Questions on applying on UCAS as a private resit student

How should I do my UCAS application as a private candidate who is retaking their A-levels? Last year I applied through my school using the buzzword, should I do that again? What is the benefit to doing that as opposed to simply having teachers from my old school as reference (and how many teachers do I need for my reference, since I'm retaking 2 subjects?).

They're not letting me sit exams there again, even as a private candidate, they've never allowed this and it's not part of their policy. But how much effort will it be on their part to let me sit my resits there and are they being reasonable?

Thanks.

If you ask for your school to provide you a reference, you're likely to be given the buzzword automatically - that's what my school did when I applied during my gap year anyway. You only get one reference, so you won't need two teachers to send in a reference.

It seems weird that your school won't let you resit. Most schools will let you resit exams there. Huh. You should ask them anyway if it's possible, they might let you resit there anyway, but if they say no, no point in trying to change their minds. Where are you planning on resitting your A levels now? And since you may not be resitting your A levels via your school, you should ask if they're happy to provide you with predicted grades!

Thanks. I haven't asked for a reference yet, if they let me use their buzzword does it make the process easier for them (and me)?
I asked in August if I could sit my exams there but they said it's not in their policy and they've never allowed this, not sure if begging could get them to change their minds. I think I'd save some money. I'm going to ask for my old predicted grades although those probably look too ambitious now. If not will most universities be understanding of why I'm applying without them? I can't really afford those private institutions that give you them.

The buzzword doesn't change the process all that much, it only means that when you hit the "submit" button, it'll actually be submitted to your school for them to check over your application and insert the reference before it actually gets sent off to the universities.

When you contact your school to ask for a reference, ask one more time if they'll let you resit there. If they say no again, don't try changing their minds, they won't, so just find somewhere else that'll allow you to sit the exams there - and ideally do this soon. If your school doesn't want to give you a new set of predicted grades... that's understandable and you shouldn't worry too much about it - you can apply without predicted grades and universities will be quite used to seeing this

I know you're more a universities person, but do you know if having no UCAS predicted grades is a problem with apprenticeships or will they be mostly be understanding of my situation when I explain it to them? I'm considering Level 4 and Level 6.

I asked my old sixth form head and am waiting on a response. But how do I explain why I want to apply through the school using the buzzword? Personally it may make the process easier and I could maybe get a contextual offer but I'm not sure that's valid enough to them. I don't think they've ever done this before for old private retake students so I need to explain it well to them.

And if I do apply through the school with the buzzword am I free to sit my exams elsewhere and everything on results day and such will work normally?

It's the standard practice to apply via your old school even if you're in a gap year so they should give you the buzzword without you having to explain anything. You won't be the first person applying via your school during a gap year, and you won't be the last!

And yes, you're free to sit exams elsewhere - remember to declare the pending grades on UCAS. I'm unsure how that works on results day though! Let me see if I can find anyone to answer this for you

I see. Last week he only sent me my old reference but I believe they'd need to write a new one? (and I thought the system was changing for 2023/2024 applications)