Private Candidate Exams in East London: Stratford, Forest Gate & Newham
Sit your GCSE, IGCSE or A-Level papers close to home. We arrange your entry and your seat at a JCQ-registered partner centre in East London, on the Elizabeth and Central lines.
Sit your exams in East London
Private candidates in East London can sit GCSE, IGCSE, A-Level and Functional Skills exams at partner examination centres in Stratford (E15) and Forest Gate (E7). London Elite Exams makes your entry with the exam board, arranges your seat in the East London Partner Centre Network and supports you from booking to results day.
You do not need to be enrolled at a school or college. Home-educated students, adult learners, resit candidates and online-school students from Newham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Barking & Dagenham and nearby Essex all book this way.
Where you sit: the East London Partner Centre Network
Partner examination centres in Stratford (E15) and Forest Gate (E7) take candidates from across Newham and the surrounding boroughs. Plaistow and East Ham candidates sit at these centres, and Ilford and Redbridge candidates reach them in minutes on the Elizabeth line.
| Area | Postcodes served | Nearest stations | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford | E15, E20 | Stratford, Maryland, Stratford International | Elizabeth, Central, Jubilee, DLR, Overground, National Rail |
| Forest Gate | E7, E12 | Forest Gate, Manor Park, Wanstead Park | Elizabeth, Overground |
| Plaistow & East Ham | E13, E6 | Plaistow, Upton Park, East Ham, West Ham | District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, DLR |
| Ilford & Redbridge | IG1, IG2, IG3 | Ilford, Seven Kings, Gants Hill | Elizabeth, Central |
Partner centres are in the Stratford and Forest Gate areas. Plaistow, East Ham, Ilford and Redbridge candidates are placed at the nearer of the two.
You choose East London as your preferred area when you book. We place you at the partner centre that can take your subject and exam board. The exact address, room and arrival time are sent to you with your Statement of Entry and centre instructions, once your entry is confirmed.
Getting there by Elizabeth line and Central line
Every partner centre area on this page is a short walk from a station. Most candidates arrive by the Elizabeth line or the Central line.
| From | Route | Typical journey |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Gate to Stratford | Elizabeth line, direct | about 4 minutes |
| Ilford to Forest Gate | Elizabeth line, direct | about 5 minutes |
| Ilford to Stratford | Elizabeth line, direct | about 9 minutes |
| Leytonstone to Stratford | Central line, direct | about 5 minutes |
| Whitechapel to Stratford | Elizabeth line, direct | about 6 minutes |
| Liverpool Street to Stratford | Elizabeth or Central line, direct | about 8 minutes |
| Canary Wharf to Stratford | Jubilee line, direct | about 14 minutes |
| Romford to Stratford | Elizabeth line, direct | about 20 minutes |
| Barking to Stratford | District or Hammersmith & City line to West Ham, then Jubilee line | about 20 minutes |
Typical daytime journey times. Check TfL on the morning of your exam and aim to arrive 30 minutes before the start time on your timetable.
Which exams you can sit in East London
- GCSE: Maths, English Language, English Literature, the sciences and most written-paper subjects.
- IGCSE: Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel.
- A-Level and AS-Level: written-paper subjects such as Maths, Economics, Psychology, Sociology and the sciences.
- Functional Skills: English and Maths at Level 1 and Level 2, including on-screen exams.
- Exam boards: AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, Cambridge International and WJEC Eduqas (written papers).
Language speaking tests for subjects such as French, Spanish and Arabic are arranged through the network, and a coursework mark from a previous sitting can be carried forward when you resit.
For A-Level sciences, the written papers are sat in East London. The practical endorsement is arranged with specialist laboratory centres on request, and we confirm this for your subject before you pay.
On-screen (computer-based) exams are available for Functional Skills and ACCA.
Access arrangements and step-free access
The East London partner centres provide 25% extra time, supervised rest breaks, a reader, a scribe and a separate room for candidates who are entitled to them. You need valid evidence: a Form 8, a Form 9, an EHCP or medical evidence.
