! I’m in Liverpool lol
Original post by OBTFOREVER
Ahh I wish I could be where you are… do you know where to find these centres? I tried googling but the only one I found is in Bristol! I’m in Liverpool lol

um idk I'm not home-educated lol but I had a friend who was, so I have no idea where the centres are but my friend lived in London
Reply 14
All the specifications approved for teaching in English state schools (AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas) require you to take the 12 assessed practicals at a recognised exam centre in order to get a pass in the practical endorsement. However, you can still get an A* in A level Physics with a Not classified in the practicals endorsement so if you don't need it for a university offer (many courses make a pass in it one of the conditions of your offer) you could just not take them. Any centre willing to let you take Physics A level with them has to offer you the chance to take the practicals but you can turn it down.

The alternatives are WJEC which I think has a couple of practical exams (you've have to travel to Wales to take this) rather than 12 assessed practicals or one of the international exam boards - Oxford AQA, Edexcel IAL or CAIE. Very few centres offer these in the UK and I think that it's not possible to take Edexcel IAL in the UK at all (it certainly doesn't appear in the entry manual for the UK)
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by OBTFOREVER
Im self studying A Level physics (not sure which exam board to pick yet) and was wondering how required practicals are handled without a college? All I have is youtube lol


The practical endorsment is a seperate qualification, and needs to be assessed by someone qualified. You'll have to find an exam center or college which will let you attend for the practicals only.

If you already have the CPAC and are retaking, you don't need to do it again.

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