Do you have to do GCSEs if you are homeschooled?
When you are in the UK, you need to stay in education till you are 18 in the form of full-time or part-time. It is because you can not get a full-time job till you are 18. As it is important to stay in education, many parents homeschool their students. However one of the problems that most people face in homeschooling is the curriculum of the school. Most of you may get confused about sitting at GCSEs if you are homeschooled. Thus here we will help you to know about what is homeschooling and if you need to take GCSE during it.
Quick Takeaways
- Homeschooling is the way in which you will be studying at home in your full-time education.
- When you are homeschooling, it is not important for you to take the standardized qualifications and thus it is not mandatory to take GCSEs.
- However, if you are thinking of taking GCSEs in homeschooling, you will have to look for the registered board.
- If you are taking GCSEs in homeschooling, there is no fixed rule for the age group. You can take them at any age you want to. The only criterion is that you are prepared for the exam.
- You will have to pay both the exam board fee and the administration charges. However, the changes may vary with the subject you are studying and the centre you have chosen.
You must also read till the end so that you do not miss any of the important facts regarding doing GCSEs when you are homeschooled.
What is homeschooling?
As the name suggests, homeschooling is the way in which you will be studying at home in your full-time education. In it, you do not need to go to school but can get the required knowledge at the home itself. Most parents take homeschooling because they are not satisfied with the options offered by the schools. Further, if the child needs some special care, they are taken care of at their home.
If the child has never gone to school, parents only need to look for homeschooling programs to start. On the other hand, if you are studying in the school already, you will need to get in touch with the school to inform them.
Do you have to do GCSEs if you are homeschooled?
Generally, you will have to take 9 GCSEs but when you are homeschooling, you do not need to take a specific qualification. Thus it is not mandatory to take GCSE when you are homeschooled and also retake them as homeschooled. You do not need to follow the national curriculum and thus are free to study whatever excites you. However, one thing that you must take care of is that GCSEs are important qualifications to get enrolled in the university and thus you must know about the best GCSEs.
They are also often looked at by employers while hiring you. Having good grades in GCSEs will help you to open up a lot of career opportunities, especially in maths and English. Although if you are really passionate about something and are giving full attention to it while studying at home, it will never be a barrier to your future. If you still want to do the GCSE, you must remember the start and finish dates of it.
How do you do your GCSEs if you are homeschooled?
When you are homeschooled one of the biggest problems is knowing how to sit for GCSEs. In homeschooling, you can always think of taking them from a public or a private institution. You can also sit privately for your GCSEs via online platforms. All you need to do is to look online board that will help you to take online GCSEs. To prepare for it you can always look for private tutors who can help you with the course content of the subject.
In most cases, students take 2-3 GCSEs at a single time. It is because taking 2-3 GCSEs at a single time helps them to focus on the subject and is also hard in nature. You must make sure that when you are taking GCSEs at registered centres when you are homeschooling.
Can you do GCSEs at any age in homeschooling?
There is no boundary of the age for sitting at GCSEs or IGCSEs when you are homeschooled. You can take your GCSEs at any time after you are ready for your exams. It is slightly different from the traditional GCSEs as in it you will be sitting for the exams when you are 15-16 years old. However, one thing you must take care of is that you are only taking them before 2-3 years i.e. around 12-13 years old. It means that there is no legal requirement on the age of taking the exam and one must only take it when they have the maturity to understand the content. Further, it also means that you can retake it as many times as you want.
Do you need to pay for the GCSE exam when you are homeschooled?
Every student needs to pay for exam fees when they are sitting for GCSE exams. It means that even if you are in homeschool you will need to pay an entrance and exam fee for it. The amount of fee that you will have to pay will depend upon the centre and the area of living. It is because some centres look for profit and some are more driven towards charity. You may also need to pay for the study material you take. Further to ace the exam you may also look for some private tutors which again will increase your cost.
We can say that there are two main parts of the exam- exam board fees and administration charges. The exam board has a fixed charge which is mentioned on their website. Whereas the cost of the administration is chosen by the centre itself. The cost of it can be too low from £50 for a charitable exam centre and too high to £150. Every subject will have a different exam fee. If you are taking a retest then it will have a different exam fee.
Conclusion
When you are homeschooled, you will have to study in the home itself. You do not need to go to school and will get all the education from home only. In homeschooling, you do not need to follow any of the curricula and thus are not required to take any of the GCSE qualifications. However as GCSE is an important factor in getting into the university and getting a job, many students think of taking them even when they are homeschooled.
To take up GCSE when you are homeschooled, you will have to look for a registered centre and the board. Depending upon the centre you have chosen, you will have to pay a fee for it. You must also remember that there is no fixed age for taking the GCSEs when you are homeschooled. All you need is to be prepared for them.
FAQs
Can you do GCSE without going to school?
GCSEs are the qualifications that do not have specific entry requirements. Thus even if you are not going to school, you can still do GCSEs as a private student. You will need to look for centres that are conducting the GCSE exam. However, you must remember that your GCSEs are never expiring and therefore you must choose the right GCSEs for yourself.
What subjects are compulsory for homeschooling?
When you are homeschooled you can study whatever you want to. However, in most cases, parents try to include maths, science, creative learning, foreign languages, etc. However, if you want to get the GCSE maths results much faster, you must try to get them online. You must also know how many GCSEs you will be getting for them.
Do you need to follow the national curriculum?
Homeschooling means studying whatever excites you. Hence you are not required to follow the national curriculum. You can choose the subject you want to study and make sure that you are in full-time education. However, we will recommend developing your knowledge in all the subjects especially if you are thinking of taking GCSEs.
Can you go to college if you are homeschooled?
Most colleges and universities will look for traditional qualifications – GCSEs and A-levels. Thus it may be difficult for you to get into them if you have homeschooled. However, one thing that can help you is the working experience. So, if you have gained related experience, you may have a chance of getting into the colleges. However, if you are taking GCSEs, you must start revising the content at the right time. You can also take easy GCSEs that will help you to stay motivated and help in getting into the university.
