Planetarion Forums - A-Levels

Ragnarak · 11 Mar 2004, 21:53

Okay i wondered if anyone knew who was responsible for entering an exam.

The situation is one of my mates has had quite a lot of stuff going on and had missed quite a few lessons. They've sorted themselves out now and have been a lot better but were ill last week and so missed a few days.

Anyway, they got their results today for some modular exams and came out with A's but they were then told by their teacher that he wouldn't be entering them for any summer exams in the subject due to their crappy attendance. This effectively means they fail the subject.

I believe the option to enter yourself for an exam is there but it seems like the teacher in question is being a complete twat and does he have that authority?

Also my mate is on for getting an A in this subject, other people in the class with far worse attendances got module results of U's/F's today but the teacher hasn't threatened them with anything like this, making it seem kind of personal or unprofessional.

Opinions/advice to pass on?

MrL_JaKiri · 11 Mar 2004, 21:55

You can't stop someone from sitting a public exam. Whether he can sit it at the school or not is another matter, which can be determined after conversing with the higher authorities within the school.

Ragnarak · 11 Mar 2004, 22:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrL_JaKiri

You can't stop someone from sitting a public exam. Whether he can sit it at the school or not is another matter, which can be determined after conversing with the higher authorities within the school.

Isn't it the teacher of the subject that 'puts you in for the exam'?

How do you go about doing this yourself? I get the feeling the teacher is just using this as a threat to make them turn up and work harder because they know they can do well but it could be possible the teacher's serious and is just a twat...

<edit> damn, forgot to mention that i think this teacher is the deputy head or at least of some importance...</edit>

roadrunner_0 · 11 Mar 2004, 22:10

so, go to the head, and if you get no satisfation there, go to your LEA, one way or another, you can get in for the exam.

Luckeh!!!! · 11 Mar 2004, 23:01

I dunno where I heard or read this but...

although the exam itself is public, and you could in theory just teach/private tutor yourself at home, not any tom dick or harry can enter in, you need some sort of sponsor, like a school, they probably make you take some sort of preliminary exam just to see if you really are capable of sitting the exam, you also need to pay if entering externally.

MrL_JaKiri · 11 Mar 2004, 23:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckeh!!!!

not any tom dick or harry can enter in, you need some sort of sponsor, like a school

No you don't

KraKto$is8 · 11 Mar 2004, 23:38

I think for A-levels there is a minimum # of hours of work required. So if your friend has a really crappy attendance, he can't sit the exam.

I might be wrong though.

JamMak · 12 Mar 2004, 01:30

Got me three A's today baybeeeee
Well on course for AAA/AAB in the summer
Urm, sorry about the friend like tho!

Stew · 12 Mar 2004, 02:47

U mean ur gf failed? She should have turnned up!

Ragnarak · 12 Mar 2004, 02:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stew

U mean ur gf failed? She should have turnned up!

Heh
No, she did great

Tomkat · 12 Mar 2004, 03:24

You can enter any exam, without school attendance.

I did a couple of maths modules without any lesson attendance to get a Further Maths A-level, so the number of hours theory doesn't hold up either.

The teacher will probably just be giving out idle threats, to try to scare your mate into attending more.

He can do it at another institute, however it will cost him money (I forget the exact figure, it's somewhere between 20 and 40 quid though I think. Could be more).

KraKto$is8 · 12 Mar 2004, 08:17

It's possible the school won't let him do it if they think he'll fail. As it'll affect their statistics, league tables and whatnot.

Obliterate · 12 Mar 2004, 08:36

Try phoning up your exam board, I'm sure they'll be able to give you information about what to do.

MrL_JaKiri · 12 Mar 2004, 09:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by KraKto$is8

It's possible the school won't let him do it if they think he'll fail. As it'll affect their statistics, league tables and whatnot.

That's not only pseudoillegal, it goes against what the first post said.

Nice try though.

Evil Skragg · 12 Mar 2004, 10:58

You paid your tuition fees, so its yer right to sit the exam.

MrL_JaKiri · 12 Mar 2004, 11:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil Skragg

You paid your tuition fees, so its yer right to sit the exam.

I think you're confused.

