Home Education-in Wales- future exams/exam path question

stacey1970

Hi all

Hope im posting in the right place here!!

Last year I took the decision to home ed. my DS. It was a decision that was not taken lightly after years of him being subjected to daily torment/taunts/bullying in the schoolplace.

I thank God i did so and wish to thank all the other MSE'ers & home edders who helped me gain the courage to do so back last year.

Ok so here's my question :-

Im in Wales, what i want to know is if your child is home educated, do they HAVE to take their exams in a school ? As my DS is still very anxious around other children following what he has been through and i feel he will flounder in this type of situation.

Also, any home edders?? What exam path did you take? (if any!!) ie..AQA, WJEC .

Thanks all for any advice you can provide....you were all so helpful and so understanding back last year, when i was at my wits end .

Thanks again .....Stacey xx:)

jackyann

Don't know about Wales, but as no-one else has posted: I can't imagine it is any different from England, where you can enter exams independently, but normally at your own expense.
Look up Education Otherwise, who know all this stuff and have good local support groups.

barbarawright

Check out each exam board - I'm sure they all allow for private candidates but they'd still have to take the exams at a properly invigililated centre. Might be possible to find an adult education centre though. This page has the information for AQA including a list of all the exam centres

http://web.aqa.org.uk/exams-office/entries/private-candidates.php?id=01

Remember you'll probably have to make arrangements about getting coursework marked so you'll need to decide a couple of years before the exams which boards you're using.

stacey1970

Thank you both xx

Corelli

Hi,

here is a link to a yahoo group specifically for Home Educating and exams. There are some very knowlegable and helpful people on it:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HE-Exams-GCSE-A_AS_Levels-OU-Others/

System

No. You can do whatever you like.
Both my daughters learned at home, and studied GCSEs by correspondence tutor. They took their exams as private exam entrants at Pembrokeshire college. Lots of schools and colleges welcome private entrants.

My 2nd has just got an A* in the infamous GCSE English

Also you are free to select from any exam board - the college just provides the invigilation facilities, you can take any exam you want, subject to timetabling and staff availability. Mine did a lot of IGCSEs.

kafkathecat

Hi Stacey, A lot of home ed children do IGCSEs as they can be done without coursework; the exam can be taken in private schools or colleges if that helps. Others study with the Open University, some from the age of 14. And I know others who have gone straight to 6th form college. I hope you find a way which suits your daughter.

mithras

I second the link given by Corelli - a lovely and very helpful group!

IGCSE's are def a good way to go unless you are willing to pay for correspondence courses which will provide you with a tutor and marked coursework but are not cheap. For IGCSE's you can also do that or you can buy the course books, download the specs and self study, but yes you will need to find, book and pay for an exam centre:).