Extra time in class tests

[OhCrumbsWhereNow]

DD is in Y7, she has quite severe dyslexia along with hypermobile finger joints and uses a laptop for everything except maths and PE (as far as I can work out). She doesn't have an ECHP, but I supplied the secondary with copies of her EP report which state that she should use a laptop, be sat at the front of the class, be provided with print outs and not copy from the board etc. DD also qualifies for an extra 25% time in any exams.

So far, school have been fab - no issues over using laptop, she's sat at the front of the class etc.

However, this week, her class had a exam in Geography (so a lot of writing) and the teacher said that DD could not use her laptop for the test, but had to write on the blank paper provided. Another child in the class broke her finger last week and so has been provided with a laptop while that mends - this child was allowed to use the laptop for the exam.

I'm a little unhappy that they did not allow DD to use the laptop (her normal way of working) and that they didn't allow her any extra time.

Before I add it to the list of 'things to discuss in that tone of voice', am I being unreasonable to think that DD should always be allowed to use a laptop where significant writing is required - and that her disability is no less of a problem that a broken finger is for the other child?

Also, is it normal not to get the extra 25% time?

[Carpetflowers]

Your DD should have been able to use the laptop but generally there isn’t time within the lesson to give extra time for all tests.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Worth checking with the SENCO that all the teachers know that the laptop should be your daughters normal way of working - some times the message has not got through.
As the PP mentioned it can often be impossible to give extra time in class assessments as they already fill the entire lesson.
All of this should be reassessed by the SENCO in year 9 or 10 as For public examinations assessment is only valid for three years.

[Malbecfan]

Email the SENCO. We are told that laptop use should be the student's "normal way of working" so we have to provide evidence of assessments being done on laptops. If they get extra time (and they handwrite) they change pen colour for the extra 25% so we can demonstrate how many more marks the adjustment has given them. If they use a laptop, we ask them to note when the 25% starts.

It could be an oversight on the teacher's part, so perhaps don't go in all guns blazing. I had 155 new year 8s this term. I know most of their names now but as I only see them once a week, it's hard work. I think I know who my SEN students are, but it's easy to mess up.

[OhCrumbsWhereNow]

Thank you for all the advice!

Definitely don't plan to go in all guns blazing - but there have been a couple of niggles.

I emailed the SENCO before DD started to ask if they had a specific spec on laptops - and if she should bring her own or did school provide. SENCO was very definite that I needed to provide - no problem. Had a call last week to ask why DD had her own laptop as apparently school normally provide, and turns out that SENCO has now left... joy.

Luckily DD is pretty proactive in standing up for herself, so I don't often have to intervene, but it does seem mad to make her switch to pen and paper when she never uses that normally.

It also means that what they will get will be one word answers or a couple of badly spelt lines at best. On a laptop, they'll get full answers and be able to read it!

All the teachers know that she uses a laptop (only one in her class who does) so it just seemed really odd to me that they asked her not to for this. If it had been a set of worksheets with diagrams etc then fair enough, but this was just blank paper.

[foxesandsquirrels]

My DD has severe dyslexia and an EHCP that explicitly says 25% extra time in all exams. I quickly found out this can't happen in internal exams due to logistics. This seems to be the norm pretty much everywhere. I'm just baffled why they even put it down on ep assessments than as for them to get extra time in GCSEs there is a whole other application process.
She should definitely be allowed the laptop, I think it's probably an oversight but make sure you email so it doesnt happen again. Also, think about applying for an EHCP if you haven't already.

[TW2013]

Most of dd's teachers have only made the mistake once of getting her to write things by hand. It soon becomes apparent that they cannot read her handwriting and neither can she.