AQA AS level Spanish exam

perfume_waggon

Hi, I'm not sure whether I'm in the right place. I'm a private student who wants to take the AQA AS level Spanish exam this coming year. I'm planning on contacting a local exam centre (i.e. local school) to see whether I can sit the exam there. Will they want a fee for this? Also, I've heard of an online study aid called Kerboodle but it costs hundreds of pounds. Does anyone know whether a) it's worth it or b) how I can get it cheaper?

While I'm here, does anyone know when the deadline for entering the exams is?

Thanks in advance.

Lokolo

Entry to the exam deadline I wouldn't know, you'd need to contact the school. But yes the school will definitely charge as it costs them (the exam board charge).

Bennifred

Also, bear in mind that not all schools will enter external candidates.

Feyfangirl

having had a similar thing for trying to sit a gcse science exam myself this year, I can confirm that many of the schools do charge you to be entered in im afraid, not cool I know

perfume_waggon

Thanks Feyfangirl, can I ask how much they charged?

Bennifred

Exam fees vary widely depending on which Exam Board and which subject.

Also, I'd like to point out that you can't just rock up and take an exam - there is a fair amount of admin for the school, on top of the fees that the exam board (not the school) charges. The best way to find out is to ring whichever instiution you are looking at and ask to speak to the Exams Officer - they will tell you
1) if they even enter external students
2) how much it will cost for your particular subject and board.

But I wouldn't ring until the start of the new term - they are very busy at the moment and you might get short shrift!;)

Oldernotwiser

Feyfangirl wrote: »

having had a similar thing for trying to sit a gcse science exam myself this year, I can confirm that many of the schools do charge you to be entered in im afraid, not cool I know

I can't think of any that wouldn't, quite honestly; why should they?

Zziggi

I sat an exam in May as a private student. I rang various schools and colleges last November who all said they didn't want the hassle of sorting out exam entries for a private student as well as students' attending the institution. One school said they would let me (as tried to pull the "i'm an ex-student from 20 years ago.... line"). They said it'd cost me £30 (examboard fee) plus £150 school admin fee. I was told the reason the school wanted £150 on top of the examboard fee was to really deter people from asking to be private candidates as they don't really want the hassle of private entries. They entered me as a favour but have told me quite clearly not to ask again & approach another school/college. They only allowed be to sit the exam there as my course was 100% exam. if there had been coursework involved then they wouldn't have accepted my entry.

I think the £150 was a little unfair but i really wanted to do the exam.

Contacted the school November 2010, had to supply formal entry request & payment before Feb 2011, sat exam May 2011. Results this week....

Do private colleges accept other private candidates? i know NEC (National Extension College) have several exam centres - maybe they would allow you to sit an exam through them? (reckon it'll cost you though & it may not be local). If spanish has course work or oral exams etc then this could prove much trickier to organise.

Feyfangirl

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I can't think of any that wouldn't, quite honestly; why should they?

true, but the one I went to, my local senior school had been charging over 160 pounds, which I thought was steep (with that, they wanted me to then enrol at the school, then go through the lessons for the science THEN take the exams) (gcse science) not including costs for the books, uniform (which is nearly fifty pounds on it's own) still, my local senior school is in a class of its own for charges. trust me.

anyhow, I did a spot of googling, and this has some information:
http://web.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_private.php

as the previous poster said, it seems to boil down to the qualification, and the place your hoping to take the exam at, wish I could have been more help

ps: I believe that the deadline is in october, as that is when some students will be doing re sits

perfume_waggon

Thank you all for your help. It looks as though there are two schools in my area that accept private candidates so I will contact them in October and see how I get on.