What are IGCSEs? What is a private candidate?

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1 IGCSEs IGCSEs What are IGCSEs? What is a private candidate? Which examination boards offer IGCSEs to private candidates? Which IGCSEs are available to private candidates? Why are some subjects not available to private candidates? Do candidates have to take the final IGCSE examinations? Where can a private candidate take IGCSE examinations? How many IGCSEs should candidates take? How long do IGCSEs take to complete? Who can teach IGCSEs to private candidates? What IGCSEs are needed for college or university application? Where can I get IGCSE subject-specific resources? Where can I get IGCSE past examination papers? How much do IGCSE examinations cost? When do the IGCSE examinations take place? What are IGCSEs? IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. The IGCSEs are recognised as academically rigorous, internationally accredited public examinations. There are so many different courses of study (subjects) that you can choose from, so there is more chance that you can find subjects that interest you, especially as a private candidate. As long as a good selection of subjects is taken, IGCSEs can provide a candidate with a broad knowledge base, relevant study skills, and a record of achievements. For reference, getting good grades (a C or above) in IGCSE Mathematics and IGCSE English Language are required for entry by almost all UK universities, and are a valuable indicator of assessment in US universities. If IGCSEs are taken purely for the sake of learning, you do not need to find a Registered Examination Centre. However, if you are serious about showing what you know and can achieve at IGCSE level, make sure to study and complete at least IGCSE Mathematics and IGCSE English Language. To do this, you will have to find a suitable centre that accepts private candidates. What is a private candidate? A private candidate is seen by the examination boards as someone who is not enrolled in the Registered Examination Centre where he or she will take the final examination papers. A private candidate can be a home schooler/home educator, someone doing a correspondence/distance learning course, someone studying evening courses, or a part-time student. Private candidates take on full responsibility for completing their Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

2 studies, finding and corresponding with a Centre that accepts private candidates, and turning up for examinations on time. Which examination boards offer IGCSEs to private candidates? Though there are several examination boards that offer IGCSEs in the United Kingdom (UK), only Cambridge allows private candidates to sit examinations at registered examination centres in the USA. Taking this into account, I believe that private candidates will have the most success with: AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) Edexcel (Pearson Company) CIE (Cambridge International Examinations) Subjects that offer an exam-based form of assessment (rather than a combination of coursework and exams) are more suitable for private candidates. Some Registered Examination Centres will allow private candidates to take foreign languages, but it is important to check with the particular centre, especially as there is usually a practical examination to complete. In fact, it is worth noting that not all examination subjects can be offered to private candidates, so it is important to check each subject syllabus that an individual intends to access. A list of subjects that are available through each of the examination boards above can be found under the heading, Which IGCSEs are available to private candidates?, but it is always a good idea to check the most recent syllabus yourself. One last important point to reiterate a private candidate takes on full responsibility for accessing the selected subject materials, syllabus, and resources, past papers, and finding a Registered Examination Centre. The centre should ideally be found before you start studying, or at least a year in advance of the examination session. (There were no centres where we lived in the USA in 2007, so we secured a place in 2008 and then travelled to Cambridge, UK, and stayed with family for the summer session in By 2011, and still no nearby centres, we travelled to Florida. Both school centres can be recommended as highly suitable, based on the personal experiences of my communications and interactions with the schools, and the experiences of my two private candidates). Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

3 Which IGCSEs are available to private candidates? IGCSEs are available in a wide variety of subjects for private candidates. I believe the best examination board choice for private candidates is Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) there is a variety of accredited examination subjects; support material such as syllabuses, past papers and marking schemes are readily available; and most subjects are 100% examination-based (the private candidate only needs to be accepted at a registered examination centre to sit final exams and gain accreditation). The other two examination boards that offer IGCSEs for private candidates are Edexcel and AQA however, there are limitations if you choose subjects from these examination boards. In addition, all examination boards can and do change their specifications or syllabuses from year to year SO CHECK each subject s syllabus or specification before embarking on study AND find a Registered Examination Centre at the same time so that you know, as a private candidate, you can be accepted for examinations. It would be extremely frustrating and disheartening to work for up to two years on IGCSEs, only to find that the syllabus has changed or that private candidates are no longer accepted at your chosen examination centre. To help understand which IGCSE subjects are available, I have categorised them by examination boards, starting with CIE (the most flexible choice, I feel), and then Edexcel and AQA. [If you find any information to be incorrect, please let me know so that I can update the lists]. IGCSEs from Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) Students in schools can aim for the Cambridge International Certificate of Education (ICE) at IGCSE level, whereby at least seven subjects are selected from five IGCSE curriculum Groups including two languages (one as a second language) and one subject from each group area. Private candidates who want to compete with their schooled peers can aim for a broad balance of subjects, or they can choose whatever interests them from the groups. It is advisable, if private candidates are taking IGCSE examinations, to choose Mathematics and English Language at the very least, as universities, colleges and employers use these two subjects as a marker of proficiency. Group I: Languages First Languages Second Languages Foreign Languages Afrikaans Arabic Afrikaans Arabic Dutch Chinese Czech English French German Dutch English Hindi Greek Indonesian French German IsiZulu Japanese Malay Japanese Korean Kazakh Chinese Portuguese Portuguese Russian Spanish Sesotho Spanish Thai Turkish Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

