Not really sure where to put this. Mods, move it if you wish. Basically, I went to a trans group last night, where I discovered many of them had managed to change their names on their GCSE (a british exam) certificates, something I'd read online was impossible. Having done some research, I think there must be some specific exemption for transpeople, despite the fact that there is no mention of it on the exam boards website. I did some research, and I think I've found a law with which I could threaten to sue them: The 2010 equality act, under 'indirect discrimination'. My questions are: has anyone managed to change their name on british exam certificates? and how do you think I should approach this? I already sent them a generic change of name request, without revealing that I am trans, and I received a (possibly bot-generated) response that didn't answer my question in the slightest. It was just some crap about what to do if you lose your certificates. I now need to respond to them, and assuming my response is ever read by a human, I want to make my position clear, without actually offending anyone. Help welcome. Thanks.
Can you call the people in charge of the GCSE and talk to a real person to explain your situation? They will be able to help you. If they don't, keep asking to talk to the person's supervisor until you find someone who can help you.
Update: I called one of the exam boards, and it appears to have agreed to do it. Got to call the other.
Glad you got that sorted then How do you know who to call? i need to put a different first and second name on mine I was just gonna call AQA(i'm assuming your British and know what that is) but didn't know they were all different boards. also, did you have to pay for them to be reprinted?
Erm... the guy I talk to didn't mention a price, and wasn't sure whether I'd have to pay or not. I guess I'll see. Its possible I'll be able to get out of paying in some way though, legal protection and all. I called the other board, and they sent me to data protection. It seems they'll cooperate as well. There are at least half a dozen boards. If you have different certificates from different boards, you need to contact them all. I take it you're trying to to the same thing as me? I looked at the websites for each board and found a phone number. As far as I could tell, they'd received some training as to how to deal with transpeople, so I don't expect you'll get any trouble from them. I don't advise sending emails, because all I got was robot responses. Good luck.
Oh suppose if they haven't told you they can't charge you. Let me know if they do though Oh damn was hoping there would be like some main one, I used 5 boards for my GCSE's and i'm not sure what my AS certificates are so i have some ringing round to do. Did they not require any proof of you changing your name or nothing? Yeah i'm doing the same thing as you, glad to hear they are trained on the trans thing
5? Damn, that will take a while. Yes, they required a copy of my deed poll and passport. I'll post a copy of the information I was send with the identifying information removed:
Yeah my schoolteachers were very picky about what they wanted to teach so they picked the board that closely matched. The welsh board has go to be the worst, i spend most of the time foolishly trying to read Welsh rather than doing the exam :') Oh poop i don't have ID. I haven't got my provisional yet and my passport ran out so i don't even know where that is, since i cant afford to replace either it's gonna be a while before i change my certificates :/
Damn. And its difficult to make money without the exam certificates because of getting a job. Do you have a deed poll?
Yeah that's what i mean it's just a cycle now I'm in the process of my deed poll now, like i filled out the online application so i'm waiting for it to come. Iv'e waited ages because i thought you had to be 18 to do it without parents permission then got told it was only 16 :/ I may just have to try get a job in my birth name, as disgusting as that is make a bit of money then get a new passport and change it. I really didn't want to but i have like 7 months to get money to get my own place and things so i'm just gonna have to face it
If you need to, you might try going on JSA and paying for the passport like that. Jobs are difficult enough to get as it is, and if you try to get one as a woman, it may be more difficult as you'll be unlikely to come across as authentic. Oh if you're worried about getting a place to stay, there is hope. The government classes being transgendered as a vulnerable characteristic, so you can qualify for housing.
Can i go on JSA only being 17 though? And since i'm in college doing my A-levels so i don't know if i count Yeah i have clue about any of this stuff, but my mum wants my to get my own place when i'm 18 Oh, i'll have to look into doing that then maybe, until i get myself sorted out. I think the local housing area for me though is a huge block of flats by where i used to live, i really don't want to go back to that area so i don't know
Can I ask, did you mention you was trans? My secondary school f*cked up my exams; I changed my name half way through secondary school, and for some reason half my exam certificates have my old name and half have my new name. This causes major aggro when applying to jobs and stuff because, really, it does look a little fraud-ie and dodgey. I tried changing it at 16 when I got them, but my school consistently said there was nothing that can be done. :/. Was just wondering if, like in your OP you said that there might be exceptions to it or can anyone who's changed their name apply to change it?
I did mention I was trans. I wouldn't have been successful otherwise. However, if what was your legal name at the time of taking the exams was something other than what is on the certificates, you may have some luck. Before I said I was trans, they said they made corrections if mistakes had been made. @Jeca, yeah, you have to be 18 for JSA, unless you get kicked out of home or something.
Oh guess i'll just wait till i'm 18 then try get myself sorted out, not sure how it will work though because i'll still be in full time education then. But at least it's only like 7 months away
Hey. I thought given that there may be a few people interested in the outcome of my attempts to get the name changed on my exam certificates, that I would update the thread. I've now completely finished this whole thing, and I've received the certificates. Exactly what I did: I had 9 different IGCSEs and GCSEs with two different british exam boards. I contacted each separately, first by email, and then by phone, when emailing them proved to be useless. For one of the boards, I was given details over the phone of what to do and where to send the old certificates. For the other board, I was given an email address, where I was given basically the same information. I had to send back the old certificates, a formal copy of my Deed Poll (change of name document, Statutory Declaration would also be accepted), and a copy of my passport in my new, legal name and gender. I also sent a covering letter, which explained what I wanted, where to send the new certificates, and that I wanted the Deed Poll to be returned with the certificates. I paid £2 for them to be sent by recorded delivery, as if the certificates had been lost I would have been in a really tragic position. I was told to expect the new certificates within 20 working days. One exam board got them back in time, the other didn't. But I've got them now so its not a problem. The certificates were all correct, and I was not charged. They did send the deed polls back with the certificates, as I had requested. They were only prepared to do this for me because I am trans, however they do make other changes, which you may have to pay for, if the name on your certificates is not the same as your legal name at the time they were issued. So having changed your name afterwards would not be accepted, sorry. But A typo or the school having given them the wrong name would be accepted. I hope that helps anyone who is in the position I was in a couple of months ago.
