extra time refused for dyslexic DD's A levels

The criteria changed last year so if she is A2 level she may fall foul now. As a result Ds lost his extra time for GCSE. Agree one of the specific processing scores needs to be below 85 to qualify for extra time although for other access arrangements such as laptop use it only needs to be the established mode of working. If you want to get an Ed Psych report to demonstrate the need for extra time which also needs to be supported by teachers' evidence then time is short now.

Can I jump in and ask for advice please?

Dd was diagnosed as mildly dyslexic by an ed psych when she was 7yo, he also said she has the worst working term memory he's ever seen. However she is bright and now in year 9 and getting NC level 7 in most subjects so is on track for A or at least B.....

Should I be asking for extra time for her? She gets no help or input for being dyslexic at all. I asked about this in year 7 and was told she could be put in remedial classes if I really wanted. . It's that or nothing.

Some useful links

General background from the British Dyslexia Association www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/educator/access-arrangements

The actual regulations, now issued by the JCQ, the detailed information on the scores required starts at p22 but worth reading all the way through. As I thought the regulations have not changed as far as I can see since 2012, when the change in the regulations was the reason the problem emerged for us between GCSE and A level because in the pre GCSE assessment she only had one score, speed of writing, definitively below 85 . I really cannot see why there would be a change between GCSE and A level, if anything evidence of need is going to be reinforced by working at a higher level?

www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/access-arrangements-and-reasonable-adjustments-2014-2015

Yes they have tightened up the criteria recently. What tests have they used to assess her scores? LUCID Exact? Ed Psych?

extra time can be awarded for a below average score in either:
speed of reading
speed of writing
speed of processing
working memory

Although if her reading speed is below average then she should meet the criteria for extra time - a score of below 85 is below average - anything above that is not.

We narrowly avoided this situation with my DD. It was the year that the new regulations came in that set arbitrary cut offs for extra time for working memory and processing scores - only for in the below average range, which actually equates because of the way they do the ranges to the bottom 14% of the population, which really is a very significant level of disability for someone of high ability. the Examination Regulatory Authority did actually recognise that this was discriminating against bright dyslexics and were advised that it was vulnerable to prosecution under the disability legislation, it is about time a parent took them to court.

We brought forward the assessment that they require for university and though the scores in the pre GCSE assessment were borderline, the scores on that test came in at the 9th percentile so we avoided the problem but we were advised that as a back up to that to prepare to plead a special case on the basis of her record of need (there had never been any question of her needing extra time to do herself justice , she had moved for sixth form so I went back to both her previous school and her primary) and the speed of her writing, also tenth percentile.

I am a bit confused though, since I understood that the process was one where the school submits the exact scores for Working Memory and Processing to the exam board for automatic entitlement, and if those scores are too high then there is a process for special consideration with less chance of success? Obviously since Working Memory and Processing are at the root of the problems with speed, organising and getting ideas on paper etc. they should reflect the full range of your DDs issues and the school should be going on those scores. I am not sure why Reading and Comprehension scores alone would have them going back on a previous judgement that there was evidence of need?

I recommend you go back to the school with a copy of the exam regulations and ask them to defend not submitting an application for special consideration based on the full range of her scores and the evidence of need and that this is her usual way of working, all of which should have been tested and recorded as part of the process for her GCSE subjects. I cannot see why it would change between GCSE unless there has been another change in the regulations

My DD did not get extra time at GCSE for some subjects, Maths, Science because it was not deemed that there was sufficient evidence of need but in the essay based subjects she continued to A level that was never in question.

I really feel for your DD, it put my DD in a complete panic, she is anxious enough about exams as it is. On the plus side she is now at uni and the support could not be better but as her Ed Psych said it is being enabled to show your ability so you can get there that is the issue.