Retake Your A-Levels as a Private Candidate in London
You can retake any A-Level at any age, without enrolling at a college. We register you as a private candidate at an approved London centre and you sit the same papers, on the same dates, for the same qualification — from £390 per subject in the summer series.
What we do, and what we don't
Most A-Level retake options are full college courses costing thousands of pounds a year. That is the right answer for some people. If you have already studied the material, or you have a tutor, it is a great deal more than you need.
What we provide
- Registration as a private candidate with the awarding body
- Your seat and venue at an approved London centre
- Statement of Entry, candidate number and timetable
- Invigilation on the day and your results release
- Access arrangements where you have current evidence
What we don't
- Teaching, lessons or a taught retake course
- Tutoring or marked homework
- Coursework supervision for subjects requiring it
- Predicted grades or UCAS references
If you need teaching as well, a sixth-form college or a private tutor is the right route — and you can still enter your exams through us.
Can you retake A-Levels?
Yes — A-Levels can be retaken at any age, as many times as you want. There is no limit on attempts, no upper age limit, and no requirement to be enrolled at a school or college. Entering privately means the centre registers you directly with the awarding body.
Two things surprise most people. First, A-Levels are linear: you re-enter for the whole subject and sit every paper again, so a single weak paper cannot be resat on its own. Second, your original grade is not cancelled — both results stand and you use the better one. That means a retake carries no risk to the grade you already hold.
How to retake your A-Levels
Five steps from deciding to retake, to sitting the papers.
- 1
Decide which subjects to re-enter
You choose subject by subject. Most people retake only the one or two grades holding an offer back, and keep the rest. There is no requirement to re-enter everything you originally sat.
- 2
Check the specification you studied is still running
Awarding bodies retire specifications. If yours has been withdrawn you re-enter on the current one, which may have different papers. We confirm the live specification code before any entry is made.
- 3
Register with us before the entry deadline
Standard entries close in the winter before the summer series. The full fee is payable when you book; entries made after our standard deadline are charged at the subject's late price, and after the late deadline at its very-late price.
- 4
Study however suits you
This is the part you own. Most retake candidates self-study from the specification and past papers, or keep a private tutor. You do not need to be enrolled anywhere to be entered.
- 5
Sit the papers in the summer series
You receive a Statement of Entry with your candidate number and timetable, sit every paper for the subject at the centre, and collect your result on A-Level results day in August.
When can you resit A-Levels?
A-Level resits run in the summer series only — papers in May and June, results in August. Entries close the winter before, so the practical deadline is months earlier than most people expect.
There is no November A-Level series. The autumn resit window that people have heard about applies to GCSE English Language and Maths only. Missing the summer entry deadline for an A-Level means waiting a full year, which is why the deadline matters far more than the late fee.
Check the current entry deadlines before you plan anything else.
How much does an A-Level resit cost?
A resit costs exactly the same as a first entry — £390 for most A-Level subjects, with the full range running from £300 – £1290. There is no retake surcharge, and no charge for being a private candidate rather than a school one.
Typical subject
£390
Per A-Level, written papers
Payment
In full
By bank transfer when you book
Booking & support fee
+ £30
Per subject, shown separately
Sciences are listed as written papers only. If a university requires a pass in the practical endorsement, the assessed CPAC sessions are arranged separately at £650. See the full fee tables.
Which A-Level subjects can you retake?
Every subject below is open to private candidates and can be re-entered. Mathematics is the most common retake we handle, followed by the sciences and Economics.