Evil Skragg · 12 Mar 2004, 11:30

???
I had to pay to go to college
(Mind you, it was a private school)

Deepflow · 12 Mar 2004, 16:51

i didnt go to any physics lessons for the whole second half of my A2 year.

i still got entered etc.

KraKto$is8 · 12 Mar 2004, 16:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrL_JaKiri

That's not only pseudoillegal, it goes against what the first post said.

You think I read the first post?

SeanG · 12 Mar 2004, 17:45

My school often threatens people with threatening to withdraw them from exams (School - Colyton Grammar School, usually within t10 in the country in results etc)

Because we get quite good grades, those who are on the B/C grade borderlines are sometimes told that the school will not enter them for their exams for fear of ****ing up their league tables.

Solution - student pays for exams and enters himself into the exams and the school provides him with a 'home' to sit his exams.

Result - School's league tables are not ****ed up and the student takes his exams (admittedly at a cost)

wakey · 12 Mar 2004, 18:04

I believe some of this could be due to the funding the school/college gets for each person. The LEA funds the courses taken by students at A-Level and below and I believe I'm right in saying that any student who fails to attend a set amount of the course sees this funding cut. As such the school/college isnt going to spend the money to enter someone whom they arent getting funding for. Now I'm guessing the fact that this person hasnt been kicked out of school yet which is normally what happens at the same time as being told they wont enter you for an exam that in reality this is just a threat and its just that this person is very close to dipping below the level.

Anyway in most cases if your attendance isnt high enough to be entered you will be entered as long as you foot the bill for entry so as long as this person is willing to stump up the £20+ then it shouldnt be a problem.

Deepflow · 12 Mar 2004, 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanG

My school often threatens people with threatening to withdraw them from exams (School - Colyton Grammar School, usually within t10 in the country in results etc)

Because we get quite good grades, those who are on the B/C grade borderlines are sometimes told that the school will not enter them for their exams for fear of ****ing up their league tables.

Solution - student pays for exams and enters himself into the exams and the school provides him with a 'home' to sit his exams.

Result - School's league tables are not ****ed up and the student takes his exams (admittedly at a cost)

my school was a lot like that 'tiffin school for boys' also normally in the top ten (not in my year i think though, hehe). I still got let into everything though, i like to think that was because of all my teachers loving me despite my terrible habits and laziness.

anyway, i did my exams... and kinda failed A2 physics

i think i got the only U at physics they had had for 10 years or something. So i left my mark.

anyway, back on topic. They are probably just talking rubbish to scare your mate.

Stew · 12 Mar 2004, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stew

U mean ur gf failed? She should have turnned up!

Oops - soooo dont remember writing that - was v.v.drunk - apologies.

Ragnarak · 12 Mar 2004, 19:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stew

Oops - soooo dont remember writing that - was v.v.drunk - apologies.

heh, you got really drunk and then came on gd to post

only person you should apologise to is yourself

MrL_JaKiri · 12 Mar 2004, 20:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil Skragg

???
I had to pay to go to college
(Mind you, it was a private school)

The enigma is solved!

Stew · 12 Mar 2004, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragnarak

heh, you got really drunk and then came on gd to post

only person you should apologise to is yourself

I kno, I'm ashamed, I was drunk so can't explain my actions! /o\

vampire_lestat · 12 Mar 2004, 23:26

the entry fee for OCR/Edexel/AQA exams is about £15 in my collage for retakes etc.

The teacher is probably talking shit, complain to a higher authority.

Tomkat · 13 Mar 2004, 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deepflow

my school was a lot like that 'tiffin school for boys' .

You went to Tiffins?
I got into there, at the 11+ thing. I also got the scholarship for the Royal Grammar School in Guildford, where I was planning on going. (ho ho how the mighty intelligent have fallen)
But then my mum got a job in Jersey so I had to move out there :/

Deepflow · 13 Mar 2004, 15:36

yeah, i went to tiffins for seven pretty awful years. Rather an authoritarian, old fashioned place. With posh aspirations and an obsession with exam results. It is quite strange to think how close 2 people from these forums came to going to the same school at the same time though.

although i personally wish id failed the 11 plus and gone to a normal mixed school.