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Who Is a Private Candidate?
A private candidate is anyone who enters for an exam without being taught at the centre where they sit it. That includes home-educated children, students taught by a tutor or online course, and some students resitting after leaving school.
Step by Step
- 1Choose GCSE or International GCSE
Both are accepted by most colleges, sixth forms and universities as a maths qualification at this level, but check with any college you have in mind. Many home-educating families choose International GCSE (Edexcel or Cambridge), partly because it can also be sat at approved centres outside the UK.
- 2Find an Exam Centre Before You Choose the Exam Board
This is the step families most often get wrong. Not every centre offers every board or tier (Foundation or Higher), so confirm what the centre can offer before your child starts the course. Use the JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) online search for centres that accept private candidates, ask local schools and colleges, or contact specialist exam centres.
- 3Book Early
Centres set their own deadlines, often in the autumn or early in the new year for summer exams. For summer 2027, the exam boards' own deadline is 21 February 2027, so centres need your entry well before that.
- 4Check the Costs
Each centre sets its own fees. For one GCSE or IGCSE Maths entry, fees are often around £150 to £250, and some centres charge more. Ask what is included, and about late entry fees.
- 5Ask About Access Arrangements Early
If your child needs extra time, a reader or rest breaks, the centre must arrange this when you enter, and will usually need evidence. Raise it at the very start.
- 6Check the Statement of Entry
The centre will send a statement of entry listing the board, tier and exam dates. Check every detail carefully, including the spelling of your child's name.
GCSE or International GCSE?
| GCSE Maths | International GCSE Maths | |
|---|---|---|
| Boards | AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas | Pearson Edexcel (4MA1), Cambridge (0580) |
| Where it can be sat | At an approved centre in the UK | At approved centres in the UK and many other countries |
| Papers | Three papers (two for Eduqas) | Two papers |
| Formula sheet | Same formulas for every board | Different for each board |
| When exams are held | May to June, with November resits for students aged 16 or over | Summer, plus extra exam sessions on some boards |
A Suggested Timeline for a Summer Exam
| When | What to Do |
|---|---|
| A year or more before the exams | Choose the qualification. Find a centre that offers it, then choose the board. |
| September to December | Contact the centre and make the entry before its deadline. Ask for any access arrangements (such as extra time). |
| January to March | Finish the course content. Start timed practice. |
| April to May | Full past papers under exam conditions, at a desk, with a timer. |
| May to June | The exams. Arrive early with photo ID if the centre asks for it. |
| August | Results, collected from the centre or sent by them. |
Practise Being in an Exam Room
Home-educated students may never have sat in an exam hall. The silence, the rows of desks and the strict rules can be unsettling. Before the real thing, do several full papers at a table, in silence, with a timer and only exam equipment on the desk. If possible, visit the centre beforehand so the building feels familiar.
What to Take on Exam Day
- Photo ID, if the centre asks for it
- Black pens, pencils, a ruler, a rubber, a protractor and compasses
- An approved scientific calculator for the calculator papers
- A clear pencil case and a clear water bottle with no labels
- The statement of entry, with the candidate number