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Live shortlist · 2027 entry

Maia's options

Matched to her confirmed profile.

First sitting: Maths B, Further Maths B, Biology C (remark pending, one mark from a B), Chemistry C. GCSEs: six 9s, three 8s, one 7.
Subjects to resit: sciences, and Further Maths (not Maths)

The two sciences (Biology and Chemistry, both AQA) are the core resit. For the maths, the choice is Further Maths over standard Maths. Her Further Maths B came from the grade boundary moving, not from shaky understanding: she predicted her mark, felt comfortable, and hit it at a level that would have been an A in recent years. So the gap is small and specific, refinement rather than relearning, and it's fresher in her mind. Switching to Maths would mean rebuilding units that didn't carry over (statistics, for example) in a compressed year, for no admissions benefit. The job in Further Maths is to build a deliberate margin above where she already reliably performs, so a boundary shift can't catch her twice.

Self-directed route Co-primary option. Cheaper, stays near Woking, and a structure Maia prefers.

Woking College

Endorsement + reference TBC

Verbal confirmation they will carry over the science practical endorsement and checking they will provide an academic reference. This is what makes the self-directed route viable for medicine.

External providers
(marking + predictions)

Predicted grades

Recognised providers mark a sequence of full, timed mocks across the year and issue predicted grades on that evidence. Choose one that marks frequently and under real exam conditions.

Educo London

Predictions + UCAS referee
(shortlisted)

Registered UCAS centre. Two invigilated online mocks per subject, marked to official AQA and Edexcel mark schemes; predicted grades issued within 7 days of the final mock, reference included, from £225 per subject. Can act as the UCAS referee if Woking cannot. Verify centre registration and the invigilation method before paying.

Hoe Valley School

Exam centre (Woking, Surrey)

Local venue for Maia to sit her papers as a private candidate. Booking opens 1 December, closes 31 January. No boarding or London commute.

Distance / online (NEC, CloudLearn)

Teaching layer
(optional)

Flexible study-from-home teaching that can sit inside the structured route above, rather than as a standalone plan. NEC requires 50% of annual assignments to be submitted and assessed before issuing predictions and references.

Taught colleges All provide predicted grades, a UCAS reference, and medical application support.

MPW (Mander Portman Woodward)

£33,000 to £36,000 / yr
South Kensington

Gold standard for medical resits; intensive 1-year courses, weekly timed assignments.

Brampton College

£28,000 to £32,000 / yr
Hendon, North London

Strong medical progression; 29 resit students gained Medicine places over four years.

Ashbourne College

£30,000 to £34,000 / yr
Kensington

Dedicated medics programme, mock interviews, structured mock weeks each half term.

Collingham College

£28,000 to £33,000 / yr
Kensington

Small classes (5 to 8). Most transparent uplift data: +1.24 grades/subject in 2025.

Rochester Independent College

£21,000 to £27,000 / yr
Rochester, Kent

Retake specialist outside London; boarding solves the Surrey commute. 10 med places over 3 years.

David Game College

£25,000 to £31,000 / yr
City of London

Long-established retake specialist; Advanced Medical Programme led by an NHS consultant.

DLD College London

£28,000 to £38,000 / yr
Westminster

Large modern city campus opposite Westminster; boarding available; established medics programme.

Kensington Park School

£28,000 to £33,000 / yr
Kensington

Successor to Duff Miller and Lansdowne; bespoke retake programmes, subject specialists.

Albemarle Independent College

£26,000 to £31,000 / yr
Mayfair

Specialist 1-year retakes in small groups; clearly published per-subject fees.

Westminster Tutors

£25,000 to £35,000 / yr
South Kensington

1-to-1 and small-group tutorial model; formal mocks before Christmas and Easter.

Greene's Tutorial College

£24,000 to £32,000 / yr
Oxford / London

Oxford tutorial method; three individual tutorials a week, trial exams four times a year.

Ealing Independent College

£20,000 to £25,000 / yr
Ealing, West London

Commutable from Surrey via the Elizabeth Line; lower fees; accepts external candidates.

Edgbaston College

Well below London fees
Birmingham

Medicine-retake specialist at roughly half London cost. Registration status unverified: confirm in writing before relying on it.

Status unverified: confirm registration in writing first.

Fees are indicative and change annually; confirm current schedules directly. A one-year Further Maths option and exam boards per subject are worth checking with each college.

Strong fit Her best shots. GCSE-heavy scoring plays to her profile.

