The website and instructions are clear and easy to follow. Whenever I encountered an issue, I was able to reach out immediately to a real person via the website’s chat box, and they provided helpful g... See more
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A Star Equivalency are the UK Leaders in the Support and Delivery of all GCSE Equivalency Test Services Since 2002, supporting thousands of learners each month get the qualifications they need to get into university, onto apprenticeship courses, and pursuit their dream career. Our GCSE equivalency qualifications in maths, English, science and biology are accepted across the UK and our market leading courses are designed to improve pass rates.
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I successfully passed English and Maths for teacher training. I used the resources available on regular bases and I am very happy with the outcome. No money wasted, quick and straightforward from the comfort of my home. 5* services all the way.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
As I sadly failed my English GCSE 20 years ago, this caused me an issue when trying to apply to university later in life. I was advised I could use A star Equivalency. I decided to purchase the course and exam. The course was very useful and showed exactly what the exam is expecting to see. The only downside i felt which was not well explained, was after paying for the full course and the exam, I was told no additional charges would be incurred. However, as I wanted to take my exam within the next 2 months. I had to pay an additional £89 additionally as all exams within this period incurred additional fees. If you are able to wait months before booking your exam, there are free options. I feel this could be pointed out clearly as it came as a financial shock to me after already paying £380, as I was against time, I was stuck between having already paid and having to source additional money to pay to book the exam.
The process was simple and customer services always responded on the day.
On my exam day, my laptop decided to have a technical error which as you can imagine caused a lot of stress. Sadly A star was not able to help me as I was under exam conditions. For this reason I would advise others to take the paper version, as a protection from technical errors.
The remote exam option was helpful for me trying to work around a family and doing an exam.
I was very pleased I achieved a grade 8, even with my technical issues. The results were sent to the online portal and I was able to obtain a digital copy of the certificate within 24 hours.
Overall, I would recommend the company for their easy access portal, ability to learn when it suits you, and ability to fast track as quickly as you need to.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
I have recently started my foundational maths course, but I'm super happy with it so far. Laura from their team has reached out and has been so friendly and supportive. They have helped me create a manageable revision timetable for the next few months, and I am really clear about my goals.
I really like how the content on the learning portal is split down into clear and manageable segments, so I can easily track my progression. Maths has always been an uphill anxiety for me, but I'm feeling a little more confident already! Thanks Laura and the Team! :)

Reply from A Star Equivalency
Good efficient service. Upon any questions the customer service was quick to support me and point me in the right direction.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
I purchased the maths equilavency, with the option to book the exam later. However, when I go to book this I am again being charged for the exam- unless I book for a certain amount of limited dates, which are not conducive for someone that works full time. This was also not laid out at the time of purchase and there was no clear notification of this at any point. I have contacted customer service and have had no response, I used their online chat, but no one was available. Honestly, it feels very duplicitous.
Inaddition to this, the course layout can be confusing and often covers information out of order, Videos end abruptly-cutting out details and mark schemes with test done via the online materials do not factor in steps or have to be inputted in a specific manner or be marked incorrectly. I have found numerous mistakes in the material and when reported I was ignored. On the one ocassion the company decided to answer an email they simply informed me that if anything was unclear I could give them more money and hire one of their tutors

Reply from A Star Equivalency
I found the learning material very good, easy to follow and covers everything I had in my exam. I passed my exam and I'm ready to move onto my teacher training with confidence.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
Laura was amazing, she really made things easier to understand and I managed to get the answers correct! As a result my topic test papers went from 3% to 50%!

