What is a GCSE or A Level private candidate

What is a private candidate? More thoughts on what is a private GCSE or A level candidate.

GCSE and A level exams are primarily designed for students and pupils who are on courses of study at schools and colleges. It is now recognised that there are students who may not attend schools or colleges and these individuals are referred to as private candidates.

Private GCSE and A Level candidates must be able to meet the full requirements of any assessment for which they are entered.

Where a GCSE or A Level involves the submission of coursework, students must submit that course work and be authenticated and marked through an exam centre which entry has been made.

Entry for exams and coursework assessment can only be made through the exam centre, be it a school or college. It is the responsibility of private candidates to make their own arrangements with a school.

Costs:

It is the responsibility of the exam centre, ie. school or college who accepts the private candidate to charge fees for any __private candidates __accepted by the school.

Students and pupils who choose to private candidates may be required by the exam centre through which they make their entry to pay a further fee to cover the cost of supervision and marking of any coursework or other internally-assessed work by the staff of the school.

Students and pupils who have been entered as private candidates are identified separately in summaries of the school's results.