4 Group II: Humanities and Social Sciences Bangladesh Studies Development Studies Economics Environment Management Geography Global Perspectives History Latin Literature (English) / Literature (Spanish) Pakistan Studies Religious Studies Sociology Agriculture Chemistry Co-ordinated Sciences Physical Science Twenty-First Century Science Group III: Sciences Biology Combined Science Environmental Management Physics Mathematics International Mathematics Group IV: Mathematics Additional Mathematics Mathematics (with coursework) Group V: Creative, Technical and Vocational Accounting Art and Design Business Studies Child Development Computer Studies Design and Technology Drama Enterprise Food and Nutrition Information Technology Music Physical Education Travel and Tourism IGCSEs from AQA The AQA igcses, designed for the UK market, are either accredited or are in the process of being accredited by OfQual. There are far fewer choices of igcses available at the moment, as compared to CIE IGCSEs, but if the specification is preferred by the private candidate and there is a suitable registered examination centre in the UK, the subjects are: Certificate in English Language Certificate in English Literature Certificate in Further Mathematics Certificate in Biology (pending accreditation) Certificate in Chemistry (pending accreditation) Certificate in Physics (pending accreditation) Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

5 Certificate in Science (Double Award) (pending accreditation) Certificate in Geography (pending accreditation) Certificate in History (pending accreditation) IGCSEs from Edexcel As with AQA, Edexcel igcses are not yet approved for use in state schools, and are only taught in independent schools or private schools in the UK. This means that there are limited registered examination centres offering Edexcel igcses. From the Edexcel website, the igcse specifications that are available from June 2011 include the following subjects: Edexcel igcses Accounting Arabic Art and Design: Fine Art Art and Design: Textiles Art and Design: Photography Art and Design: Graphic Design Bangladesh Studies Bengali Biology Business Studies Chemistry Chinese Classic Arabic Commerce Economics English as a Second Language English Language Specification A English Language Specification B English Literature French Further Pure Mathematics Geography German Gujarati History Human Biology Information & Communication Technology Islamiyat Mathematics Specification A Mathematics Specification B Modern Greek Pakistan Studies Physics Religious Studies Science Double Award Sinhala Spanish Swahili Tamil Turkish Urdu IMPORTANT NOTE: As a private candidate, you have the freedom to choose from a wide variety of subjects, from three examination boards. However, if you intend to sit the examinations at a registered examination centre, it is highly advisable to: Check the subject specification or syllabus carefully from the particular examination board. Make sure it is available to private candidates, especially if there is a practical element (for most language courses). If you cannot complete all parts of the assessment (exams and practicals), then do not waste money paying for the examination. Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

6 Call or contact the examinations officer at the centre and ask if he or she can offer the subjects as exam papers for the year that you intend to sit them. Make sure the centre is allowed to offer the exam board of the subject you are studying (for example, AQA is not offered at any examination centre outside of the UK). Make sure that you choose the specification or syllabus for the year in which you intend to sit the examination, as the examination boards change material from year to year. Make sure that you choose subjects that you will succeed in this success can be measured in pure enjoyment of learning the material or in the culmination of public examinations at the end of the course. In either case, success is easier to achieve if you have someone that can teach or facilitate the material or a tutor or mentor that can help you on your self-learning journey. Why are some subjects not available to private candidates? Some subjects have coursework or practical elements as part of the final examination mark. As private candidates need to complete coursework or practicals under strict conditions in a controlled environment with professional teachers, this is not usually available. Some subjects have an alternative to practical examination choice which then allows the private candidate to take the subject. There is also the opportunity to take language examination subjects if the practical element can be taken at a nearby Registered Examination Centre prior to the written examinations. If you are interested in taking language examinations, check with the examinations officer at the Registered Examination Centre that you intend to go to for your IGCSE exams. He or she will tell you if you are able to enter for a particular subject that has a practical element. Do candidates have to take the final IGCSE examinations? No. Some people want to access the IGCSEs, just because it interests them, but at the end of the day it is too expensive to take the final examinations. Most of the subjectspecific syllabus material (including lesson plans, questions, teachers notes, research, etc.) can be found on the Internet. This makes studying an area of interest within reach to anyone that can get to a computer. If you want to have some accreditation for your hard work, skill building and knowledge acquisition, you will want to take the examinations. Consider this option carefully though, as taking examinations is not cheap. However, to put it another way, it does work out as the cheapest form of private education that you can buy. Where can a private candidate take IGCSE examinations? A private candidate can only take examinations in a Registered Examination Centre, and not all registered centres accept private candidates. In fact, no registered centre has to Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

