Exam Certificate Collection
Certificates are normally received in school late October/early November following the Summer examinations; these are sorted, then distributed at the December Certificate Evening.
The Certificate Presentation Evening this year is on Tuesday 17 December 2024.
Certificates that remain uncollected after the certificate evening are either distributed in School (for candidates still studying at the School) or made available for collection from Main Reception (for candidates who have left the School) from January of the new year (second week of January, week beginning 13 January 2025).
Main Reception is only open during normal term dates and there is no access during School holidays.
Certificates will be destroyed if they remain uncollected by midday on the last day of the Autumn term following that January.
For example, if you sat an exam in Summer 2023, your certificate would have been available to collect from January 2024, and will be destroyed at the end of Autumn term 2024 if not collected. Effectively, students have the whole calendar year after their exams were sat to collect their certificates.
Please remember that on the last day of the Autumn Term the school will close at midday.
Collecting Certificates
Candidates are able to collect certificates from Main Reception between 8.30am and 3.30pm, term-time.
Any person making the collection from Main Reception must present photographic ID.
Third Party Collection
If the candidate cannot collect in person, they can nominate a third party to do so, but they must complete the Candidates Unable to Collect Certificates in Person - Third Party form on the website.
If the candidate has a sibling in school, their sibling can collect the certificate on their behalf. The sibling will need to tell Main Reception staff their relationship to the candidate, so that this can be checked. In such cases, the above form does not need to be completed.
Posting Certificates
If you provide us with an A4 stamped addressed envelope, we will be able to post your certificates to you – please print and complete the Candidates Unable to Collect Certificates in Person - Posting form on the website, and send it to us along with your A4 stamped addressed envelope.
We are able to post to any address that you put on the A4 stamped addressed envelope, but the address completed on the Candidates Unable to Collect Certificates in Person - Posting form must be the most recent home address that we hold on record for you whilst you studied at The King’s (The Cathedral) School - this is for verification purposes.
Posting Certificates - Notes
We will only accept applications for the postal service after certificates are issued for collection from Main Reception.
Any envelopes sent to us will require more than one first class stamp on them if you are to avoid underpayment fees. We will not pay any underpayment fees on any envelopes that we receive (i.e. the envelope containing the return envelope and paperwork) - in which case, the envelope (if it has a return address) will be returned to sender. As per the Royal Mail;
“You are not obliged to include a return address with a postal item unless it is an international item, but it is in your own interest. If your item cannot for any reason be delivered, your return address will allow us to send it back to you.
A return address is strongly advised, however. If you do not provide a return address, any undeliverable items sent to our National Returns Centre that cannot be repatriated, will be disposed of and claims for compensation will not be accepted.”
As per exam board regulations; “Any unclaimed certificates must be stored securely for at least 12 months, then destroyed confidentially or sent back to us.”
Certificates from exam sessions previous to the most recent Summer have been securely destroyed; candidates must contact exam boards directly.
Replacement Certificates
If you have never collected your certificates, or have lost them, you will need to contact the exam boards direct to apply for replacements.
Please note that some exam boards do not offer replacement certificates, but instead issue a Certifying Statement of Results.
For exam boards that no longer exist, please see the webpage below for details of whom to contact:
https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate/if-your-old-exam-board-no-longer-exists
If you do not know your exam boards, the school may still hold your records. Please email us, giving your full name whilst at the School, your date of birth, and year of certification (if known).
The King’s (The Cathedral) School examination centre number is 22333
Certificate Amendments
Certificates are issued based on the legal name that the school has on record for you. Any chosen names will not be shown on any certificate.
When Examination Candidate Timetables (ECT) are released, the ECT contains the field “Name on Certificates” and all candidates are told that they must read the Summer Examination Candidate Information webpage, which contains the instruction:
“When ECTs are issued, all candidates must check that their legal name is displayed correctly - if it is not, they will need to advise the School Registrar, and documentary proof may be required.”
Should any candidate fail to do this, then they will be responsible for contacting the Awarding Bodies to arrange any certificate amendments, including paying any fees.
