As your child is approaching the end of their compulsory schooling and may be starting to think about taking their GCSE exams, we have put together some questions and answers that you may find beneficial.
Can my home educated child sit GCSE exams?
Yes
Who do I contact to arrange the exams?
EdStart
EdStart have centres in Bury, Bolton and Salford.
Contact number: 01617364087.
Exam boards: AQA and Pearson.
Tutors & Exams
Tutors & Exams is a private candidate centre with a branch in Bolton (telephone: 02476221008).
Tutors and Exams - Fees information.
Where can I get support and information about post 16 options?
Connexions are based in the centre of Bury and can provide your child with a wide range of support and guidance to help them make informed choices about their future careers, and make a successful transition in to post 16 education, employment or training.
Connexions can offer help with the following and they work with young people between the ages of 14 and 18.
- Career pathways
- Further education and college courses
- Apprenticeships
- Applications
- Job search skills
- Work opportunities
- Voluntary opportunities
Contact them on 0161 253 7733 to make an appointment.
Do the local authority cover the cost of my child's exams?
The local authority is unable to provide any financial assistance.
Exam board information
All examination boards offer examinations for external candidates and when you contact them, you should inform them you need information for an external candidate. You also need to tell them in which year your son/daughter is going to sit their exams. Parents/Carers should contact the individual examination boards about the most appropriate syllabus to follow.
The contact numbers and websites for the exam board for England are:
- AQA (incorporating NEAB + SEG). Telephone: Exams Office Support on 0844 209 6614. AQA organisation.
- Edexcel (incorporating ULEAC). Telephone: 0845 618 0440. Qualifications.Pearson.
- OCR (incorporating MEG and RSA). Telephone: 01223 553998. OCR - Oxford, Cambridge and RSA.