2021 Private Candidate Support Thread

It’s basically CAGs again. Working with our centre to get a grade using evidence like mocks, tests and coursework

Guys can we start a petition about the cost for priv candidates and deadlines for entries? I’ve already paid 1k for 2 A Levels but if they choose to do coursework it’s an extra 1000 and if that part is optional for school pupils we shouldn’t have to go broke to get an A Level that would be free

Guys can we start a petition about the cost for priv candidates and deadlines for entries? I’ve already paid 1k for 2 A Levels but if they choose to do coursework it’s an extra 1000 and if that part is optional for school pupils we shouldn’t have to go broke to get an A Level that would be free

Apparently not, according to the latest information given it will be assessed grades, I am just shocked that they couldn’t even set mini external exams for private candidates 😭😭😭 but they said they will lay out the process in detail so let’s see what the next steps are.

We honestly should, some centres are charging ridiculous amounts, they have stated ‘at costs normal to other years’ but what does that even mean, I feel like they should give us some sort of funding even if it’s like students finance and we have to pay it back, because there is noooo way I can afford to pay more on top of what I’ve already paid.

Apparently October exams will take place, does that mean most of us are again left with nothing but another gap year 🥲💔💔💔

Only if you can’t find a centre :/ we literally told them autumn exams are a bad idea f*** gavin and f*** ofqual

I’ve read we can submit evidence to our local school but it doesn’t say how much they charge. What if they don’t offer our topics or subjects? How much more will we have to pay private exam centres? The gov should cap the prices especially when people at school are getting them for free

IKRRR!!! Although I found a cheap exam centre all this CAG thing is very salty and doesn’t give us the justice to prove our ability. We don’t know how things will work out at the end as we are not in charge in our grades!!! Government is such a piss take

I am about to register with a private exam centre. They have stated a price list as pdf on their website, which seems like they charge the normal fees as if we would sit normal exams.
They charge me 230 pounds for each subject (international a level), i think for normal AS/A Level the costs are about 245 pounds.
If you don‘t have an exam centre yet go and find one, as my one told me they will charge late entry fees for entries made after 1. March

This is ridiculous the fact they took this long in deep consultation and yet come up with a less than optimal solution, how can they mess things up last year, then consult for months, and still make no improvements from last year. Also how much material are we going to be assessed on, for colleges, what has been already taught varies from college to college so their assessments will reflect that, but how much material are private candidates expected to have learned up to this point I have no idea how far the colleges have taught in their subject.

"There will also be a clear and accessible route for private candidates to work with a centre to receive a grade this year, at the same time as other candidates. Exam boards will provide centres with clear guidance on the evidence they can use to assess a private candidate. A list of available centres will be published shortly and, we are working with the sector to ensure there are sufficient centres available and at a similar cost to a normal year."

I'm sure this bit was released ages ago I remember reading it in a different report, they've obviously spent all the time on dealing with how to assess college students and have given no thought to private candidates, how can they say 'there will', they've been in consultation for ages it should be 'there IS a clear and accessible route which we have been working on this for the past few months and this is it.....'

I have an exam centre thank you but it really depends on which centre you can get to and what they can offer. My subjects have coursework that need marking and authenticating and they charge so much 😭

Honestly! And I’m confused because we paid exam board fees but the exam board isn’t doing anything 😭 Exam centres are so stingy with refunds and stuff I honestly don’t know what we’ve paid for

They need to tell us today to because we need to know what we’re about to spend £500+ on. They’re so incompetent