There are many reasons for why a student may be thinking of taking GCSEs, reasons range from they didn’t get the right grades, to they weren’t happy with their grades or they never had the opportunity to take them and now have a need for them. Whatever the reason is, the great news is that GCSEs can be taken at any age! So if you’re super talented and ahead of the learning curve at school and you want to achieve your qualifications sooner, then you can go ahead and study GCSEs. Or, if you’re a mature student who wants another go at taking the qualification, you can do that too.
Often though, if the student in question isn’t in the usual age bracket for taking GCSEs, that is they are younger than the usual GCSE years or they have already left school, then the option to take GCSEs doesn’t seem possible. However, that isn’t the case, the traditional route of school or college may not be an option, but through an online college or learning provider it really is possible.
Why is it Possible to study GCSEs at any age Online but not in School or College?
In many cases the answer to this question boils down to space and places on the courses. Traditional schools and colleges will only have a set amount of places available in each class and so if their main students fill those spaces, there won’t be room for any external candidates to join. But when you take your learning online, the issue of class spaces is removed and student numbers are no longer an issue.
Another great benefit to learning GCSEs online is the ability for the student to learn and progress at their own pace. There is no requirement for the student to keep in line with the majority of the class. So if you’re finding the subject syllabus a breeze, you can carry on going in leaps and bounds, or if you’re finding the syllabus learning tough, you can take the time to slow down and focus on the areas you are struggling with through the help of your tutor and extra resources.
What about the Examinations?
When it comes to sitting your exams for your GCSEs, you will have to attend an exam centre to do this. Usually, you will be sitting the exams with other students on the same course and it will be at a traditional school or college. Rather than being entered for the exam as part of the school, you are entered as a Private Candidate who is attending the centre for examination only, so your results aren’t compared against the school or college’s students.
The process for registering as a Private Candidate can sound quite scary and daunting, but it really isn’t. Once you have found your ideal centre, you simply fill in a registration form with your details and the course exam codes and then the centre will do the rest and let you know when you need to attend to sit your exams.
If you feel ready to take the next step and start your GCSE learning journey, why not get in touch with our helpful team for more tailored advice to help you get started as soon as possible.