The Student Room Group

Re-taking A Levels?

So results day is next week and I want to be prepared to if I decide to re take my exams. Theres lots of info about clearing and adjustment and all that but absolutely nothing on re taking exams which I'm sure is almost as popular a choice as the others on results day. I know that if I don't get my grades I will most likely re take my A levels and not rush into any silly decision to go to a uni I don't want to go to just because I can get into it through clearing. So how do you actually re take your a levels, I know you can go back to school/college, but I don't really want to do that, is there a way to get re take support at home somehow? and what about time management with studying at home? and also where to retake the exams. Thanks for any replies in advance!
Original post by BohoPrincess
So results day is next week and I want to be prepared to if I decide to re take my exams. Theres lots of info about clearing and adjustment and all that but absolutely nothing on re taking exams which I'm sure is almost as popular a choice as the others on results day. I know that if I don't get my grades I will most likely re take my A levels and not rush into any silly decision to go to a uni I don't want to go to just because I can get into it through clearing. So how do you actually re take your a levels, I know you can go back to school/college, but I don't really want to do that, is there a way to get re take support at home somehow? and what about time management with studying at home? and also where to retake the exams. Thanks for any replies in advance!

Which subjects are you taking? Some are easier to answer your question for ...

In general you can retake as a private candidate but you need to be sure the unis you are interested in will accept retakes.
I retook my A Levels this year and it really was the best decision I ever made (made two days before I was supposed to move in to a uni I got into via clearing)
I worked part time as well as studying for them alone at home, I retook them as a private candidate at my original sixth form but had an arrangement set up with the head of sixth form and my teachers throughout the year of me being able to go into school as a ‘visitor’ and seeing my teachers with exam questions/any help I needed. However my situation may differ to others - it depends on the support your school is willing to offer.
As for time management at home, I made a plan of the topics I wanted to cover each week for the entire year in September 2018 and stuck to it.

I retook Sociology and Psychology, hoping I get the A’s I want next week :smile:
(edited 4 years ago)
Retake what u think u can get a higher grade on
Then u must take action to ensure it
I retook maths coz i know i can do better and i do think that i can get a higher grade on it
Reply 4
You're highly unlikely to be able to stay for free at a college to re-take, but you can study at home, paying a tutor if necessary, and find somewhere to accept you as a private candidate to re-sit next Summer. Your current college is likely to be the cheapest place if they will have you back but they may not. The entry fee at the exam board for an A level is £90-£130 but expect to pay a fair bit more than that for the centres admin, invigilation etc. The entry deadline at the exam board is 21 February but you should aim to have sorted a centre before Christmas and finalised everything in January.

If any of your subjects have assessed practicals or NEA you can carry forward the marks for that - which is handy as it is extremely difficult to find anywhere to re-sit that as a private candidate.
Original post by Muttley79
Which subjects are you taking? Some are easier to answer your question for ...

In general you can retake as a private candidate but you need to be sure the unis you are interested in will accept retakes.

Biology, chemistry and geography, do you know what happens with coursework for a subject like geography?
Original post by ally2000
I retook my A Levels this year and it really was the best decision I ever made (made two days before I was supposed to move in to a uni I got into via clearing)
I worked part time as well as studying for them alone at home, I retook them as a private candidate at my original sixth form but had an arrangement set up with the head of sixth form and my teachers throughout the year of me being able to go into school as a ‘visitor’ and seeing my teachers with exam questions/any help I needed. However my situation may differ to others - it depends on the support your school is willing to offer.
As for time management at home, I made a plan of the topics I wanted to cover each week for the entire year in September 2018 and stuck to it.

I retook Sociology and Psychology, hoping I get the A’s I want next week :smile:


Thanks for the help! I've just been really frustrated because since finishing A Levels I'm being bombarded with emails from my unis and UCAS about clearing, all my youtube and Spotify ads are all about clearing and unis that are in clearing and all the info my school has given me is only about clearing! I get unis need money and need to fill spaces and schools need to send as many kids off to uni as they can regardless of if the uni is good or not but its just so annoying for people who actually want to better their grades because they're given no info or support. If I find out I have to resit when I get my results next week i'll definitely enquire about having an arrangement similar to what you had with your sixth form because it sounds perfect for how I would want to resit. Thanks again for the help and I hope you get your A's too! :biggrin:
Original post by BohoPrincess
Biology, chemistry and geography, do you know what happens with coursework for a subject like geography?

No but the specification will tell you if you can carry it forward. If your school will allow you to re-enter as a Private candidate that would be the best option. There are lists of centres who accept private candidates on some exam board websites [Edexcel has one]
Reply 8
Original post by BohoPrincess
Biology, chemistry and geography, do you know what happens with coursework for a subject like geography?


As I said in a previous post. You can carry forward the marks you get in the NEA (coursework). In theory it's possibly to re-do it but it is hard to find anyone to supervise you and it tends to be expensive.

Quick Reply

Latest