Aston

Strong fit

One resit attempt allowed. GCSEs form about a third of the pre-interview score, and her profile scores near the ceiling, so less rests on the UCAT.

First-attempt policy
No minimum threshold (allows 1 resit attempt)
Resit requirement
AAA (inc. Chemistry and Biology)
UCAT weighting
Scored, about 1/3 of the pre-interview score alongside GCSEs
GCSE influence
High. Scored across 6 subjects (Maths, English Lang, Sciences)

King's College London (KCL)

Strong fit

A first resit is treated as equal to a first sitting, and GCSEs are heavily scored (her ~89% at 8/9 scores near the top). Demanding resit target: A*AA with Bio and Chem at A.

First-attempt policy
No set threshold; a first resit is treated as equal to a first sitting
Resit requirement
A*AA (inc. Biology and Chemistry at grade A)
UCAT weighting
High. Combined index (~100 pts UCAT cognitive + Band)
GCSE influence
Grade 6/B in English Lang and Maths; heavily scored on the profile

Leeds

Strong fit

One resit allowed, and the combined UCAT-plus-GCSE scoring matrix rewards her GCSE profile directly.

First-attempt policy
No minimum threshold; allows 1 resit attempt
Resit requirement
AAA (inc. Chemistry and Bio/Maths/Physics)
UCAT weighting
Combined scoring matrix (UCAT score + GCSE profile)
GCSE influence
High. Scored across top 8/9 GCSE subjects
Open No first-sitting bar. Live for a 2027 application.

Bristol

Open

No first-sit bar, but selection is almost entirely UCAT (historic cut-off ~2850+) and GCSEs aren't scored, so her strongest asset does no work here. Worth a slot only with a strong UCAT.

First-attempt policy
No minimum threshold; standard A-Level resits accepted
Resit requirement
AAA (inc. Chemistry and either Bio, Maths, or Physics)
UCAT weighting
~100% of interview selection (high cut-off ~2850+)
GCSE influence
Basic threshold check (Grade 4/C in English and Maths). Not scored

Exeter

Open

No first-sit bar, and achieved resit grades actually score well in Exeter's formula, slightly advantaging a post-results application. GCSEs not scored.

First-attempt policy
No minimum threshold; resits accepted, and achieved grades score higher
Resit requirement
A*AA to AAA (inc. Bio and Chem)
UCAT weighting
Tier-scored alongside achieved/predicted A-levels
GCSE influence
Basic minimums (Grade 4/C in English Language and Maths). Not scored

Sheffield

Open

Max one resit per subject (fits her plan). Needs 6 GCSEs at 7+ including Maths/English/Sciences, comfortably met. Interview shortlist is UCAT rank-ordered.

First-attempt policy
No minimum threshold (max 1 resit per subject)
Resit requirement
AAA (inc. Chemistry and Biology)
UCAT weighting
Rank-ordered by total cognitive score for interview shortlist
GCSE influence
6 GCSEs at grade 7/A (inc. Maths, English Language, Sciences)

Brunel

Open

No first-sit bar, and the AAB resit requirement is lower than most. SJT Band 4 is screened out.

First-attempt policy
No minimum threshold
Resit requirement
AAB (inc. Chemistry and Biology)
UCAT weighting
Used for shortlisting; competitive cut-off (SJT Band 4 screened)
GCSE influence
Grade 5/B in Maths, English Language, and Sciences

Southampton

Open

One resit per subject allowed. GCSEs are threshold-only, so selection is UCAT-driven.

First-attempt policy
No minimum threshold; allows 1 resit attempt per subject
Resit requirement
AAA (inc. Biology and Chemistry)
UCAT weighting
Primary ranking tool for selection days / interviews
GCSE influence
Grade 4/C in English Lang, Maths, and Sciences. Not scored pre-interview

Newcastle

Open

Open, but the offer rises about a grade on resat subjects, implying A* targets in Chemistry and Biology. GCSEs are screening-only; selection is UCAT rank-ordered.

First-attempt policy
No minimum threshold; allows 1 resit per subject
Resit requirement
A*AA (offer typically rises by 1 grade on resits)
UCAT weighting
High. Rank-ordered cognitive score (~2800+ cut-off)
GCSE influence
Screening only (min. 6 GCSEs at grade 7/A inc. Maths/Sciences)

Edge Hill

Open

One of the cleanest resit routes: no first-sit condition. Verify current subject requirements.

