It may be useful to know that there is no obligation for home educated learners to take any standardised tests or public exams as part of their education and this includes GCSEs.
Most employers will ask for 5 (obviously this depends on the employer and the position the person is aiming for).
Most colleges ask for no more than 5 and often offer the ability to take further qualifications with them.
If you have an idea of what you or your learner wants to do next, for example this could be to study a level 3 course, an A Level subject or to start an apprenticeship, don’t be afraid to call the college or Higher Education centre and speak to the admissions team. You could even try a few local ones to get the general consensus, if you have not made a decision on destination as yet.
Other options that some home educated learners opt for are:
IGCSEs.
Recognised level 1 or level 2 courses.
Functional skills qualifications for Math, English or ICT.
Btec‘s or other vocational qualifications.
College where they offer a 14-16 route.
Online providers that provide Level 2 options within their provision.
The Pros and Cons of GCSEs
GCSEs Pros
Often used to assess whether is a learner is suitable for Higher Education or a particular job.
Most people have an understanding of what a GCSE ‘means’.
Can provide a foundation in a range of subjects studied.
GCSEs Cons
When home educating, there can be difficulties finding an exam centre or school/college that will accept private candidates.
Some subjects require coursework/controlled assessments and this can also be difficult to achieve as a home educated learner.
Sometimes there can be difficulties finding more creative or vocational subjects as a GCSE/IGCSE.