Reply from A Star Equivalency
I'd recommend taking the online course for the GCSE English equivalency test because the test is not just about your command of English but also about specific academic knowledge and formatted writing. You will lose points if you don't analyse the texts and don't structure your arguments in a certain way. The reason why I'm only giving 4 stars is because there are just 6 mock exams compared to 20 mock exams for maths foundation. I started getting a good feel by the 6th mock exam but would have felt better prepared with 10-12 mock exams. The 42 practice tests are helpful but can't replace the conditions of a mock exam because time management is the main issue on the day of the actual test. Completing an entire mock exam also helps you understand the different nuances of analysis required for each question. There's an AI grading system to monitor your progress. It is much more generous than the human being grading the actual test. I got 89% for the 1st mock exam where I took all my time to push my analytical skills to the limit. With strict time constraints, I got 79% for the 6th mock exam. When I took the actual test, I underperformed in the last question because I was rushed by time, and made a guess (based on the AI grading) that I would get around 70%. I ended up getting 54%, which was enough for a pass. Basically, if you can't get at least 70% with the generous AI grading system used by A Star, you could be in serious trouble for the actual test.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
My experience was great with Laura. Prior to the drop in, I was anxious and confused. She has helped me understand Simultaneous Equations better since I highlighted to her it is an area that I struggle with. I would recommend this check in weekly.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
It was really helpful to discuss an area of the course that I had struggled with. The tutor was very helpful and clear in her explanations.

Reply from A Star Equivalency

Reply from A Star Equivalency
I had to take my equivalency exams for teacher training as I attended school in a foreign country. I took English once and everything was super easy and smooth. I then took a Biology equivalency and as I struggled with this, it was amazing to be able to just reschedule and postpone my exam with such ease. I failed my first but the report A Star provided me with, made it really easy to know exactly what I needed to focus on, making me feel hopeful rather than overwhelmed. I then decided to buy their course and the lessons were incredibly clear and simple to follow, with an amazing set up for testing yourself and understanding perfectly the marking scheme.On exam day there were some technical issues but I wasn’t worried at all as A Star communication was amazing, really helpful and kind staying on the phone with me and updating me on what was going on. Not only I passed my Biology, I also passed with almost 60% which I was able to check thanks to their feedback sheet they sent me immediately when I requested one. A Star is amazing and it is no wonder every training provider accepts exams provided by them. I have been working in education for over 10 years and I will never stop recommending this company to heads and colleagues looking to progress in their careers. Thank you A Star for making such a stressful time easy to navigate and manageable!

Reply from A Star Equivalency
I spoke to Jacob, and from day one he made the whole experience very simple and was so helpful all the way through the end. He was patient and clear about what to expect from the course.
Thank you so much!

Reply from A Star Equivalency
Thank you Harry and Jacob for your advice and support!

Reply from A Star Equivalency
Excellent. All the material was delivered to me on time with full instructions.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
I bought the Science course at the end of January. There is a great deal of course content to learn. I liked the structure and the quizzes and mini practice questions. When I had completed the modules I then watched all the videos revision content and especially appreciated how Sam went through all the sample papers. I lived and breathed science for 9 weeks, revising in every spare moment I had, taking my notes with me everywhere. I completed all the practice exams twice, doing one every day on the lead up to my exam. I found all the course material extremely helpful. After 9 weeks I took the exam and passed. It was intense but the vast amount of video tutorials really helped.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
Jacob was really attentive and helpful. I had a lot of queries and we emailed back and forth quite a bit before I committed to the course. He was patient and allowed all the help I needed.

Reply from A Star Equivalency
This was so helpful, Laura is absolutely amazing and she was so helpful would definitely recommend. Thank you

Reply from A Star Equivalency
The amount of content seems daunting at first but the videos are excellent. I actually found buying the additional paper resources really helped and carrying out practice questions over and over really helped come exam day!

Reply from A Star Equivalency
I had a really great experience with A Star Equivalency, especially for English! They are honestly one of the best when it comes to helping you prepare for your exams. The support they provide for English is clear, helpful, and really boosts your confidence in reading, writing, and understanding.
The whole exam process is super easy and stress-free, which makes a huge difference. Everything is well-organised, and they guide you step by step so you always know what to do.
I’d definitely recommend A Star Equivalency to anyone looking for reliable support and a smooth exam experience, especially for English!

Reply from A Star Equivalency
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