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Original poster

Why has DS not been given extra time??

82 replies

Jodee · 17/12/2014 10:57

Reposting from SN Education
DS has almost come to the end of the first term in Year 10 and (finally) this week I received his SEN Progress Tracker, where his "Proposed Access Arrangements" going forward is to use a Word Processor. I had chased this up at the beginning of term as he was assessed at the end of Year 9. (He was on School Action Plus before the changes).

I had been expecting DS to be given 25% extra time; he told me that when he had a History assessment recently, the other children on his table had extra time but he didn't, and as expected he didn't finish the assessment. He also didn't finish an RE assessment today.

I spoke to the SENCO today for an explanation of the Tracker form as it's the first one I've seen, instead of the IEP. I was told no extra time for DS, he can use a word processor - if he wants to!

His standardised scores are 76 for non verbal, 86 for verbal, 83 for quantative. (Below average is said to be below 85).

I have not been informed by anyone that his writing is so illegible that he requires a word processor (which we would have to provide) whereas he has difficulties processing information, needs instructions repeated and understanding checked (had speech therapy at a younger age).

As he has at least one score of 84 or less (I have been reading the new AA Regs for 2014-15), surely this qualifies DS to have the extra time? I want to go back to the SENCO and also the person who carried out the assessment with an informed argument.

thank you.

OP posts:
TooHasty · 18/12/2014 20:01

so what is the point of having a time limit for anyone on an exam?

mnistooaddictive · 18/12/2014 19:37

You would feel differently if it was your child Hasty. What a horrible thing to write. As a teacher, I can see that lots of students need extra time.

TooHasty · 18/12/2014 19:30

I think it's absolutely ludicrous to give pupils extra time because their brains work slowly!!

Original poster
jodee · 18/12/2014 18:41

Hi thank everyone for the responses, I have been busy speaking to some of DS's teachers over the last few days, where DS had tests and ran out of time, together with the head of Learning Support who had carried the assessments at the end of Year 9. camptownraces you are right, when I looked again at those scores I realised they are exactly the same CAT scores as Year 7, I had assumed the results of the Y9 assessment would be on the Progress Tracker (which is a new form the school has prepared), it was only when I spoke with head of Learning Support that she explained that a very detailed assessment was carried out, covering numerous sheets of paper, that it would be too time-consuming to list all the results for all the pupils with SN.

Arabella I was told by Learning Support Head that DSs assessment were just on the borderline for processing, writing and reading speeds but he scored lower for working memory. He was also assessed to have a slightly slower writing speed than typing, which was why the word processor was suggested.

The teachers told me that in the next assessments they will trial DS with extra time to see how he gets on, and also explained how it works in principle and that DS will have to show in the extra time that he had added value to his answers. I've explained this to DS and felt the teachers were very helpful.

It would have been useful if the SENCO could have been even just a little bit more informative!

OP posts:
ArabellaRockerfella · 17/12/2014 21:19

Ask the school to do a LUCID Exact assessment on him and this will give an indication of his processing speed,writing and reading speeds etc if any of these scores are below 84 then he will qualify for extra time or other access arrangements. As a result of this test he may well also need an Ed Psych report. Rules have changed recently with regard to qualifying for special considerations in exams and it is a lot harder than it used to be to get extra time unfortunately and they require more than just the school's assessments. Good luck.

AMerryScot · 17/12/2014 15:45

Access arrangements have all sorts of criteria including normal way of working.

Being allowed to use a word processor does not imply other access arrangements.

camptownraces · 17/12/2014 15:35

It looks as if you may be quoting CAT scores - is that right?

For access arrangements, tests must be carried out in Year 9 or later. And very specific kinds of test, not CAT.

But the prior requirement is that subject teachers (in your son's situation) must say in advance that he needs extra time to do his work, that they give him extra time to do his work, that this is his normal way of working.

He won't be able to get his understanding of the questions checked in a written examination.

What is the basis for recommending he a word processor, and why won't the school provide him with a one? - is it because his writing is slow, or so that he can edit text, cut and paste, etc?

OP, please give us more information.

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