Proving GCSE results

Lucyway123

Hello, sorry I'm new to this website so I apologise if I'm posting this in the wrong section or anything! :-)

I am going to be starting a Learn Direct course to get myself into a new career in childcare. I am able to do the course for free with an Advanced Learner loan which is great!
However, I am required to prove that I have GCSE maths and English grades C or above, which I do...but I did my GCSEs way back in 1999 and have no idea where my exam certificates are now! My parents don't have them, and I can't remember an employer ever asking for them at an interview, I've only ever needed to show a CV, so I don't even know when I last had them.

I have found out which exam boards I took them with, but as maths and English were with separate exam boards, it seems I need to pay £43 to each of the two boards for replacement certificates! 😳

I just wondered if anyone had been in a similar situation and had found an alternative (cheaper!) way to prove their school exam results?

anamenottaken

Is your school still operational? Is there any chance they could supply a statement of your results? Might be worth asking.

Alternatively - do you have to prove you have the GCSEs or do you have to prove you have English and Numeracy skills at Level 2? If the latter, the Learn Direct Centre should be able to enter you for Adult Literacy and Numeracy at Level 2 and, provided you achieved them, that would satisfy the requirement. The Centre would also provide you with training material. However, for that process to be free you should not already hold the GSCEs.

Lucyway123

Thank you for your speedy reply! I will get in touch with my old school and with Learn Direct to ask these questions.
Thanks again ��

andygb

IMHO, the "tests" which you have to complete with Learn Direct, are nothing like GCE's, and I wonder how many employers would take any notice of them.
Last year, when we were unemployed, my wife and I had to go on one of these courses (she has a masters degree in science), where we took various "tests" (I refuse to call them exams, because they were not set in exam conditions), including English, Maths and Computer skills.
We passed the lot but have to this day received no certificates (not that they would be worth anything).

BorisThomson

andygb wrote: »

IMHO, the "tests" which you have to complete with Learn Direct, are nothing like GCE's, and I wonder how many employers would take any notice of them.
Last year, when we were unemployed, my wife and I had to go on one of these courses (she has a masters degree in science), where we took various "tests" (I refuse to call them exams, because they were not set in exam conditions), including English, Maths and Computer skills.
We passed the lot but have to this day received no certificates (not that they would be worth anything).

They are equivalent to current GCSE standard (grade C? Or whatever that equates to on the new scheme), which has become far easier to achieve over the years. If you're referring to GCEs I would assume you're going back even further, which were entirely different in standard and also in syllabus.

jobbingmusician

If this isn't time sensitive, it occurs to me that it would be cheaper to find free Eng and Maths GCSE equivalent courses, and resit the exams! :eek:

anamenottaken

BorisThomson wrote: »

They are equivalent to current GCSE standard (grade C? Or whatever that equates to on the new scheme), which has become far easier to achieve over the years. If you're referring to GCEs I would assume you're going back even further, which were entirely different in standard and also in syllabus.

Yes.
It is important to note that the Level 2 Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy qualifications are supposed to be of an equivalent standard to GCSEs (also Level 2 qualifications) but are not equivalent qualifications hence the speed and ready availability of testing.

anamenottaken

jobbingmusician wrote: »

If this isn't time sensitive, it occurs to me that it would be cheaper to find free Eng and Maths GCSE equivalent courses, and resit the exams! :eek:

For the OP re-sitting the examinations would mean re-sitting GCSE - and these would need to fit in with the normal timetabling. Time would be critical for the OP as they obviously want to start their new course asap. The L2 tests would not be re-sits.

andygb

BorisThomson wrote: »

They are equivalent to current GCSE standard (grade C? Or whatever that equates to on the new scheme), which has become far easier to achieve over the years. If you're referring to GCEs I would assume you're going back even further, which were entirely different in standard and also in syllabus.

This what I would have expected to see.

http://www.cie.org.uk/images/344278-june-2015-question-paper-11.pdf

To be honest with you, the Learn Direct "test" was not very arduous at all. There was no writing element, it was just a box ticking exercise on the PC.