This outlines the steps and resources available to parents of The Online School students who wish to sit their International GCSEs or equivalent exams as private candidates. While we provide guidance and resources, the registration process is the responsibility of parents or guardians.

1.Important Considerations

• Parent Responsibility: It is the responsibility of parents or guardians to locate an exam centre and register their child as a private candidate.

• Early Registration: We encourage starting this process early to avoid issues with availability or late registration fees. We’re here to provide guidance and support throughout the process.

• Practical Components: For subjects requiring practical components (e.g., science, language), check with the exam centre if these components are available, as some centres may not offer them.
  
  

2.  Finding an Exam Centre (UK and International)

• UK Exam Centres:
  • Pearson Edexcel Centres for International GCSEs can be found at: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/understanding-our-q ualifications/find-a-pearson-centre.html
  • The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) provides a list of UK exam centres offering services to private candidates at:
    https://www.jcq.org.uk/private-candidates/
    
    
• Local and private schools may also take on private candidates; reach out to them directly.
  
  
  
• International Exam Centres:

• The British Council administers exams in over 90 countries worldwide. Visit the British Council website to find exam centres and steps to register your child as a private candidate at: https://www.britishcouncil.org/exam

3.  Registration Process

When registering your child, be prepared with the following:

• Full name, address, date of birth, and contact
• Subject codes for each exam (see the list at the end of this document).
• A Unique Candidate Identifier (UCI) if your child has taken exams
• Payment details to complete the registration

4.  Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support

If your child requires special accommodations (e.g., extra time, rest breaks), we recommend discussing these needs with the exam centre early. Our team is here to help by providing any required documentation or communicating with the exam centre to ensure your child’s needs are met. Please ensure medical reports are provided to the exam centre at least two months before the exam session begins.

5. Results and Re-sits

 
Private candidates typically receive their results from the exam centre where they registered. If a re-sit is necessary, arrangements can be made directly with the exam centre.

6.  Key Dates

• Registration for May/June exams typically opens in November and must be completed by January to avoid late fees.
• Results are usually available in August.
  
  
  

7.  Exam Preparation and Mock Exams

At The Online School, we prioritize helping students build confidence in exam preparation. We incorporate exam techniques and time management strategies into our regular curriculum, helping students feel calm and prepared when taking their exams.

8. Mock Exams

We offer mock exams to simulate real exam conditions. While we encourage parents to create a calm and supportive atmosphere during these mocks, there is no pressure to replicate the intensity of actual exams.

These mocks are tools for building confidence
and helping students practice:

 ○ Answering questions under timed conditions.

 ○ Applying exam techniques learned in class.

 ○ Identifying areas needing improvement.

Mock exams are valuable learning experience, and feedback is provided to help
students understand how to improve before their final exams. Dates and details for
mocks will be shared in advance.

9.  Attendance and Growth Pathway Requirements for Exam Representation

 In line with our Student Growth Pathway Policy, students must meet certain emotional and academic milestones to be part of our representative audience of results for the school:

• Completion of Curriculum: Students must complete the required curriculum (typically two years, or one year in some cases) to be considered for school representation.

• Attendance: Regular attendance is critical to ensuring a student has engaged with the full curriculum. Students who do not meet our attendance requirements will not be included in our representative results.

• Emotional Growth:  We will only recommend that a student sits their exams if we
  believe they are emotionally ready. This readiness is assessed through our growth
  pathway, where we track how safe, calm, and confident a student feels over time. 

We want to ensure that students have built a healthy relationship with education and that they feel prepared to undertake the demanding task of exam preparation and performance. If a student has not completed the required curriculum and emotional milestones, we will not include them in our representative results to ensure fairness and integrity.

10.  Parental Responsibility for Student Readiness

It is the parent or guardian’s responsibility to ensure that their child has the foundational skills needed for their education:

• Basic Literacy and Numeracy: The child should have basic reading, writing, and math skills to engage with the content.
• Computer Literacy: The student should be able to use a computer independently to access lessons.

If we suspect that an adult is directly managing the student’s learning (e.g., taking control of the computer), we may remove public chat, camera, and microphone privileges for safeguarding purposes. In some cases, this may be done without warning, especially if inappropriate content or behaviour is observed.

11.  Where to Find Further Support

For additional support, please contact your chosen exam centre or the British Council if you’re outside the UK. We also recommend resources like Tutors & Exams, which specialize in supporting private and home-educated candidates:

• Tutors & Exams
• British Council Exam Information
  
  

12.  Where to Find Further Support

Ensuring a Positive Growth Journey

 While academic results are important, our priority at The Online School is to ensure that students are emotionally prepared to sit their exams. In line with our Student Growth Pathway Policy, we evaluate emotional readiness through indicators such as attendance, confidence, participation, and overall comfort in the learning environment.

We aim to ensure that students have a healthy relationship with their education and feel prepared to succeed in both their exams and their future educational endeavours.

13.  At-Home Exams and Remote Invigilation

• Current Status (for 2025):

We are now able to offer at-home exams for 2025. However, if we lose this ability in the future, this option will no longer be available.

Important Note: You will not be automatically enrolled for at-home exams. It is your responsibility to reach out to us to express your interest. We will then work with you to get the examinations booked in. The costs for at-home exams will not be funded by The Online School, but payment processes may vary based on the circumstances.

14. Confirmation of At-Home Exam Participation:

To officially enroll in at-home exams, confirmation from our team is required. This confirmation must be provided in writing via the message board or officially via email. Without written confirmation from The Online School, students will not be considered for at-home exams