The University of Exeter, Centre for Social Mobility Exam Centre Pilot Information for families with children out of school
We are pleased to share details of a new pilot project offering free, full exam-style marked mocks and full exam entry in GCSE English Language and Maths for home-educated and alternatively educated young people who do not otherwise have access to a free exam centre. This opportunity has been developed in partnership with Exeter University and Exeter College as part of our local civic agreement to support our community.
We hope this pilot will grow into a free or low-cost exam centre for home-educated young people in Devon and surrounding areas. We will have a limited number of places for the 25/26 cycle but hope to be able to use the results of the pilot to expand the service to more families in future.
Below is all the information about the pilot. We will prioritise those who currently have no other access to sit GCSE Maths or English.
Eligibility
If your child has access to exams through their school, for example they on a school roll of any kind (state, private, or special school), including flexi-schooling, they are not eligible this year. We are prioritising those in Year 11, (children who are born between September 1, 2009, and August 31, 2010) but will extend places to others if we can.
“Alternative education” can include tuition centres, forest schools, online schools, or unregistered settings as long as you do not have access to free exams elsewhere. If your child is booked for Maths or English GCSE at another exam centre this year, they are not eligible to sit those subjects with us. If they have sat these exams previously and did not receive a passing grade and are not booked this year, they are eligible. If they are booked elsewhere for other subjects (e.g., Art), you may still apply for Maths/English with us.
To be considered to sit the GCSE exams in the summer, you will need to attend the mock exams. Your papers will be marked by subject-specialist teachers, and you will receive feedback to help you do your best in the real papers. Your registration is not scored or ranked, but it will be used to help us select a diverse range of candidates reflective of our community.
A sign-up form will be available in the new year. If you would like to be notified about the pilot and request a copy of the sign up information please register your interest by emailing the UoE Exam centre UoEExamcentre@group.exeter.ac.uk
What are we offering
For year 11 aged children, we are offering 20 free places to sit GCSE maths and 20 places to sit GCSE English exams in the summer (May and June 2026). For these children, we are also offering free full exam-style mocks which expert teachers at Exeter College will mark, in-line with grade boundaries, and give feedback.
All exams (both the mocks and real exams) will be held at Exeter University, St Luke’s Campus.
Exeter College’s admissions team will support with progression options for those in the pilot.
Access Arrangements, SEND and Wellbeing
We want this pilot to work for a wide range of learners. We may be able to provide additional support and exam access arrangements if needed. We will work with you to determine eligibility should your child be selected for the pilot.
Progression to Exeter College
One if the key aims of this pilot is to support progression pathways. For year 11 aged children currently not in school, Exeter College will provide one-to-one progression advice and an appropriate college offer informed by your participation in the pilot. Where appropriate, the college will make conditional offers for courses based on the maths and English GCSEs alone. You will be fully supported to apply to Exeter College, and we will provide you with further information on this.
A marked mock does not guarantee a college place, but Exeter College has agreed to support candidates “wherever possible” based on the marked mock alone. No other qualifications will be required for this supported. This pilot will not disadvantage you if you are not offered a place this year and wish to apply next year. Course level discussion with Exeter College (Level 2, Level 3, or fast-track GCSE) will be based on mock grades and decided by the college.
You will still need to apply separately to Exeter College. We will confirm the details with you and can support you to apply.
Exam and Mock Exam Information
The mocks will take place in around the 15th January and a full mock in mid-March (exact dates to be confirmed).
The January mocks
Maths will be based on OCR J560/02 Paper 2 (non-calculator)
English will be based on Pearson 1EN2 Paper 2 (contemporary texts and imaginative writing)
Mock Exams will last the same length as a single paper in the GCSE exam for that subject.
See below for details on the exam content and structure.
Parking at St Luke’s Campus is limited, but the site is accessible by public transport. Toilets and a café are on site. For the pilot we would prefer parents / carers to stay on site, and you can wait in the café. We will try to make arrangements for those candidates that need to have their adult nearby during the exam.
Full exam GCSE English Language and Maths details
GCSE Mathematics from OCR code J560 - Available at higher and foundation
Specification details: https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/mathematics-j560-from-2015/
Summary of paper structure https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/599809-exploring-our-question-papers.pdf
| Subject | Date | Paper code | Length of paper (unadjusted) | Session time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maths |
14/05/2026 |
J560/01 or J560/04 |
1h 30m |
morning |
| Maths |
03/06/2026 |
J560/02 or J560/05 Non-calculator |
1h 30m |
morning |
| Maths |
10/06/2026 |
J560/03 or J560/06 |
1h 30m |
morning |
GCSE English Language 2.0 Pearson code 1EN2
One exam covers both tiers.
