A Level Science Practical Endorsement for Private Candidates
You May Not Need to Buy This at All
Candidates who have already passed the practical endorsement do not generally need to sit it again.
An endorsement pass carries forward across all JCQ awarding bodies for the lifetime of the specification, with no time limit. AQA confirms that it applies even where the endorsement was awarded by a different exam board. The candidate needs the same Unique Candidate Identifier and a carry-forward request submitted by the entry deadline, and the college makes that request at no charge.
A block should be booked only by candidates sitting a science for the first time, or by those who did not pass the endorsement previously. Candidates who are unsure may send a previous statement of results and the college will confirm which applies.
What Carry-Forward Is Worth
| Saving | £650 |
|---|---|
| Time limit | None |
| Across boards | All JCQ awarding bodies |
| Request made by | The college, at no charge |
The Four-Day Block
Four consecutive days, 09:00 to 16:00, in the college laboratory. Across the block candidates complete the minimum twelve required practical activities set out in their specification and are assessed against the Common Practical Assessment Criteria used by all awarding bodies.
The college, as the assessing centre, reports the endorsement outcome to the candidate's awarding body. It appears on the certificate as a separately reported outcome alongside the grade awarded for the written papers.
At a Glance
| Format | 4 consecutive days, 09:00 to 16:00 |
|---|---|
| Coverage | The minimum 12 required practicals |
| Assessment | CPAC, reported to the candidate's board |
| Blocks run | November, February and April |
- Available for Biology, Chemistry and Physics
- Twelve places for Biology and Chemistry, ten for Physics
- Laboratory notebooks maintained to the standard the board requires, since this forms part of the assessment
- All apparatus, materials and technician support included
Blocks and Capacity
Blocks run in November, February and April. Capacity is approximately twelve candidates per block across six to eight blocks a year, so the laboratory supports between seventy-two and ninety-six endorsement candidates annually.
Candidates are advised to book early. April blocks fill first. Where a science entry is already planned for the following summer, a November place is preferable.
Endorsement Fees
Taking the endorsement and the examination entry together costs £995 rather than £1,025, and places the entry, the endorsement and any carry-forward request with a single centre.
Comparable endorsement provision is charged at between £500 and £1,700. The full centre price list, including entry fees for every subject, is on the pricing page.
Single Payment, Per Subject, Per Series
| Practical endorsement only | £650 |
|---|---|
| Entry with practical endorsement | £995 |
VAT-inclusive. A carry-forward request costs nothing.
Entry at the College's Own Centre
Examination entry at the college's own centre is subject to JCQ centre approval. Where approval is not in place, the college arranges and pays for entry at a partner centre, so that the risk does not fall on the candidate.
Candidates are told which applies to their series before any payment is taken.
Students of Online Providers
Several established online schools offer science A Levels to UK-based students at between £7,500 and £18,000 a year. A review of their published material on 14 August 2026 did not identify any that addresses the practical endorsement.
The qualification includes a component those providers are not able to deliver, and candidates in that position need an assessing centre. Send the specification code and the series entered for, and the college will confirm the appropriate block.
The endorsement cannot be delivered remotely by any provider. Anyone offered a science A Level entirely online should establish how the endorsement will be obtained before enrolling.
Explore Related Pages
A Level Science Practical Endorsement Faqs
Book a Block
Oliver Moy
I need help with my Maths course.
AI Assistant
You're in the right place. Let's map out the best study plan for your Maths course.