History of Art
Pearson Edexcel
Accounting
Cambridge International
Biology
Cambridge International
Business Studies
Cambridge International
Chemistry
Cambridge International
Computer Science A2
Cambridge International
English Language
Cambridge International
French
Cambridge International
Geography
Cambridge International
History
Cambridge International
English Literature A level
Cambridge International
Mathematics
Cambridge International
Physics A2
Cambridge International
Psychology
Cambridge International
Sociology
Cambridge International
Spanish
Cambridge International
Accounting
AQA
History
AQA
German Retake
AQA
Polish Listening Reading Writing
AQA
Modern Hebrew
AQA
Bengali
AQA
Panjabi
AQA
Environmental Science
AQA
Biology Writing Exam and Practical
AQA
Chemistry Writing and Practical
AQA
Economics
AQA
Law
AQA
Mathematics
AQA
Further Mathematics
AQA
Media Studies with coursework
AQA
Philosophy
AQA
Politics
AQA
Psychology
AQA
Religious Studies
AQA
Sociology
AQA
Ancient History
OCR
Biology A Retake
OCR
Biology B Retake
OCR
Chemistry A (Retake)
OCR
Chemistry B Salters (Retake)
OCR
Physics A (Retake)
OCR
Physics B (Retake)
OCR
Business
OCR
Computer Science - with NEA
OCR
Economics
OCR
English Language and Literature (Retake)
OCR
English Literature Retake
OCR
Classical Greek
OCR
Law
OCR
Mathematics
OCR
Further Mathematics A
OCR
Media Studies with coursework
OCR
Psychology
OCR
Religious Studies
OCR
Sociology
OCR
Arabic
Pearson Edexcel
Biology B
Pearson Edexcel
Business
Pearson Edexcel
Chemistry A
Pearson Edexcel
Economics A
Pearson Edexcel
Economics B
Pearson Edexcel
English Language and Literatutre Retake
Pearson Edexcel
English Literature Retake
Pearson Edexcel
German
Pearson Edexcel
Greek
Pearson Edexcel
Gujarati
Pearson Edexcel
Japanese
Pearson Edexcel
Mathematics
Pearson Edexcel
Further Mathematics
Pearson Edexcel
Persian
Pearson Edexcel
Portuguese
Pearson Edexcel
Politics
Pearson Edexcel
Psychology
Pearson Edexcel
Religious Studies
Pearson Edexcel
Russian
Pearson Edexcel
Spanish
Pearson Edexcel
Statistics
Pearson Edexcel
Turkish
Pearson Edexcel
Urdu
Pearson Edexcel
Spanish - Language
Cambridge International
Government and Politics
OCR
Physics writing and practical
AQA
Classical Civilisation
OCR
Core Mathematics A(MEI)
OCR
Core Mathematics B (MEI)
OCR
Additional Mathematics
OCR
Further Mathematics B (MEI)
OCR
Latin
OCR
Mathematics B (MEI)
OCR
Physics A (with practical)
OCR
Chemistry A (with practical)
OCR
Biology B (with practical)
OCR
Physics B (with practical)
OCR
Biology A practical
OCR
Biology B practical
OCR
Biology practical
AQA
Biology practical
Cambridge International
Biology A practical
Pearson Edexcel
Physics A practical
OCR
Physics B practical
OCR
Physics practical
AQA
Physics practical
Cambridge International
Chemistry A practical
OCR
Chemistry practical
Pearson Edexcel
Chemistry practical
AQA
Chemistry practical
Cambridge International
Chemistry
WJEC Eduqas
Physics (Retake)
WJEC Eduqas
Business
AQA
Economics
WJEC Eduqas
English General Paper
Cambridge International
First Language Spanish
Cambridge International
Spanish Literature
Cambridge International
Arabic Language
Cambridge International
French Language & Literature
Cambridge International
French Language
Cambridge International
History
Cambridge International
Information Technology
Cambridge International
Islamic Studies
Cambridge International
Law
Cambridge International
Further-Mathematics
Cambridge International
Urdu
Cambridge International
Economics
Cambridge International
Sociology
WJEC Eduqas
Business
WJEC Eduqas
Computer Science with NEA
WJEC Eduqas
German
WJEC Eduqas
English Literature Retake
WJEC Eduqas
Law
WJEC Eduqas
Religious Studies
WJEC Eduqas
Computer Science - NEA Carried Forward
OCR
Physics (Retake)
Pearson Edexcel
Physics (Retake)
AQA
Biology A with Practical
OCR
Computer Science - with NEA
AQA
Computer Science Retake
AQA
English Language Retake
OCR
English Language With NEA
OCR
English Language Retake
Pearson Edexcel
English Language With NEA
Pearson Edexcel
History Retake
Pearson Edexcel
History With NEA
Pearson Edexcel
History Retake
OCR
History With NEA
OCR
History Retake
AQA
History With NEA
AQA
Chinese with speaking
Pearson Edexcel
Chinese Retake
Pearson Edexcel
Russian with speaking
Pearson Edexcel
Russian Retake
Pearson Edexcel
French with speaking
AQA
French retake
AQA
French with speaking
Pearson Edexcel
French retake
Pearson Edexcel
Spanish with speaking
Pearson Edexcel
Spanish retake
Pearson Edexcel
Spanish retake
AQA
Spanish with speaking
AQA
Biology A Salters Nuffield Retake
Pearson Edexcel
Biology A Salters Nuffield With practical
Pearson Edexcel
Biology Retake
AQA
Chemistry
AQA
Physics Writing & practical
Pearson Edexcel
Chemistry Writing and practical
Pearson Edexcel
German with Speaking
AQA
German with Speaking
Pearson Edexcel
German with Speaking
WJEC Eduqas
Italian with speaking
Pearson Edexcel
Italian Retake
Pearson Edexcel
Chemistry B Salters with practical
OCR
English Literature With NEA
Pearson Edexcel
English Literature A With NEA
AQA
English Literature With NEA
OCR
English Literature With NEA
WJEC Eduqas
English Language With NEA
AQA
English Language Retake
AQA
Biology B Retake
Pearson Edexcel
Media Studies Retake
OCR
English Literature A Retake
AQA
Spanish Language and Literature
Cambridge International
English Literature B Retake
AQA
English Literature B With NEA
AQA
English Language and Literatutre with NEA
Pearson Edexcel
English Language and Literature Retake
AQA
English Language and Literature with NEA
AQA
Chemistry Retake
AQA
Biology B with Practical
Pearson Edexcel
Chemistry A Retake
Pearson Edexcel
Biology Writing & Practical
WJEC Eduqas
Biology Retake
WJEC Eduqas
Chemistry Retake
WJEC Eduqas
Chemistry Writing and practical
WJEC Eduqas
English Language and Literature with NEA
OCR
Physics Writing & practical
WJEC Eduqas
Classical Studies
Cambridge International
Subjects with compulsory coursework or non-examined assessment are not listed, because a private candidate cannot have that work supervised and marked without a teaching centre. If the subject you need is not here, ask us — some can be arranged on a specification that is fully examined.
