Administration
Private Candidates
The document below provides information and guidance to Private Candidates wishing to enter via an AQA-approved School or College for A-level, GCSE, GCSE in Applied Subjects, Functional Skills and Level 1, Level 2 and AQA Certificates in the academic year 2011-2012. If you have any queries regarding the content of this document, please contact AQA at privatecandidates@aqa.org.uk
- Supplementary Guidance for Private Candidates 2011 – 2012
The latest version is: version 1.2 published here on 07/03/12.
Changes from the previous version include the addition of 31 May Coursework and Controlled Assessment mark submission date for GCE and GCSE Dance respectively (see pages 18 and 24).
The following forms should be completed, as appropriate, with reference to the 'Supplementary Guidance for Private Candidates'. These forms are links to the appendices of the 'Supplementary Guidance'. You may need to refresh the page to view each form:
- Private Candidate Identification Form
- Private Candidate Coursework Information Form
- Private Candidate Record Form
Private Candidate Centres
The document below provides information on those AQA approved centres that indicated that they may accept entries from Private Candidates for AQA examinations. Please note that the document is bookmarked and searchable to assist you.
The document will be updated regularly and was last updated on 17 April 2012.
Controlled Assessment and Private Candidates
Following complaints from private candidates and distance learning organisations that the controlled assessment rules made it virtually impossible for them to find centres which would accept them for courses of study, AQA has been in discussion with Ofqual as to whether there is any possibility of relaxing the requirements for these candidates – the response received has made it very clear that they will not agree to any relaxation of controlled assessment requirements for private candidates in the foreseeable future.
Private candidates need to find a registered centre that will:
- accept them for all elements of Controlled Assessment Task Taking and Task Marking, including preparation and analysis prior to the Task Taking
- undertake authentication of Controlled Assessment Tasks
- keep their work securely between sessions
- undertake the assessment of any Controlled Assessment Tasks.
Private candidates will be asked to undertake all elements of controlled assessment. This can include writing-up sessions and research and analysis sessions. All elements with high or medium levels of control must be undertaken within the centre, or externally with centre supervision e.g. a field trip. The timings of these sessions will vary but writing-up sessions can be as long as 6 hours and research and analysis sessions can be as long as 20 hours.
Private candidates should note that:
- AQA will not undertake the assessment of Controlled Assessment Tasks (CATs), except for units that have been designated High level of control for Task Marking;
- AQA cannot undertake the authentication of CATs;
- AQA cannot release CATs to Private Candidates for security reasons.
Please refer to Section F of the 'Supplementary Guidance for Private Candidates' booklet for further information.
Support Booklet for Private Candidates
Entry Information
The documents below provide entry codes and indicate the availability of A-level, GCSE, GCSE in Applied Subjects, Functional Skills and Level 1, Level 2 and AQA Certificates in the academic year 2011-2012. They must be read in conjunction with the Supplementary Guidance for Private Candidates (see above).
- Entry Information for Private Candidates GCSE All Series 2011 – 2012
The latest version is: version 1.0 published here on 09/09/11.
- Entry Information for Private Candidates A-level All Series 2011 – 2012
The latest version is: version 1.1 published here on 07/03/12.
Changes from the previous version include the requirement that any texts taken into the exam room for LTA1A or LITB1 must be free from annotation (see pages 23 and 24).
Enquiries should be addressed to AQA at privatecandidates@aqa.org.uk.