(Students) I’m a private candidate – how will I get a grade?

Please note: The deadline for accepting entries for this summer was 15 May

Where schools and colleges are confident that they have seen sufficient evidence of your achievement to make a judgement, they can give us your centre assessment grade and include you in a rank order. We realise this may not be possible for all private candidates who may need to wait and take exams in the autumn or in summer 2021 to get grades. 

If you are planning to move on to further study, your prospective college or university may be willing to confirm your place without the grades at this point, given the extraordinary circumstances - please talk to them about this. Students may be reassured by the commitments made by higher and further education to be flexible in admissions decisions this summer.

If the school or college where I made my GCSE, AS or A Level entry has evidence for me, will I get a result this summer?  

If the centre has access to a range of evidence, they will be able to generate a centre assessment grade for you and to include you in a rank order, so we can then give you a final result.

I am worried that the school or college where I made my entries does not have enough evidence about me. What can I do?

The JCQ has issued guidance which lists some additional evidence that your centre may consider. Evidence may also be shared between centres.

If there is not enough evidence at your current centre, you may be able to transfer to another centre that you studied at before that already holds evidence about you. You will need to ask the Head of Centre at your current centre to consult with the previous one. Your entry at the current centre will need to be withdrawn and the previous centre will need to make a new entry.

There may also be an option for you to be accepted at a centre that you have no previous relationship with. This may be one with experience of providing distance learning for example. A centre will need exam board permission and to validate evidence, which could include doing some remote sessions with you. The names of these centres will be added below as they are approved. The centre will also likely charge you a fee.

I cannot find a centre, what are the names of centres that have exam board permission to accept private candidates with no prior relationship?

Centres with permission to accept private candidates that they have no prior relationship will be listed below. 

What if I can’t find a centre who will help me this summer?

If you are not able to find a centre to help you get a result this summer, you may consider taking exams in autumn 2020 or in summer 2021.