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Q and A: About Exams
Q2.Can mobile phones be taken into the exam room, as long as they are switched off?
Q4. My school doesn't offer some of the GCSEs I want to take. What should I do?
Q5. Which modern foreign languages are available in GCSE?
Q7. What grade do you need to get in GCSE to do an A level in that subject?
Q1. I always get nervous at the start of the examination when people start writing straight away and I'm still reading the questions. What's the best approach to take in these circumstances?
Not to copy them, that's for sure. Research has shown that there are 'rushers' and 'planners'. The 'rushers' don't read the paper properly and just start doing the questions - often at random - and do the wrong ones, in the sense that if they had taken their time to read the paper, then they would have chosen different questions. Be a planner and get better marks.
There is time allowed to read the paper, take that time and map out the questions that you intend to do. Jot notes down on the paper as you read the questions to remind you later on. Start with questions you feel comfortable with to build up your confidence before tackling ones which don't seem quite so straight forward to you.
But when you enter the exam room in the first instance, take six deep breaths to help you settle, ignore all others and have a glucose sweet, if your school will allow this. That way you'll be best placed to tackle these exams. But no crunching or noisy paper which could disturb others.
Q2.Can mobile phones be taken into the exam room, as long as they are switched off?
Only if you want to be disqualified. The only things allowed in the room are the things you need for the exam. All books and personal belongings, such as Mp3 players and the like, or pieces of paper with notes on them, must not be taken into the room. Make sure you stick to the rules and don't be tempted to break any of them. If you are unsure what the rules are, then check with your teacher.
Q3. My daughter found her first GCSE examination difficult and thinks she has done badly. She is worrying about this and can't get on with preparation for her next exam. What can she do?
Not a lot on the examination she has just taken, but a great deal on the ones she still has to sit. I faced a similar situation myself many years ago and perhaps your daughter can learn from my mistake. I passed the examwhich I had just taken and thought I had failed, and failed the next one because of worrying about the one I had just taken. Not a very bright thing to do.
I never made that mistake again and thereafter forgot about exams I had taken, concentrating on the ones I still had to take, where I could make a difference and influence the results.
Q4. My school doesn't offer some of the GCSEs I want to take. What should I do?
That depends on a number of factors really, the main one being how desperate you are to do the subjects not offered by your school. If it is only a slight preference you have for one exam board's science syllabus, compared to the one offered by your school for example, then that would just be a minor annoyance and you would probably be creating a fuss for nothing. If your need is greater than this, such as a minority modern foreign language where your school doesn't have the resources or expertise to teach it, then you either need to decide not to take that qualification or alternatively try to make other arrangements. You need to speak to your school about this to see if anything can be done. There may be another school locally, or a further education college, where the subject is taught and perhaps arrangements could be made for you to attend there for that subject. There is of course, a limit to what can be done and you may even have to study the language in your own time if you are so sure that you need to have it.
Q5. Which modern foreign languages are available in GCSE?
See the What's on in schools area of the DfES website for the most recently updated list.
Q6. My exam results were a complete disaster. I didn't work hard enough and by the time I realised this, it was too late. What can I do now?
Who dares wins and who sits around is left around. Get on the phone to secure a place at a college or sixth form - or perhaps your results really were that bad and you do need to rethink you ideas from scratch. But whatever you do, don't grab at just anything. You may find yourself dropping out later and landing back at square one..
Many students will be in your position, just as many before you. Churchill and Einstein didn't do too well at school. And Charlotte Bronte's school report said that she: 'writes indifferently' and 'knows nothing of grammar'. It's what you do now that matters.
There are lots of organisations that can offer help and advice. Connexions offer advice on everything from stress and revision to further education opportunities and career options. You can call the Connexions helpline on 080 800 13219. Learndirect can help you find the right course to study. You can call the Learndirect helpline on 0800 101 901.
But remember, the harder you work the greater your chances are for success - and that the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
Q7. What grade do you need to get in GCSE to do an A level in that subject?
Strictly speaking you don't have to do a GCSE before taking an A level at all, as far as the regulations are concerned, and not everyone does. However, schools and colleges impose their own restrictions - primarily to ensure that students are not out of their depth with the A level they have chosen and to ensure that they have some chance of success. Entry requirements imposed by schools and colleges will vary from institution to institution. Check what the requirements are at your school and the institution you would hope to attend.
Q8. I sat my GCSEs in 2001 but don't have the actual certificates. Where can I get the originals or replacements?
You seem to be suggesting that you never received your original certificates. These would have been sent to the school at which you sat your examinations. If you never collected or received them from the school, then you should contact them to see where they are. They may still have them and are waiting for you to pick them up.
Certificates will only be replaced if there is valid reason for their loss, such as being destroyed in a fire or stolen. Appropriate documentation would be required from the police or similar authority as verification. However, exam boards will always verify results to universities or employers if asked, even if certificates and records have been carelessly lost or destroyed by candidates.