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The best way to Resit GCSE's?

I am at the end of Year 12, and have decided to re-sit my English and Maths GCSE as I got 4's and need 6's for the Uni I want to go to. Can anyone recommend the best/ quickest way to re-sit? Would a tutor be better or NEC or ICSLearn which are on-line programmes that take you through the whole course? Thanks for any advice.

Reply 1

username4910484

Original post by Jay McCallum

Ring up the universities you are interested in and directly ask them if they would accept you with just 4's in English and Maths.
Also ask your college if you could retake either maths or english with them.
If not a tutor *would* be better, but the they are extremely expensive
Maths is definitely the easiest to self study, when I self studied it I didn't bother with any online courses, in my experience online courses (especially for maths) are just a massive rip off.
Essentially they give you access to an online text book and will teacher mark upto 6-8 assignments + one practice paper. All for upto £600.
Maths is easy to mark yourself because 99% of the time you are either clearly right or wrong.
Good resources:
https://www.savemyexams.co.uk/gcse-maths-edexcel-new/
Basically a massive Bank of questions with worked solutions available for several specifications. Subscriptions @ £60 a month 100% worth it!!!

The official higher student book for the course
Like the ones they have at school

Ask your college if they can give you access to a website called 'my maths'
Very good, clear work throughs of questions & self marks

Potentially invest in a CPG question book

Practice practice practice as many pastpapers as possible!!!

Make sure you book somewhere to take the exam!!!
GCSE ENGLISH:
As GCSE English has a speaking and listening component to it, you will be unable to achieve a full qualification if you don't do it through college.
That's OK. An IGCSE (International GCSE) is your best bet-- its widely considered to be as good as a gcse.
Its virtually impossible to self mark English, so unless you can afford a tutor, you will to do an online course.
But first, ask the English department at your college if they would mark samples of your work for you (if you can't do the retake course @ college)
Again, make sure you have an exam centre booked. As it's an IGCSE qualification, it's possible to take it in either January or May.

Reply 2

Compost

If you need to take them then I'd aim to take them this Autumn, assuming the usual November GCSE Maths and English re-sit session going ahead, rather than have to worry about them at the same time as your A levels. Ask your current 6th form if they would let you take them there. They may even be prepared to give you some help learning stuff.