Private Candidates 2021 | Evidence and Assessment
If you are a private candidate no doubt you will be feeling uncertain on how you will be assessed and the evidence you will need to provide to your chosen exam centre.
Here is what we understand so far from the guidance provided:
Assessment
Sign up.
This year private candidates can be assessed by an Exam Centre. If you haven’t already done so find an exam centre that will accept you. Each exam board has provided a list of centres that are likely to accept private candidates.
Assessment Approach
Ask the exam centre to provide you with a description of the main elements in their approach to assessment before you register with them.
Find out when their cut of date is for evidence submission, due to moderation it is likely to be earlier that the final deadline in June.
Cost
The fees requested by exam centres vary a lot! Shop around, as most assessments will be completed virtually you do not necessarily need to find a centre local to you.
Evidence
A Range
A range of evidence is required in order to assess a student. This means you cannot simply provide a mock paper and expect to be awarded that grade.
Existing students
If you have been receiving regular tuition from an exam centre then it is likely they will already have a range of evidence to help form their judgement in addition to any new assessments.
New students
If you are a new student to the centre it is likely that they will take a slightly alternative approach to determining your grade given that they do not have any previous evidence to base judgement. This may mean you are required to produce more evidence and more weighting may be given to the exam board assessment materials.
Flexibility in the evidence
Exam centres are encouraged to use the flexibility given to draw from the range of evidence. They can for example draw evidence provided from other educational institutions, conduct remote assessments, carry out new centre devised assessments, utilising the assessment materials set by the exam boards. They may also decide to record oral assessments in order to make judgements on the students knowledge.
Exam board input
Each exam board will also provide centres with suggested evidence that could be accepted for specific subjects.
Once sufficient evidence is collected a grade can then be awarded by the centre. The head of the centre will then have to sign a declaration when the grades are submitted.
*Please note the above information has been taken from a range of government guidance, including the below government daft for Heads of Centres.
Useful links:
Draft Guidance | Info for Heads of Centre
#exams #alevels2021 #guidance #provatecandidates #examcentres #2021exams