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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Secondary education

Help please - exam 'special arrangements' missing

13 replies

OddBoots · 19/05/2014 19:39

I'm wondering if anyone can put my mind at rest (or otherwise).

My Y10 ds took a GCSE physics exam today, he has hypermobility in his hands and struggles to hold a pen, the arrangements had been set that he would do most of it on a laptop but do any graphs or diagrams on the answer paper.

When he got into the exam there was no laptop and he didn't feel confident enough to ask (ASD, first formal exam since his SATs) so he did the paper by hand.

Has this screwed everything up? I have no idea if an examiner will be able to read his answers, could a note go in explaining so the examiner could perhaps allow a bit more time to try to read it? Will this stop ds taking the next 2 papers for the exam on a laptop?

He loves physics and is very good at it, he is predicted an A* and wants to do it at A Level so this matters to him. There's no-one at the school I can call until tomorrow so I'm having a quiet panic to myself while trying not to upset ds.

Eep!

OP posts:

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HPparent · 19/05/2014 19:50

This happened to my daughter last year. She was then in year 9 and it was her first GCSE. The laptop was missing in the first exam and she had to write the answers. She is dyslexic though and writes slowly, hence the use of the laptop. The school contacted the exam board and they added a few more marks. However in our case it was not enough to compensate for the marks she thinks she lost. The paper was also remarked at her schools request as she was just below an A and came back lower!

I think in your sons case it sounds like his writing is a bit difficult to read? I am sure that once the school explain the situation to the exam board they will make allowances for him. Please don't worry too much.

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nostress · 19/05/2014 20:49

Which exam board? My son has hypermobility and dyspraxia. He can have a laptop but he doesn't for science and maths because there are so many calculations and bits that would be tricky on the laptop. His handwriting is appalling but somehow his teachers manage to mark it and i am really hoping his examiners can too! How bad is his writing? Is it at all legible or is it a speed thing? Did he manage to finish? If he did I would try not to worry (but email the school!). I have emailed the school to check that they have it down that DS will need a laptop tomorrow in his english exam. We shall see!

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wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 19/05/2014 21:00

I had worries about this exam for Mr DS year 10 .Different reasons than you though. It was explained to me that this exam Mark will be put together with biology and chemistry and then all put together as an average if you see what I mean . ok so it's not the best but hopefully the examiners will be able to read it and the school get their act together and a lap top is available. He is not lost yet as these
Three exams are only part of next year's results .
Yay and next we have the MOCS to look forward to . Oh what joy .
I hope it works out for you .

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gillviola · 19/05/2014 21:07

Don't worry. If examiners can't read your son's writing, the script will be printed off and sent to a Senior Examiner who will mark it.

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PartyConfused · 19/05/2014 21:10

Can I ask, why a laptop? And not a scribe? I've just has my pupils sit their Science gcse, and the pupils in our yr group with hypermobility all had a scribe.
(Dd is hypermobile but is 1!)

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PartyConfused · 19/05/2014 21:13

Wake tgat isn't correct. The exams taken now are for GCSEs this year. So if your dc took a real sci gcse today (not a mock) he will get his results in august. Sounds like it is Core Science? Your dc will have another exam after half term.

Ignore me if these are mocks and your dc is taking both gcses next year like many schools do.

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PartyConfused · 19/05/2014 21:17

To the OP- I have been told that exam concessions like extra time etc have become very strict. For example, my pupils would have been allowed 25% extra time AND a scribe 2 years ago. That's why I bought up the laptop. I would check with the head of SEN and the exam officer.

Hope he did ok, and his mark isn't affected too much. Poor lad. That must have really thrown him.

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wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 19/05/2014 21:18

PC my DS is taking GCSE this year and next in science .
He is not doing all of them a year early .some this year then MOCS and then next year he does another part of the science exam .
He has his exam number .

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OddBoots · 19/05/2014 21:33

Thank you all for your help.

He's doing OCR 21st Century, he's just doing physics this year and will do biology and chemistry next year with all his other GCSEs. This is the way his school seem to fit in the triple.

I think the reason he has a laptop rather than a scribe is because he gets on well with the laptop and uses it in every lesson - he'd not be able to do the same with a scribe.

I shall speak to the school tomorrow and see what they suggest, it doesn't sound like this will prevent him using the laptop in his remaining two exams though which was part of my worry.

OP posts:

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P3ppaPig · 19/05/2014 21:41

Wake, I get what you are saying. But gcses have changed for the past two years. He will get 2 science gcses by the end of y11. But, if he has taken exams this year, he is doing one entry this year.
They are no longer allowed to do modular (which is in effect what you are saying). All exams taken in a year have to be cashed THAT year. Up until the change came in, pupils could take exams in year 10 for the gcse in yr11. This isn't 'allowed' now. Blame Gove.

It doesn't sound like your school have explained this very well to the pupils or parents .
Hoping another sci teacher will be along in a minute to confirm.

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wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 19/05/2014 21:46

I blame Gove for everything that is wrong in this world .It is all his fault.

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nostress · 20/05/2014 09:53

Me too :)

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OddBoots · 20/05/2014 17:19

I'd be interested to know if any parents of school age children who are state school educated actually agree with the changes Gove has brought in - I'm sure some must but I've not heard them say so.

I've had emails from the school and ds has chatted with the senco and they are going to write to the exam board and make sure the laptop is available in the remaining exams.