Home-schooled children offered free GCSEs
BBCYoung people not in school are being offered the chance to sit GCSE exams free of charge.
The Exam Access Project, led by the University of Exeter alongside local councils, was aiming to remove some of the barriers the students faced accessing key exams, senior lecturer Dr Luke Graham said.
"Every child should have access to GCSE exams and, to have a whole population of young people who physically, geographically or financially can't access those exams is limiting them in making fair progress in the education system," he said.
Private GCSEs can cost hundreds of pounds per exam and, until this project, there was no dedicated exam centre in Devon and Cornwall, the university said.
Elective home education (EHE) in England has reached an estimated rate of 1.5% of children aged five to 16, Department of Education figures for the autumn 2025-26 term show.
Devon and Cornwall's rates are higher than the national average at 2.7% and 2.9% respectively.
Researchers from the university said many were thought to have been "off-rolled" or withdrawn due to unmet special educational needs; with only an estimated 5-10% where home education had been actively chosen.
Children in the UK are not legally required to take GCSEs or any specific qualification.
Prof Anna Mountford-Zimdars, who is leading the project alongside Graham, said: "We hope this work will reduce the number of young people who are [not in education, employment and training] NEET in the region and give them an opportunity to thrive.
"We are sure this will change lives."
One mother, Jane, said her daughter, who wanted to be a zoo keeper, started to struggle with anxiety and sensory overload when she went to secondary school and she has been home educated for the last four years.
"I am a single mum and I would not be able to fund GCSEs if I had to pay for them," she said, adding the project had been a "lifesaver".
Selina, whose son is taking part in the project, said: "I saw this opportunity as the only way that [he] would be able to take his GCSEs."
The University of Exeter has partnered with Exeter College, Cornwall Council, Devon County Council and the exam board AQA to run the project.
This is a pilot year for the new exam centre and more than 30 young people will sit mock exams, before taking their GCSEs this summer in English and maths.
It was hoped many would then go on to further education and some of the young people already had offers to study at Exeter College, project leaders said.
In the future, and if the pilot is successful, it was hoped those using the exam centre would be given academic coaching by University of Exeter trainee teachers and as many as 200 people could take their GCSEs there each year, the university said.
Jade Otty, Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group deputy CEO, said the college had about 100 students a year, who having not been in school, had no formal qualifications.
"Creating an independent exam centre that supports learners who may have previously missed out on exams will allow them to access the courses they really want to with us, and so will support them to rejoin and stay in education and training," she said.
Parents and young people can apply to be part of the Exam Centre from 2027 by emailing Uoeexamcentre@exeter.ac.uk.
