2021 Private Candidate Support Thread

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I emailed aec tutors and they charge about 750 pounds per A level, if you plus the exam entry fee and admin fee that would be more than 1000 pounds.
The worst part is: they only give you a single assessment plus four lessons and then your CAG is determined. I can't trust them, I need A for my physics, how can they determine the grade so easily？

Reply 1181

Cliff82289

Original post by heysummer

It’s crazy right. This is why exams need to be optional in the summer 2021 and if they weren’t centres like this would benefit and make even more money it’s sad

Reply 1182

summerKJI

If Y13s have an earlier results day then private candidates taking exams, wouldnt that disadvantage private candidate offer holders? If some Y13s barely miss their offer and call up on their results day the universities could offer some leniency if they have any vacancies that wouldnt be extended to us right? i would rather we all have the same results day...

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 1183

summerKJI

I hope for private candidates they allow us to have multiple options we can choose from, especially after last year

Reply 1184

username5472528

Original post by Polymorphousperv

I don't see why if we were to have mini-tests they'd be scheduled for two months' time; they could take place at the same time as everyone else's tests, in May/June. And sitting full exams is far and away the riskiest thing to be doing because there's the most room to screw up. At least if we have mini-exams our odds are better of coming away with better marks (since that's the only difference between mini-exams and complete ones - fewer questions). If, moreover, we also had the option to be told in advance of submission what our CAGs might be were our teachers to submit them (which was an option on the survey), we'd be better equipped to gauge whether we would be getting our desired grades or whether we should also be preparing to sit actual exams the same summer. This seems like the best option, not sitting entire papers after a year without any contact with one's school and the added stresses of family life, siblings and online learning, the virus encroaching upon one's own household, etc. etc.

Results day this year is meant to be in early July. Tell me how they'll be marking 20,000 private candidate tests on top of the other Year 13 tests if they hold exams in June? It normally takes about two months for them to mark all the papers, standardise results, make grade boundaries and award students grades.

There is no way they will be taking mini-tests in June. Even in May, that just leaves one month for them to mark the tests. At the very latest, I can imagine April- early May. And as I said in my post, that timeframe is just about two months away

You are also acting like you know exactly how they're going to give the tests, what their structure will be like, how they will compare to regular papers, differences between exam boards, availability, where they will actually take place, standardisation, etc.

I understand it seems like the better option, sort of like MMI's (multiple mini interviews) in Medicine. You do bad at one station, go ahead and do the next better, messing up once won't ruin the entire outcome. However, there's just far too many unknowns about this plan.

Most of us have actually finished the content for exams, unlike the current Year 13's, and are just revising. Doing papers that are in a familiar format to the countless we've done in preparation feels a lot safer to me compared to some unknown scheme the government's whipped out of nowhere, and gave exam boards about four months to create. You can already see how much of a mess this is probably going to be come this July when results come out.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 1185

Yewfelle

I just want grades. I don't give a toss how they're allocated, I just want to be rid of A levels once and for all. Williamson can dish out grades via throwing darts blindfolded at a chalkboard for all I care. I just never ever want to see another A level ever again.

Reply 1186

heysummer

Original post by Yewfelle

Saaaaaaame

Reply 1187

Sharpshooter

I'm from Northern Ireland, so we have a modular system here and not a linear one, here's what our education minister Peter Weir recently said with regards to exams in 2022.

Year 11 and Year 13 – implications for 2022 awarding
Candidates in Year 11 and Year 13 will wish to have more
information on the arrangements for qualifications in
2022. CCEA has been asked to look specifically at the
arrangements for Years 11 and 13, and the implications
for awarding in 2022

As I mentioned earlier, GCSE units or modules will not be
awarded grades this summer. Work is still ongoing to
consider if AS grades might be carried forward to the A
level awards in 2022. I am not in a position to confirm
arrangements today as this is a very complex matter.

However, CCEA is continuing to explore all options and I
hope to be able to provide clarity by the end of March or
as soon as possible thereafter concerning the
arrangements for awarding GCSEs and A levels in 2022.
I am conscious that these learners have also experienced
significant disruption this year so I will be looking to take
steps to reduce the assessment burden in 2022, similar
to the adaptions I had announced for 2021 exams.

https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/Statement%20to%20the%20Assembly%20Alternative%20Awarding%20arrangements%20for%20Summer%202....pdf (page 21)

Does that mean its unlikely the full course will be offered even next year for 2022 for private candidates? I think the situation pre cancellation was to determine students grades based on just 40% of the course, i.e. in our case take one A2 module as the whole years work.

So it looks like 2022's grade wont be based on the whole curriculum either that means. I was thinking about going private if I didn't like my grade this year, but seems like there's going to complications with regards to that too.

Reply 1188

Zeshan435687445

Original post by CarrotsEatChu

Just to let whoever wants to know that AEC Tuition and tutorsandexams (their entry deadline is fast approaching) are willing to work with private candidates to obtain CAGs dependent on further information from Ofqual

How much do they charge

Reply 1189

username3978178

Apparently optional summer exams r going ahead

Reply 1190

LakR

Original post by studybuddy1302

Apparently optional summer exams r going ahead

how do you know?

Reply 1191

username3978178

Original post by LakR

how do you know?

Some person tweeted it and it’s going around all students r sharing it and I saw someone post it on YouTube too, but it’s not confirmed yet

Reply 1192

xSoup

Original post by LakR

how do you know?

I believe some editor for the express put it out on twitter. I'll try and find it again, but I would take it with a *mountain* of salt. I have heard from no other source that optional exams are going ahead.

EDIT: His name is Paul Jeeves, and he's a correspondent for The Express. Tweet was posted yesterday (4th Feb). I would however, caution against getting excited as there are currently no other sources available to confirm this.