First-attempt policy
No first-sitting condition; resits accepted
Resit requirement
AAA (inc. Biology or Chemistry + 2nd science; verify)
UCAT weighting
Used in shortlisting for interview
GCSE influence
Threshold check (inc. English and Maths); verify current minimums
Check One thing to confirm before relying on it.

Lincoln

Check

Policy contested. If the ABB-at-first-sit reading is right, it closes. The resit requirement also needs Biology at A. Confirm directly with Lincoln before using a UCAS choice.

First-attempt policy
Contested (Aug 2026): sources conflict; some say no first-sit threshold, others ABB at first sitting
Resit requirement
AAA (inc. Chemistry and Biology; Bio must be A)
UCAT weighting
Combined score with GCSEs; points for cognitive UCAT
GCSE influence
Scored across 6 to 8 GCSE subjects (inc. Maths, English, Sciences)

Buckingham (private)

Check

Hinges on the Biology remark: BBB in the best three requires Bio moving to a B. Private fees (~£38-45k/yr) apply. No UCAT (internal MMI and test). Verify the exact policy wording.

First-attempt policy
BBB required on first sit (ABB without mitigation)
Resit requirement
ABB (inc. Chemistry or Biology)
UCAT weighting
Does not use UCAT (internal Multiple Mini Interview and test)
GCSE influence
Grade 4/C in English Language and Maths / Sciences

Norwich (UEA)

Check

Conditional policy. On the published criteria it likely closes, but confirm the current wording with UEA before ruling it out.

First-attempt policy
Conditional acceptance; criteria include first-sitting performance and typically an A* in the resat subject
Resit requirement
A*AA equivalent on resit (verify)
UCAT weighting
Used in selection
GCSE influence
Verify current minimums
With a mitigating-circumstances case Conditional. Reopens only with a documented mitigating-circumstances case lodged with the UCAS application, and the resit grades required are higher.

Lancaster

With a case

Closed on first-sitting grades alone, but reopens with a documented mitigating-circumstances case lodged in the UCAS reference. The resit target then rises to A*AA, so the door opens but the grades behind it are demanding.

First-attempt policy
ABB at first attempt without mitigation; BBB-CCC accepted only with evidenced exceptional circumstances
Resit requirement
A*AA within three years of study
UCAT weighting
Primary shortlisting tool (published /2700 cut-off)
GCSE influence
13 points across 8 GCSEs, min. grade 6/B in the core five

Liverpool

With a case

Considers resit applicants with extenuating circumstances, provided the case is ratified by the referee in the academic reference. A route in with a documented case, but the resit offer is high.

First-attempt policy
ABB at first sitting is the general bar; a documented case is the route below it
Resit requirement
Typically A*AA, with an A* in the resat subject(s)
UCAT weighting
Used to rank applicants for interview
GCSE influence
Verify current minimums

Hull York (HYMS)

With a case

Sets a BBB first-sitting bar including the sciences. A Biology upgrade helps, but Chemistry at C is the live constraint, so this is worth testing with a case rather than assuming. Confirm the subject-specific requirement first.

First-attempt policy
BBB at first sitting; subject-specific science requirement is the sticking point
Resit requirement
Verify current resit offer
UCAT weighting
Used in selection
GCSE influence
Verify current minimums

UCLan (Central Lancashire)

With a case

Resits considered only with evidenced extenuating circumstances. A documented case is the route in; confirm the current first-sitting and resit requirements directly.

First-attempt policy
Resits only with evidenced exceptional circumstances
Resit requirement
Verify current resit offer
UCAT weighting
Used to shortlist for interview
GCSE influence
Verify current minimums
2028 route Needs achieved grades. Belongs to the post-results cycle.

Keele

2028 route

A strong second-cycle option, not a this-October one: applicants apply post-results with achieved grades, so this is for the 2028-entry cycle (apply Oct 2027).

First-attempt policy
Resits accepted, but applicants apply post-results with achieved grades
Resit requirement
AAA (inc. Chemistry or Biology; verify)
UCAT weighting
Used in selection; verify current weighting
GCSE influence
Verify current minimums

Anglia Ruskin (ARU)

2028 route

Open via the post-results route: apply Oct 2027 with achieved AAA in hand and the first-sit bar disappears. Pairs naturally with Keele as the 2028 plan.

First-attempt policy
AAB at first sitting, but the bar is waived once the full offer is achieved on resit
Resit requirement
AAA to AAB (verify current offer)
UCAT weighting
Used in selection alongside interview
GCSE influence
Verify current minimums

Verify each shortlisted school's policy for the exact entry year before submitting UCAS choices. Resit policies change annually.