If you have not already read part one of this article, we recommend going back and reading that first. It contains all the information you need to know on Who can resit a GCSE exam, rules you need to follow and everything you need to know on IF you need to actually retake your GCSE exam. In this second article, we are talking about resit fees, how to apply to retake your GCSE exams and the whole exam period from resit to results.
What subjects should I resit (some are mandatory before further education)
Fortunately, it is not a legal requirement to retake all GCSE exams, even if you fail incredibly! According to governmental rules, core GCSE's such as English and Maths require a minimum grade 4, however, if you do not achieve this then you legally have to continue to study these subjects until 18 years of age. For these exams it is possible to do more than one retake until you achieve a grade 4 or above. For non-core GCSE exams such as History, Spanish, Religious studies, unless it is a requirement for your further educational courses to achieve a certain grade, there is no legal reason requiring you to retake the exam. It is always worth double checking what grades you require in which GCSE's before moving on to further education. All grade requirements and extra information can be found on your centre's website, prospectus guide or by talking to a tutor.
How to resit GCSE (where, how/finding a GCSE retake college and process)
Once you have decided on the exams you need to/ would like to retake, you can decide if you would rather study in a classroom or online with a tutor. For mature students re-sitting an exam, going back to school can feel incredibly overwhelming, not to mention having to work around earning a salary, parental duties or other commitments. If you are considering retaking your GCSEs but don’t think you can go back to studying in a classroom, then maybe online learning is the way forward for you. Some schools and colleges also offer evening classes as an option. For students going back into the classroom, you will continue to study alongside other students who will also be taking their GCSE exams the following exam period.
You can enrol to resit your GCSEs at a local school or college. This means you’ll have a timetable and attend classes with other GCSE students.
Most schools and colleges will let you study your GCSEs alongside A Levels for other subjects, so don’t feel that resitting one or two subjects will completely hold you back.
If you like to learn in a classroom environment but need a bit more flexibility, you might want to try evening classes.
How much does a GCSE resit cost?
The first step when thinking about resisting a GCSE exam is to understand which board your exam will be sat with. Each exam board resit varies in fee, however you will be restricted to the exam board you can resit your exam with depending on the curriculum you are studying and the centre you are taking your exam in. To resit your GCSEs, you’ll have to pay two types of fees: course fees and exam fees.
Your course fees will cover your tuition and/or course materials and will vary depending on where and how you choose to study.
The exact cost of the exam is set by the exam centres themselves, so this can vary a lot in price, but you can expect to pay upwards of £100 per exam for GCSEs and IGCSEs.
We’d highly recommend that you contact multiple exam centres in your area about their pricing, so you can get the best deal. The cost can also vary depending on if you choose to study in person at a school or college or online with 1:1 tuition. Again costs will vary for both of these but you can expect to pay £1,000 per subject if you attend an school or college. It can be significantly cheaper learning online, but it all depends on how you find you study best. If you’re older than 16 and have left school without a Grade 4 or higher in GCSE English and/or Maths, you may be able to study these subjects for free at a local learning centre. If you feel you might be eligible, contact the learning centre directly to find out more.
GCSE resit November (When are GCSE resits)
There are winter exams for GCSE English Language and GCSE Maths, often in November, but this will need to be booked before the awarding body deadline in early October. Private centres will have their own deadlines so if you are organising your own exams make sure you check what the centre’s deadline for entry is. Late entries have an additional cost, set by the awarding organisation. In addition to this, all exam centres have a date after which they do not accept any entries.
GCSE resit results day January
If you are resitting your GCSE exam alongside current students in the summer exam season May/June, your results day will follow normal protocol and you should recieve your results by the end of August.
For students retaking GCSE exams during the winter, your results day will be in January. You should contact the centre where you will be sitting your exams to find out more information about results day, including exact times and dates to collect your results slip and/ or receiving your results in an alternative methods or collection on your behalf.
Resitting a GCSE exam is not a decision to make quickly. Not only could it cost you a pretty penny, you may not even need to resit. Save yourself time and stress by understanding what grades are required for your career path and/or further studies. If Resitting an exam is the only option for you, you should never see it as a failure, instead it is a second opportunity to improve your grades. Follow along with more of our blog posts on revision tips and useful information on GCSE Maths, French and English to nail your second attempt at www.gcseonlinecourses.co.uk
Good luck!
