Before you apply

If you are a state funded School, College or Pupil Referral Unit and wish to apply to become an approved Academic centre with us, please complete the Academic Centre Approval form and send in to serviceoperations@edexcel.com.

All other centres, including Training Providers, Private Schools and Colleges and Community Projects should complete the expression of interest form here.

Please note that smaller organisations may be advised that their learners should be entered through locally approved centres and can’t be given approval in their own right.

The Process

After you’ve applied we will require an inspector to visit your centre to inspect the proposed examination arrangements, unless an inspection has already taken place through your relationship with another Awarding Organisation. It is important that you ensure that your centre is ready for inspection before applying by complying with the requirements specified in the JCQ Instructions for Conducting Examinations document.

Notes for independent private and special schools
 
All independent private and  special schools must have Department for Education registration. You can find the contact details here.

Notes for existing Edexcel centres

• The recognition form is for new centres only. If you are already an Edexcel centre for GCSE and you want to submit entries for GCE, all you need to do is to confirm this in writing and you will be notified of your new centre status.
  
• If you want to run or teach a new subject, please refer to the centre guidance and subject specification which will give you advice on ways of delivering the specification and on the resources needed. Please visit the Qualifications area of this website for more details.

Are you a UK state school interested in offering International GCSEs?  The Edexcel Certificate is a new addition to our International GCSE portfolio. Re-named for UK state schools, specifications will be available for teaching in September 2011.

We’re pleased to announce that The Edexcel Certificates in English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Science (Double Award) have been accredited by Ofqual. We’re still awaiting accreditation for the specifications in Geography and History.

Our proposed MFL suite of Edexcel Certificates (French, German, Spanish and Chinese) has not been approved for accreditation by Ofqual, primarily due to the lack of a compulsory speaking element. We are currently preparing a resubmission of revised Certificate specifications (with a compulsory speaking element) to Ofqual for accreditation. As a result, we do not expect to have a fully accredited specification for first teaching until September 2012, with first assessment in June 2013.

All of The Edexcel Certificates join our existing portfolio of International GCSEs. Once accredited, they will count towards national league table points and be eligible for teaching in UK schools.
 
How do I get approval to offer International GCSE qualifications in the UK?

International GCSEs can be delivered in both overseas and UK centres. However, you should be aware that International GCSEs are not included in the DFE list of approved qualifications in Section 96 of the Learning and Skills Act of 2000, and therefore do not count towards national league table points and are not eligible for funding.