Post-Results Services

There are a couple of options available to you if you do decide to go ahead with resits, but you should be aware that resit exams for level 3 courses only take place next summer (there are no autumn resits).  The first option is to resit at a provider local to you - you can find more information about the centres in your area on the JCQ website (exams office section).  This would simply be a centre where you can register to resit your exams as a private candidate - you would not receive additional teaching or support.  Alternatively you may decide to select an online provider who would offer additional help and support with your studies.  You will be able to search for details of such providers online.

Please note that for A level subjects, you will have to resit all exams papers for the subject concerned, however, you may be able to carry forward NEA marks (coursework) and science practical endorsement grades.

There are also some points to consider if you are thinking about a resit:

Have you got into university?

• If you have got a place, perhaps to your insurance choice, but are disappointed with your results, then our strong advice would be to move forward - there are no guarantees that you will do better in a retake…the reality is it is very hard to do so.

• Retaking means taking a year out - what else are you going to do in this year?  How will you ‘add value’ to yourself during the year?

• Any new university application will need to be submitted before Christmas.  Remember that College will have no way of assessing a new predicted grade for you as you will not be studying with us - which makes your choice of courses tricky.

How will you ensure you are fully prepared for any retake?

• It may be possible for ex-students to retain access to Study Directory resources for the year, but it will not be possible for the College to support students more than this, as staff will be fully occupied in teaching the current cohort of students.

• Preparing will require a lot of self-discipline.  You will need to start working now to be properly ready and would need to commit to a minimum of 3 hours self-study per subject every week until you resit the exam.

You can see the official statistics relating to the reviews of marking and moderation public examinations in England last year (2024) here.

Nationally, nearly 62,000 A level grades were challenged. Of these, 23.1% were upgraded, while fewer than 0.1% were downgraded.

Since a review of marking can result in your grade going up, staying the same, or going down, it's important to consider this decision carefully. Our usual advice is to look at how close your overall mark is to the next grade boundary.

For example, if you need 160/200 for an A* and you've scored 158/200 (with 140/200 required for an A), the risk of requesting a review is relatively low. Even if your mark were to drop slightly, it would still likely stay within the A grade boundary. However, if you scored 141/200, a small decrease of just 2 marks could lower your grade from an A to a B - making the risk of a review significantly higher.

Your teacher can help you understand how close you are to key grade boundaries and discuss your options. However, they will not make the decision for you. Ultimately, you must weigh the risks and remember that a review could result in your grade being lowered.