College of the Sea

This page contains important information for those of our learners thinking of sitting GCSE or A Level exams.

The Marine Society College of the Sea is a registered exam centre so we can enter you for your GCSE/A Level examinations.

Exams for the winter series are held in either November 2008 or January 2009, depending upon the exam board and subject/level.

A Levels are changing and if you are planning to sit A level exams then you are advised to read about these changes.

The exam timetable is set by national awarding bodies and therefore there's no flexibility with regards to when the exam has to be taken. You must sit on the date specified by the exam board.

It is important to note that not all exams are available in the winter series - therefore you must check that they are available before submitting an exam entry form.

To do this you can contact Wendy Monaghan, Education Manager on 020 7654 7050 who will be able to advise you.

The cost is £32 per GCSE. For AS and A2 levels the costs vary: we'll charge you whatever the exam board charges us. Please ask us what the cost is going to be.

Payment will need to be made prior to registration. We'll not enter you for an exam unless we first receive your payment.

Please keep an eye on our website for the final dates for entries for examination in the winter series.

If you inform us after these final dates dates then it may not be possible for you to be entered and and even if we can enter you, it will cost you more.

The default location for sitting your exam(s) is our office in central London. Any other arrangements that may be made are at our discretion. Location

It may be possible to arrange for you to sit your exam(s) at sea. If you think you may need to do this you'll need to tell us at the time of entering.

If you're serving with the Royal Navy or Royal Marines we may also be able to arrange for you to sit at your local Learning Centre. Again you need to advise your intention at the time of registration. You'll also need to obtain permission from the Learning Centre.

Coursework and any oral/aural components should be discussed with your tutor - he/she will tell you what needs to be completed and by when.

Remember: it's your responsibility to make sure that all the coursework is submitted on time and in the correct format. If in doubt, consult your tutor.

So you've decided you wish us to enter you to sit a GCSE or AS/A2 level in Nov or Jan.

If you are sitting a modern language exam (French, Spanish), you should be aware that there are particular logistical issues with examination arrangements for distance learners especially seafarer distance learners. If in doubt, please speak to us.

If you are sitting a GCSE English examination then there are options for the speaking and listening components:

You can submit your assessment via VHS video, CD-Rom or DVD
or
You can attend MSCoS London HQ where an external examiner will make an assessment
or
You can attend a dedicated centre that may be closer to your location

We'll assume you've consulted your tutor and that he/she agrees you are appropriately prepared.

You need to get an Exam Entry Form from us. Please download one from our Download Centre

You'll need to get from your tutor the exact details of the course, exam board, and syllabus you wish to be entered for. This will include the codes for any option papers you wish to sit. It is your responsibility to provide us with this information and we are not liable for consequences arising from you giving us erroneous or incomplete data.

Fill in our Exam Entry Form fully and clearly and return it to us with your exam entry fee (see above). We'll not process your entry until we receive from you the appropriate fee.

We'll then enter you for the exam(s) you've specified. Soon after the closing date for entering has passed we'll receive your statement of entry from the exam board which we'll forward to you so you can check all the details.

It's important that you keep us informed as to your whereabouts between entering the exam and the actual date of the exam. We'll need to be in touch with you.

If you subsequently find you can't sit an exam for which you've been entered it's important that you tell us immediately. Depending upon the time of withdrawing from the examination you may or may not receive a refund for the cost of the exam.

Perhaps something is unclear, or maybe you just want to make certain?

We're here to help so if you'd like to discuss anything, please be sure to get in touch with us in the usual way.

You can telephone us on 020 7654 7050 or you can email us at education

Call us old-fashioned, but if you choose to phone us in working hours you'll find yourself speaking to a person, not a machine. If you opt for email we'll respond within 24 hours - usually the same working day.