The pandemic has meant that both providers and students have had to continually adapt to ever-changing circumstances.    

This year, exam results will be based on Teacher Assessed Grades in which teachers will assign results based on a range of evidence of their students’ performance including mock exams and non-examination assessments (coursework). 

Teachers have shared with students which pieces of work their grades will be based on, such as essays and class work, meaning that surprises on results day will be less likely. However, it is still worthwhile to be prepared by thinking about your options in the event that you may be disappointed with the assessment of your performance. It will be possible to appeal results to exam boards, but some students may decide that retaking in 2022 is the best option for them. 

NEC’s free and complete retake guides give you all of the information you need. These guides are useful for students disappointed with their results, as well as those who were not eligible for assessment this summer or who haven’t studied for a while and want to boost their grades. These guides offer advice on retaking the same subjects, changing your subject choices entirely, and alternative qualifications to different career paths. Download the GCSE retake guide or the A level retake guide.

Some students choose to retake through NEC, such as Rebecca, who, having struggled with her health, had fallen behind in school and failed her GCSE maths twice. She chose to study the course again through NEC:

“Studying with NEC allowed me to use my time how I wanted without being restricted by a timetable. I could make mistakes in Maths in my own time and figure out a way of learning the content in my way, there was no pressure. Slowly Maths became comfortable and, dare I say, enjoyable.”

Find out more about Rebecca’s story here.