Students across the UK will receive their GCSE results on Thursday for exams sat in the summer. A minimum grade 4 is required to progress, meaning many will face resits.
Resit dates for Maths and English
Resit exams for Maths and English GCSEs with AQA and Pearson Edexcel take place in November, in addition to the standard annual exam dates in May or June.
Some pupils, such as those on a 16 to 19 study programme who have not achieved a grade 4 or above in English or Maths, must continue studying the GCSE and are not required to resit the exam.
Alternatively, some colleges and sixth forms offer a functional skills qualification instead of the GCSE, a level 2 qualification based on applying English or Maths in real life.
Costs of resitting exams
Most education centres allow students to resit for free in the year following their first attempt if their grade was below a 4. For those who achieved a grade 4 or above but want a higher grade, a fee often applies.
Schools can charge between £75 and £150 per exam, while private candidates may be charged between £150 and £500 by third-party agencies and exam centres.
Where resits take place
For most going on to sixth form, the best option is to resit at their former school or the college they plan to attend. Further education colleges offer some GCSE subjects, like English and Maths, and some private exam centres accept external candidates for resits.