7 take private candidates, as it can create extra administrative work or disruption to the school even for a limited time. So, it is worth realising that school or college individuals who allow private candidates to sit examinations can also close the doors. The list of private candidate examination centres is posted in Private Candidate Examination Centres, but it is your responsibility to communicate effectively with, and have respect for the examination officer s time and effort towards private candidates. If there are questions or issues to deal with, try to resolve them as quickly as possible with the examination officer at the particular Registered Examination Centre. The examining boards are not able to communicate directly with private candidates. If you can, try to speak with someone who has been through the examination process at the particular examination centre that you hope will accept you or your private candidate. How many IGCSE subjects should candidates take? This decision is up to the private candidate and the teacher. In the school system, students usually take a wide range of subjects at IGCSE level to follow a broad and balanced curriculum. If seven or more subjects are passed, including two languages and one subject from each group in the Cambridge IGCSE subject groups, the student can be awarded the ICE (International Certificate of Education) Diploma in US CIE registered schools. Private candidates who want to compete with their schooled peers may want to cover seven subjects; or they may want to choose the subjects that interest them most. In my humble opinion If private candidates want to gain entry into university, I believe that it is helpful to work with the educational system, and show accountability for learning by setting and reaching assessment goals in the form of examination grades. I do not believe that private candidates, who take on full responsibility for their learning, need to compete with schooled peers and gain 10 or more IGCSEs or 5 AS/A Levels (unless they have a passion to work on so many subjects). Private candidates who are successful will aim to get a balance of subjects at IGCSE level including Mathematics and English Language, and enough A Levels to give them the grades or points they need for university entrance. One of the greatest advantages that private candidates have is the flexibility to choose subjects that are broad, balanced and of significance to them. Successful private candidates are highly self-motivated, inquisitive, and largely self-taught. These qualities make them ideal students for university. If university is the goal, though, it does no harm to find out from the admissions officer what qualifications and how many are needed to gain entry. Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

8 Some students contact their local college to gain entry by non-standard entry criteria, where IGCSEs, passes are not used. In the competitive world of college or university places, non-standard entry can be successful if combined with a portfolio of work completed by the student, essays or interviews with the colleges. Again, I do think it is worthwhile doing some research into what qualifications the university or college is looking for, if that is your ultimate goal. How long do IGCSEs take to complete? Usually the IGCSEs are taken over a two-year period, culminating in the private candidate sitting the examinations for each subject in the summer or winter session (session times depend on the examination boards). As a private candidate does not have to adhere to school timetables, the time taken can be longer or shorter than the traditional time period. However, if you are taking the examinations in order to compete with schooled students for college/university admission, it is important to note: Mathematics and English Language IGCSE or GCSE level, at C grade or above are the standards expected. In addition, private candidates will need five IGCSE or GCSE subjects, taken in the same session or not more than thirteen months apart. They are able to do more examination subjects, but five subjects passed with C grades or above should be considered the minimum. [FYI, I chose 7 subjects for my private candidates, based on covering Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, a Science, and then optional subjects based on individual interests. Foreign languages were not an option at the time.]. Who can teach IGCSEs to private candidates? The simple answer is anyone can. You do not need to be an expert in the particular subject being taught, though it helps to research the subject and know the material before you try teaching it to a private candidate. If you want, you might be able to employ tutors who have subject-specific knowledge and expertise. If the private candidate is highly selfmotivated and learns quickly, he or she may want to learn on his or her own. However, consider the following: If the child has been withdrawn from school to become a private candidate, carefully check your education and home education laws. Whilst home education is legal and a parental right in the UK and the US, the home education laws in the US vary by state. At the very least, you should read and understand the rights and responsibilities you have as a parent of a home educated child, and the rights and obligations of the education authorities to ensure that children of compulsory school age are receiving an education. If you have been home educating for some time and have just started IGCSEs, with your child, talk about the goals you and your child want to achieve. If it is accreditation by public Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