Specification and exam structure https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/english-language-2021.html
dates from https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/exam-timetables.html
| Subject | Date | Paper code | Length of paper (unadjusted) | Session time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
English Language |
21/05/2026 |
1EN2 01 Paper 1: Non-Fiction Texts |
1h 55m |
morning |
|
English Language |
05/06/2026 |
1EN2 02 Paper 2: Contemporary Texts |
1h 55m |
morning |
Data, Privacy, Transparency
We understand that data protection is especially important to home-educating families. We will ask for information similar to that requested by independent exam centres require, but in addition we will need some data about your out of school experience and other contextual data to use to make the case that the exam centre service should be expanded to more families. Data will be seen by us at Exeter University and Exeter College will have access to the data they need to make the GCSE entries for the pilot candidates. We will not share any information with the local authority, nor any schools. We will provide your child’s marked papers and comments after each mock. We will record their grade, but this is not used to exclude candidates from the GCSE exam.
Safety and Safeguarding
Staff will be DBS checked. Safeguarding and emergency procedures are in place and will be shared after booking. We are experienced in running exams at different levels and subjects across the university.
This pilot was developed directly based on the feedback of home-educating families to meet the need for accessible exams, fair progression routes, recognition of students’ abilities, practical, wellbeing-minded provision, and less financial and logistical pressure. A feedback box will be included on the sign-up form, and you are very welcome to contact me directly.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
No, just something you are comfortable in.
You can to eat after the exam, or during rest breaks if medically needed.
Yes, we would encourage you to do so.
Yes, it will be under full exam conditions
We will support you, there will be a quiet space you can go to.
A marked mock will provide an official predicted grade.
As soon as possible (we hope within 2 weeks of the mock)
Eligibility:
No, you can not apply if you are on school roll.
We are prioritising those in year 11. But please apply as it helps our case that there is a need for this service and we will run a reserve list.
Any as long as you have no other access to free exams or are not on a state, private or special school roll.
For this year they can be registered to do other subjects and still be eligible to sit maths and English with us. If they have sat English or maths previously and not got a passing grade and are not booked this year, yes they are eligible. If they are booked for maths or English this year they are not eligible. We are prioritising those with no access to an exam centre.
Exam Centre & Mocks:
Yes, by Exeter College GCSE Maths and English teachers.
Yes, for this year.
Yes, we are supporting this pilot under our local civic agreement to support local communities.
Yes, for the pilot group the GCSE exams are free.
Progression to Exeter College:
We will work with the college to support you in how to apply. Exeter College are guaranteeing a specialist interview with a member of staff who will be informed about the pilot you are in.
An appropriate offer will be made informed by your participation in the project. The College will make conditional offers based on your predicted GCSE maths and English grades for the summer exams.
If the missing grade is English or Maths, then they will use the evidence from the mocks where they can.
Yes, but you can let them know you are part of the pilot.
SEND and Mental Health:
You will need evidence of learning and/or medical need often referred to as ‘normal way of working’. We may be able to provide additional support and exam access arrangements if needed. We will work with you to determine eligibility should your child be selected for the pilot.
We For the mock exams we will offer as much support as we can. If you do not have a formal diagnosis, we can ask for a parent or guardian declaration.
Assessment or tell us why you think they should have it.
We are not able to accommodate individual candidates in one room as we have a limited number of invigilators.
No guarantee, but we will do our best if space is available.
Wherever possible yes.
Not available this year but missing access arrangements will be considered when marking.
Capacity / Booking:
Within the next two weeks.
If more than 20 apply, we will choose a purposeful cross section for the pilot.
We will keep a reserve list and you will find out as soon as we know.
Location / Practicalities
Exeter University St Lukes campus.
Limited parking (disabled), public transport available.
No but we do have a cafe if you want to wait.
We will confirm the date in the new year.
Data, Privacy, Transparency
We will ask for the data we need to enter you into the exam. We are also asking for additional voluntary data to support the pilot.
Us at The University of Exeter and Exeter college Exam admissions team for those entered, and those who wish to use the interview service.
The university will store the data, and pass the details needed to the college for those entered into the GCSEs.
No absolutely not.
Safety / Safeguarding:
Staff with enhanced DBS who are employed by the university or Exeter college will supervise the mocks and the exams
There will be information and a full briefing. We have established procedures in place.
Future of the Pilot
We hope to expand the number of places next year and include more subjects.
We would like to, but we have to focus this year on maths and English.
Text box on the form or email us directly.