Will GCSE grades be checked?

[NorthernTech]

In my current job, outside of the railway, I did an apprenticeship many years ago and on the job description they asked for 3 or 4 gcse passes as a requirement. I had them but had no certificates and no proof, so they put a few of us through 3 of the Level 2 Key Skills certifications required so that we met the requirements of the apprenticeship and presumably allowed the company to gain the funding for the course. I’ve since been able to use the Key Skills certificates as proof to be able to apply for train driver positions where they asked for proof on application. I presume some would request proof only if you were successful in your applicatio of which you may come unstuck if at that point you had misled them on your application. If they never asked on the job description for any, I don’t think I’d worry about it.

 

[zwk500]

I don't even know who the examination board was for G.C.S.E.s in 1996. Are they likely to be the same organisation in 2021?

CJ

Reading up on it, there were a lot of mergers in the mid-90s, so it's very hard to say. The 2 options I would suggest are either writing to the Joint Council for Qualifications telling them your school, local authority at the time (if you can find that out) and year to ask if they can advise, or just to write to AQA, Edexcel, and OCR asking the same question of all of them, in the hope that one of them comes up with the answer!

 

[dzdoris]

Presumably they don’t insist on that for people who have degrees etc. (degree courses you generally need a minimum of 5 A to C GCSEs in any case)? It would seem a bit stupid otherwise.

They do. There's a couple of guys on my course with degrees and have had to do the relevant functional skills classes/tests. Madness.

 

[route101]

Not been asked for School certificates by employers. I have been asked for my Uni one. Recently an employer thought I was still employed by a company when I had left them a few months, I had to correct them. They had misread my CV.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jul 2021 ==

They do. There's a couple of guys on my course with degrees and have had to do the relevant functional skills classes/tests. Madness.

They may of done college courses prior to degrees. I did that and couldn't apply to a job because it asked for 4 Standard grades or Highers at a certain level despite having a related degree.

 

[dzdoris]

Not been asked for School certificates by employers. I have been asked for my Uni one. Recently an employer thought I was still employed by a company when I had left them a few months, I had to correct them. They had misread my CV.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jul 2021 ==


They may of done college courses prior to degrees. I did that and couldn't apply to a job because it asked for 4 Standard grades or Highers at a certain level despite having a related degree.

It just might be that different TOCs deal with it differently. Anyone in doubt would be best contacting their TOC and asking the question.

 

[alxndr]

I can remember the subjects, I can remember the grades (being 3 x C) but cannot for the life of me remember who the exam board was for each subject! I still put them on my CV, but to date I've never been asked for evidence for any job (non railway) I've ever had. I was asked to bring a copy of my proof of results to a recent interview with a FOC, but again they didn't actually ask for them on the day.

I suspect they'd most probably use the same for AS and A Levels. If you have documents for AS that should tell you.

Presumably they don’t insist on that for people who have degrees etc. (degree courses you generally need a minimum of 5 A to C GCSEs in any case)? It would seem a bit stupid otherwise.

If it's an apprenticeship they will still need to see it as it's part of the funding criteria. Plus it's always possible that they got their degree through the Open University or an access course that doesn't have prerequisite requirements.

 

[43066]

They do. There's a couple of guys on my course with degrees and have had to do the relevant functional skills classes/tests. Madness.

It’s a bit of a nonsense, but I suppose it makes sense when you remember it’s a box ticking exercise for the TOC to grab government funding.

Apprenticeships are really for school leavers, whereas most TOC entrants will a lot older and will have had former careers, the experience and skills gained in which will be a lot more important than GCSE certificates from 20+ years ago when it comes to doing the job.

 

[L401CJF]

I suspect they'd most probably use the same for AS and A Levels. If you have documents for AS that should tell you.


If it's an apprenticeship they will still need to see it as it's part of the funding criteria. Plus it's always possible that they got their degree through the Open University or an access course that doesn't have prerequisite requirements.

That's such a good idea, why did I never think of it! Will give it a try cheers.

 

[Edgeley]

Amongst employers more widely it is not uncommon for them to ask, in particular, for evidence of English and Maths GCSEs (even if the job also requires higher level qualifications).

It may take several weeks for an exam board to issue you a replacement certificate so it's something to be proactive about if a job offer depends on having it the day after tomorrow.