Homeschooling For A-Levels

1. How would I complete my coursework for English Literature and History? Would an external exam centre be qualified to do this?

2. I am completely self-taught, having no private tutors. Who would give me a valid academic reference?

3. Do unis treat you differently as a private candidate?

4. I'm going to apply to Oxbridge and I've heard they care a lot about the reference. If I were to ask a private tutor to give me a reference, would this put me at a disadvantage since they don't have the same experience as for example, a grammar school teacher with 5+ years of experience? Would they trust my reference?

I think your best option is to email your chosen exam boards directly and email them or arrange a time to speak to them on the phone/have a meeting maybe? they will most likely give you the best, overall advice. i would assume you would have to do your coursework yourself and submit what you have and those moderating exams would look at yours too? i take geography at a-level, and although my teachers give you your mark for coursework it will have to be moderated after.

in terms of reference i wouldn’t be too worried. i had teachers who i’ve known for barely less than a year write mine although it’s certainly better than your situation. i would suggest getting someone who knows you well to do it? if you play a sport get one of your coaches to submit a reference? if you don’t have anyone genuinely the best answer you could get is from the universities you want to apply too.

Oxford will look at you differently, the same as they look at everyone differently. a private school kid and a state school kid are 2 very different people, with their own set of challenges. being homeschooled i guess would make you look unique, but also i would say would show that you are very determined and interested in your subjects as you’ve done it all by yourself. i would just say reallt look into supercirriculars if you want to go into oxbridge it’ll enhance your chances of getting in!

I have a quick question for you. being homeschooled, how are you receiving your gcse grades? i mean in a sense of who has determined it for you considering you didn’t have a teacher putting in those grades for you?

You'd need to make arrangements with either a centre to do this for you (at a price), or take a course provided by an online provider like the NEC. You need some sort of help with the coursework aspects of these courses


It's a bit of a risk trying to do all of this yourself, in a homeschooled way, without any tutorial support. I really would recommend you get a tutor, and then s/he would be able to give you a reference



No, not fundamentally. The grades are what is important, not how they were obtained, unless you are a contextual applicant (i.e have some sort of contextual data such as where you live, care leaver etc) and then the circumstances in which you took the qualifications become relevant. But if you're just studying privately out of choice, then it makes no difference.





If the reference is from a valid source, i.e. someone who has seen enough of your academic work to validly comment on it and your suitability for your chosen degree, then it makes no difference whether the reference comes from a private tutor or the teacher you've described. Oxbridge does not put any particular emphasis on the PS, by the way.

Thanks so much for your quick response! For my GCSE grades, I had to sit a few mocks at an external exam centre. They marked them and gave me a TAG based on it. Quick question, are you homeschooled or have self-taught your a-levels?

Thank you for replying! I don't really want to get a tutor as I've heard they're quite expensive, especially for a-levels. I'll also have to pay for coursework and writing the exams but thanks anyway. I will consider it.

I would not advise studying and sitting 4 A levels in one year ...

I've already done some revision and self-taught all my GCSEs. I also have family members that help me out with questions, tests etc.

I'm currently homeschooled and have been for my GCSEs as well. I am planning on doing my A-Levels (Economics, English Literature, Politics, History) in summer 2022. I would then apply with my actual grades instead of predicted ones as I do not have anyone qualified to give me any. I have a few questions about applying to unis:

1. How would I complete my coursework for English Literature and History? Would an external exam centre be qualified to do this?

That is not A level - please study just 3 or take two years - there's no advantage in rushing though.

Plenty of people take 4 A-levels. As long as you can manage the workload there's no problem with it. It's all down to the individual and their capacity.

Not many people take 4 A-levels in 1 year, especially without any tutors or teachers.

Of course most people would struggle to self-teach 4 A-levels over the course of two years (presuming OP is doing it over 2 years), but I don't think "don't do 4 A-levels" is universal advice. OP knows whether or not they can manage 4 A-levels, and some people definitely can, including with self-teaching.

OP makes it clear in the first post that they are intending to study 4 A levels in one year, hence all the advice not to.

Proportional to the number of people taking 3, 4 A-level people are not a lot, but it's still fairly common and I know lots of kids who do it (I was doing it too for a few months, dropped my fourth subject because I got bored with it). It depends on which A-levels they are, but some A-levels are entirely self-teachable with a textbook, and even for those that aren't, it is still far from impossible to self-teach them.

Of course most people would struggle to self-teach 4 A-levels over the course of two years (presuming OP is doing it over 2 years), but I don't think "don't do 4 A-levels" is universal advice. OP knows whether or not they can manage 4 A-levels, and some people definitely can, including with self-teaching.

4 A-levels are so easy and such a walk in the park.. that must be why Oxbridge makes everyone do 5

Only those with 7A* to 16A* at GCSE do 5 A-Levels!!! lol