Retaking A-Levels in London
We register private candidates at approved centres across London, so you sit your papers somewhere reachable rather than travelling to whichever centre happened to have space. Seats are allocated when you register, and confirmed on your Statement of Entry.
London matters more for retakes than for first entries, because retake candidates are usually fitting exams around a job, a gap year or a deferred university place. Sitting near where you already are is the difference between a workable plan and a missed paper.
Does retaking A-Levels look bad to universities?
For most courses, no. Universities generally treat a resit grade the same as a first attempt, and a stronger set of grades a year later is worth more than a weaker set on time.
The exceptions are real and worth checking properly. A minority of highly competitive courses — medicine and dentistry in particular, and some Oxbridge subjects — either restrict resit candidates or ask for higher grades from them, and a few require the resit to be completed within a single year. That policy belongs to each university, changes between admission cycles, and we will not tell you what any of them will accept.
Read the admissions policy for the specific course before you commit to the retake, and if you have an offer already, ask the admissions office directly. It is a short email that can save you a year.
A-Level retakes, answered
Can you resit A-Levels?
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Yes. A-Levels can be retaken at any age, with no limit on the number of attempts and no requirement to be enrolled at a school or college. You enter as a private candidate, sit the same papers on the same dates as school candidates, and receive the same qualification.
Can you resit just one A-Level paper?
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No. A-Levels are linear qualifications, so you re-enter for the complete subject and sit every paper again in the same series. There is no option to carry forward marks from individual papers you did well in.
When can you resit A-Levels?
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A-Level resits run in the summer series only, in May and June, with results in August. There is no November A-Level series — that autumn resit window exists for GCSE English Language and Maths, not for A-Levels.
How much does it cost to resit an A-Level?
+
An A-Level resit costs the same as a first entry: £390 for most subjects, from £300 – £1290 depending on the subject. There is no retake surcharge. Sciences requiring the practical endorsement carry a separate £650 charge for the assessed laboratory sessions.
Does your old grade get cancelled if you retake?
+
No. Your original result stands on your record and the better of the two grades is the one you use. Retaking cannot lower the grade you already hold, so there is no downside risk to the attempt itself.
Does retaking A-Levels look bad to universities?
+
Most universities accept resit grades on the same terms as first attempts. A minority of highly competitive courses — medicine and some Oxbridge subjects in particular — set their own restrictions or ask for higher grades from resit candidates. Check the specific course's admissions policy before you commit, as it varies by university and by course.
Can you retake AS-Levels instead?
+
AS-Level is a separate, standalone qualification and its marks do not count towards the A-Level grade. Retaking an AS will not improve an A-Level result, so if the A-Level grade is what an offer depends on, the A-Level is what you need to re-enter.
Can you retake A-Level Maths or Biology as a private candidate?
+
Yes. A-Level Mathematics is entirely written and is one of the most common retakes we handle. Biology, Chemistry and Physics are available as written papers at £380, which covers the examined papers only — if a university requires a pass in the practical endorsement, the assessed CPAC sessions are arranged separately at £650.
Do you need to have studied at a school to retake?
+
No. Private candidates are entered directly by the centre, with no school involvement and no enrolment required. Anyone can retake, including candidates who left education years ago and are returning to meet a university or professional entry requirement.
What happens if you miss the entry deadline?
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Late entries are accepted up to the awarding body's late deadline at the subject's late price — typically £50–£100 more than the standard price, and higher again in the very-late window. After the final high-late deadline no entry can be made at all, and the subject rolls to the following summer — a full year's delay, which is why the deadline matters more than the fee.
Ready to register your retake?
The full fee is payable when you book, by bank transfer. Entries close months before the papers.