A DfE-commissioned report highlights some of the many challenges that colleges face in the effective delivery and teaching of maths and English GCSE re-sits for 16-18 year olds.

According to the report, the factors that influence teaching and learning include:

• The variety in students’ backgrounds and prior qualifications, particularly in view of the large numbers of students concerned. 
• Differing levels of learner motivation to re-engage with the subjects and the challenges of cultivating more positive and confident student attitudes. 
• Some students see resits as an opportunity to improve their attainment level and therefore engage more readily with the lessons – this is more true of maths than English.
• Resitting examinations in the formal setting required is a stressful and emotional experience for some students. 
• Providers with large numbers of ESOL or SEND students can struggle to provide the additional support that they require. 
• Colleges located in coastal and rural settings presented travel challenges for students.
• Local socio-economic conditions can affect both the ability to recruit specialist teachers and student attendance.