9 examination, obtained by the home educated child sitting final examinations as a private candidate, you will need to research private examination centres to attend and provide the child with the means to succeed. Much of the subject-specific material needed to attain a good grade can be found on the Internet, or at the library, or by purchasing particular textbooks. You need to be able to teach or facilitate the subject to the child. If you feel that your child is studying a subject that you might not be able to teach effectively, or that your child would benefit from an expert in the field, you might want to employ a tutor, or seek the help of friends, family or neighbours. Check with your home education laws, though, as some expressly state that the parents are responsible for educating the home educated child, or must employ a registered teacher for tutoring purposes. [I have considerable knowledge about home educators rights and responsibilities in the UK and in the USA, or I can direct you to the relevant source for information. If you need advice specifically for home educators accessing IGCSEs, contact me at sameddis@gmail.com] What IGCSEs are needed for college or university admission? At the moment, if private candidates want to show employers that they have finished compulsory education in the UK or the US, I believe five passes at IGCSE level including Mathematics and English Language, are sufficient for school leaving or high school matriculation purposes in the UK and US respectively. [Please check the compulsory education matriculation requirements yourself, as laws change frequently. Let me know, too, so that I can update this information for others] However, if private candidates aim to go to college or university, the general requirements are: a minimum of five passes at IGCSE level, including Mathematics and English Language a minimum of three A Levels, preferably including the subject area that is targeted for study at college or university As private candidates are taking full responsibility for the subjects that they study, and for the grades that they achieve, they must also research their college or university options before choosing AS or A Levels. Each college or university, whether in the UK or in the US, will have particular requirements for admission. It is highly advisable to call the admissions officer or check on the individual college or university website for details about entrance requirements. Some UK universities will only take students who achieve AAA grades (three A grades in three separate A Levels taken in the same examination sitting), as well as A grades in Mathematics and English Language at IGCSE level. Some US colleges or universities will give credit for AS or A Level grades achieved. It is up to you to find out what your hard work is worth before embarking on AS and A Level study. Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

10 Once you have the information about the college or university requirements, you can then choose AS or A Levels that fulfil the requirements and are of interest to you. It is worth reiterating that the private candidate, in choosing to study on his or her own, needs to be responsible for his or her educational path and find out what is needed to reach the end goal. Luckily, the Internet has easily accessible material for colleges or universities, as well as subject-specific material. Where can I get IGCSE subject-specific resources? First, look at the particular examination board s website, as there is usually some free subject-specific material. Search engines can be useful if the term is specific enough. Check the section entitled Links, as there are plenty of subject-specific resources that I have built up over the years. There is also the section entitled Resources which should be useful. Textbooks, workbooks and subscription-based materials are also available for purchase. Once again, go to the particular examination board s website, and look for recommended resources. If you hire a specialist teacher or tutor, subject-specific material will be used. Another option is paying for a distance learning course in the IGCSEs chosen most of the teaching materials and usually tutor support is included in the price of the course. Where can I get IGCSE past examination papers? The first place to look is on the examination board s website. There are usually past papers and marking schemes readily available for download. Another source would be on a search engine, using terms such as free past papers IGCSE. Remember that examination boards do not communicate with private candidates; the registered examination centre where the private candidate will take examinations may be able to give guidance or suggestions. How much do IGCSE examination subjects cost? There is a fairly wide variation in costs incurred by private candidates for IGCSEs, from the cost of specialist materials and books; tutors or correspondence/distance learning fees (if necessary); and examination/centre fees. Private candidates have taken the private education option and should therefore expect to pay for everything. However, there are many free resources on the Internet and the local library and librarian can be very useful. If students live near a University, it might be worthwhile to have a tour to see if there are suitable books, journals etc. If so, some universities have free access to the public, or an annual fee. Private candidates can also find out if home education groups have special purchasing rates with book publishers. Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD

11 It is difficult to state how much the examination courses cost, from start to finish this route can be the cheapest from of private education though. To get value for money, do your own research if you have choices in registered examination centres; university libraries with or without free computer access and book borrowing; or tutoring/correspondence/distance learning options. You can budget for the total cost of a two year course, if necessary, so that costs can be spread over time. If another student is doing the same course and the books and materials are non-consumable, the subsequent cost of the examination course will be reduced. When do the IGCSE examinations take place? Depending on the particular examination board, the examinations take place in a summer or winter session. CIE exams are held in November and June; AQA exams are in January and June; whilst Edexcel exams are in January, March, June, and November. Not all examination subjects are offered in all sessions. If the private candidate needs to complete exams at a certain time of year, this might determine the examination board and subjects that are chosen. It s therefore important to check the individual examination board website for exam dates. Related information: AS/A Levels Private Candidates Examination Board Choices Examination Timetables Private Candidate Examination Centres Distance Learning Courses Resources Links Services Frequently Asked Questions Author: Samantha Eddis, PhD IGCSE and A Level Specialist Knowledge Ownership Project SjE PhD