Ground-floor accessible exam rooms are available. Tell us at step 3 of the booking form and upload your evidence, because every arrangement has to be approved before the exam, not on the day.
Why candidates in East London book through us
- One booking, every subject. Mix GCSE and A-Level subjects, and different exam boards, in a single booking with one payment.
- A seat close to home. No travelling across London for a morning paper.
- Your entry is checked before it goes to the board. Wrong codes and wrong tiers are the most common reason private candidates lose a year.
- A named contact from booking to results day, and your results emailed the morning they are released.
Deadlines and price
Every subject has a standard, late and higher-late price. The date you book decides which one you pay, so booking early is the biggest saving. Current cut-off dates are on our deadlines page, and live prices for every subject are on the fees page with a calculator.
How booking works
- 1Choose your subjects in the booking form and select East London as your preferred area.
- 2Complete your details and upload your photo ID. The form saves as you go.
- 3Pay, and we submit your entry to the exam board and the partner centre.
- 4Receive your Statement of Entry, personal timetable and centre instructions, including the centre address.
- 5Sit your exams, then get your results by email on results day.
East London exams: your questions answered
Where exactly will I sit my exam in East London?
At a JCQ-registered partner examination centre in the Stratford (E15) or Forest Gate (E7) area. You choose East London when you book, and the centre's address and arrival instructions are sent with your Statement of Entry once your entry is confirmed.
Can I ask for Stratford specifically?
Yes. Tell us your preferred station or postcode in the booking notes. We place you at the nearest partner centre that can take your subject and exam board, and tell you if the nearest option is a different area.
Is London Elite Exams an exam centre?
No. We are an independent exam entry service for private candidates. We make your entry and arrange your seat, and you sit the papers at a JCQ-registered partner centre. Your certificate is issued by the exam board, exactly as it is for a school candidate.
Which exam boards can I sit in East London?
AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, Cambridge International and WJEC Eduqas for written papers. We confirm the board and specification code for your subject before your entry is made.
I live in Ilford, Plaistow or East Ham. Where do I sit?
At a partner centre in Forest Gate or Stratford. Forest Gate is about 5 minutes from Ilford on the Elizabeth line and Stratford about 9 minutes. Plaistow and East Ham are a short District line or bus journey from both.
Can I sit A-Level science practicals in East London?
The written papers are sat in East London. The practical endorsement needs supervised laboratory sessions, which we arrange with specialist laboratory centres on request. Tell us at booking and we confirm where it can be arranged before you pay.
Can I get extra time or a separate room?
Yes, with valid evidence such as a Form 8, a Form 9, an EHCP or medical evidence. The East London partner centres provide 25% extra time, supervised rest breaks, a reader, a scribe and a separate room. Arrangements must be approved before the exam, so tell us when you book.
Can I take Functional Skills in East London?
Yes. Functional Skills English and Maths are available at Level 1 and Level 2, including on-screen exams.
What do I need to bring on exam day?
Photo ID (a current passport or UK photocard driving licence), your Statement of Entry, black pens in a clear pencil case and a calculator where the paper allows one. Phones and smartwatches must stay outside the exam room.
What happens if East London seats are full for my subject?
We tell you before you pay and offer the nearest partner centre that has a seat. Booking before the standard deadline gives the widest choice.
Related information
Areas & Postcodes Served
Postcodes covered
Nearest stations
Stratford (Elizabeth, Central, Jubilee, DLR, Overground), Maryland, Forest Gate and Manor Park (Elizabeth line), Plaistow, Upton Park and East Ham (District, Hammersmith & City)
Transport Links & Accessibility
East London at a glance
- Partner examination centres in Stratford (E15) and Forest Gate (E7)
- GCSE, IGCSE, A-Level, AS-Level and Functional Skills entries
- AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, Cambridge International and WJEC Eduqas
- Extra time, rest breaks, reader, scribe and separate room with valid evidence
- Ground-floor accessible exam rooms
Book Your Exam in East London (Stratford & Newham)
Choose East London as your preferred area in the booking form. We place you at the nearest partner centre that can take your subject and exam board.
Book your East London seat