Is that pass grade holding you back from exciting future opportunities? Are you eager to upgrade your knowledge and skill set when it comes to the written word and effective communication techniques?

NEC recognises that for students to progress in work or college, they may be required to have gained GCSE English Language at Grade 4 or above. Studying for and gaining a Grade 4 in GCSE English Language will ensure you can:

• Read fluently
• Evaluate a variety of texts critically
• Write with fluency, using a wide vocabulary suited to the audience
• Use Spoken Standard English effectively

Why Choose NEC’s Resit Course?

The resit course is designed to support students who have previously studied the content but need a more targeted approach to improve their grades. It focuses on identifying and addressing areas for improvement to help students achieve a Grade 4 or higher.

The course is ideal for students who have previously attempted the GCSE English Language but did not achieve a Grade 4.

This course is for you if you:

• Want to progress to a vocational further education course and need a GCSE quickly.
• Struggled in your exams and want to improve your grade.
• Are in need of a supportive, flexible study environment in order to achieve a Grade 4. 

Meet Kath who is just one of our first-class English tutors:

“I have had the privilege of supporting students in their study of English for the past 23 years and have been a Lead Tutor for NEC’s English Language courses for the past decade. I have a degree in English Literature and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Leeds and have been an examiner since 1999. I have held various leadership positions, including Head of A level English and Head of Pastoral Support at a large secondary school, and Outreach Coordinator and Teaching Mentor at a large secondary school in Leeds. Beyond the classroom I play the fiddle in a ceilidh band, cycle, run, and attempt to grow vegetables.”

Students on the resit course will not complete assignments but instead will complete 2 full past papers (they do not see or have access to assignments).

The resit course has a 1-2-1 tutorial included in the course. The standard course does not, but students on the standard course can request this at a fee of £45.

The resit course has two live group seminars included. The standard course does not, but students on the standard course can book onto a Masterclass for a fee of £15.

The focus of the resit course is to support students to gain a Grade 4 or above. The feedback from the tutor and the activities are focused on this, so will pinpoint areas which require support to get to that level.

Students on the resit course are enrolled for six months*. Those on the standard GCSE are enrolled for 18 months.

Difference Between GCSE Resit and Level 2 Functional Skills

Functional Skills qualifications focus on everyday application of language skills and are often accepted by vocational courses and universities as equivalent to a GCSE. They are primarily aimed at adult learners.

Which Qualification to Choose?

For guidance on which route to take, please refer to the government information on funding and progression.

• Initial online assessment to identify focus areas.
• 1-2-1 tutor session to develop a detailed support plan.
• Group sessions with a chat function for direct questions.
• Direct messaging with the tutor on the learning platform.
• Comprehensive written feedback on past papers.

Students can retake the GCSE English exam in November or Summer exam sittings. NEC offers an exam booking service with multiple partner exam centres.

Exam Dates:

• This course is now enrolling for May/June 2025 exam sittings.

NEC Exam Booking Service: Available at all NEC partner exam centres (excluding Swindon).

Spoken Endorsement

Endorsement grades can be carried forward across JCQ exam boards and reported separately.

Access Arrangements

Students with previously approved Access Arrangements can carry them forward if sitting at the same exam centre. New applicants should contact exams@nec.ac.uk immediately after enrolment.

Course Transfers

Transfers between NEC courses are possible with a fee of £80, plus any difference in course fees if applicable.

Course Fee

The course fee is £339, including tutorials and live sessions, but excluding the exam fee.

Switching Exam Boards

NEC’s GCSE specification is AQA. Students can carry forward their endorsement grade even if they previously sat the exam with a different board.

For more information on switching boards, please refer to the following:

• Switching to AQA from Edexcel
• Switching to AQA from Eduqas
• Switching to AQA from OCR

 

What is a Pass Grade?

All grades 1-9 are considered a “pass” grade. Ofqual explains that a grade 4 is a standard pass, and grade 5 is a “good pass.” Students who fail to attain at least a grade 4 in English and/or maths will need to resit, as a grade 4 is expected of all students for progression.

Intro quiz

 

Section 1: Creative Reading 1

Topic 1 Prose fiction texts

Topic 2 Language effects

Topic 3 Looking at characters

Topic 4 Approaching Paper 1, Section A (part 1)

Topic 5 Approaching Paper 1, Section A (part 2)

 

Section 2: Creative Reading 2

Topic 1 Setting, context and atmosphere

Topic 2 Narrative voice and narrative viewpoint

Topic 3 Openings and endings

Topic 4 Approaching Paper 1, Section A (part 3)

 

Section 3: Creative Writing 1

Topic 1 Descriptive and narrative writing

Topic 2 Describing settings

Topic 3 Describing characters

 

Section 4: Creative Writing 2

Topic 1 Narrative writing

Topic 2 Using dialogue

Topic 3 Approaching Paper 1 Section B

 

Section 5: Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives 1

Topic 1 Inference and interpretation

Topic 2 Viewpoints and perspectives

Topic 3 Synthesis and summary

 

Section 6: Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives 2

Topic 1 Comment and analysis

Topic 2 Comparing writers’ ideas

Topic 3 Approaching Paper 2 Section A

 

Section 7: Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives 3

Topic 1 Audience, purpose and form

Topic 2 Planning and response

Topic 3 Writing your response 1

Topic 4 Writing your response 2

Topic 5 Approaching Paper 2 Section B

 

Section 8: Preparing for the exam: Paper 1

Topic 1 Practice Paper 1

Topic 2 Guidance on practice Paper 1

 

Section 9: Preparing for the exam: Paper 2

Topic 1 Practice Paper 2

Topic 2 Guidance on Practice Paper 2

 

Revision quiz

There is also an optional Language skills section with 16 topics covering spelling, grammar, sentences and paragraphs, note-taking, presentations and essay writing.

Would you like to talk to our Course Advice Team about the best route for you? Visit our Contact Us page, fill in the form and a member of the team will get back to you!