son had his mobile phone in GCSE biology

I think that part of this is as a result of the increasing culture these days of excusing and minimising poor behaviour. So many parents (and teachers, if truth be told) don't actually carry out sanctions that have been threatened, that students (and adults) don't really believe that there will be a consequence for anything they do.

Public examinations are a non-negotiable, however, and Beaufort's experiences are, as she has acknowledged, 12 years out of date. It therefore comes as a huge shock to some people that their "moment of chaos" will have serious repercussions. It's the previous 16 years of excuses for that "scattiness" that has partly led to this, though - and I say that as the parent of a scatty one, but even she has told me that there is no way anyone can seriously claim an accident on the 'mobile phone in an exam' scenario.

I have read this thread with interest. My son is 4yo so we don't have to worry about this yet. And I am ancient so my school and undergraduate exams were pre-mobile phones and although I had one when I did my masters I have no recollection what I did with it or what the rules were in 2003.

I think it's possible to simultaneously believe: the boy was an idiot and broke the rules yet to also feel sorry for him, his mum and the other children taking the exam. None of those thoughts are incompatible. The OP has said she understands he deserves to be punished for what happened but if course she will be hoping the impact on him isn't too severe. I would feel the same.

The repeated references to the awfulness of London schools are a bit grating. I'm sure all areas of the country have good and bad schools, good and bad teachers. I also think it's laughable one could/should judge which child would be likely to cheat vs make a genuine mistake. The criminal court system doesn't tell the jury about someone's previous convictions specifically to avoid that kind of prejudice. The circumstances should be judged on the evidence.

OP - I hope in time your son can learn from this and if scattiness is a problem for him that he finds strategies to help so he doesn't suffer serious consequences again.

you've seen the signs so often now that you don't actually notice them anymore, and have heard the pre-exam briefing so often that you switch off
Seriously? That is no defence whatsoever. If you have really absorbed a piece of information so completely that you don't notice it anymore, it should actually work the other way and become something something you do automatically, rather than forget to do at all.
What bollocks.

Wonmaninsack What you describe sound like what absolutely should be happening for all exams in all schools. But my DS hasn't experienced that - more like the situation thattClashCityRocker describes. I would definitely prefer your method.

It all sounds really stressful for you Applecheeks. There is a lovely ongoing Year 11 support thread for parents with children doing GCSE's. Please feel free to post there if it all gets a bit much for you.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/2395585-Year-11-GCSE-support-thread-5-finishing-off-the-exams

Yes, it is very possible.

If you don't usually have your phone on you, you've forgotten you had it in your pocket, you're tired, stressed and your mind is on the upcoming exam, you've seen the signs so often now that you don't actually notice them anymore and have heard the pre-exam briefing so often that you switch off, I can see how it's very possible.

Also, there wasn't neccessarily someone asking the students in the manner you describe - I know for DNS exams, they just asked everyone with a mobile phone on them to hand it in at the front. If you've forgotten you had your mobile on, or wasn't paying attention, it could be easily missed. In fact dn said after the exam that one of her friends still had her mobile in her pocket - fortunately for her it was on silent. Apparently it isn't uncommon.

Exam invigilators follow the rules to the point of autism.

Not the best description you could have chosen.

I kind of agree with Womaninasack. How can someone not realise they have a phone in their blazer pocket? They must feel the weight of it for a start.

At DD's school you aren't even allowed to have your mobile with the sound switched on. If someone's phone goes off in class it gets confiscated.

Those of us with disorganised children jolly well make sure that the phone is off and not in blazer pockets. If they can't even be trusted to stick to the rules the phone stays at home.

I keep repeating myself but here we go again!

On entering the exam hall two teachers/invigilators stand at the door and ask for all phones.

It is NOT POSSIBLE to forget to hand one in!!!!

OP - I feel for you and your son. I can see how it might have happened.

I seriously considered sewing up my DD's blazer pockets for GCSEs to stop her accidentally taking a phone in (which is usually off and in her school bag anyway). She is a disorganised dyspraxic, and whilst she can cope day to day, the non-routine GCSE weeks would be completely throwing her if I wasn't around to organise her. Phone is at home on exam days regardless.

Going off topic, but this is an issue we have recently discussed at school - the rules are going have to become far more stricter given the availability of wearable tech i.e. watches, glasses etc.

I wish that schools could get their kids to walk through a detector like they have at airports. I expect that some liberal lefty would bleat about human rights. Perhaps I would be more ruthless and not allow them to wear blazers or clothes with any pockets. The kids could sit their exams in regulation boiler suits as if they were entering a secure area.

I really don't think the other kids will have suffered much. Is the sound of a mobile phone really so distracting? And how much can a person really do in the last three minutes? Hope it all works out as well as possible OP.

Two years older than this I had a job (which involved prisons) where having a mobile phone on me and not handing it in would have been extremely serious. At some point even scatty kids have to learn when to double check; when to pause and think. It is a very hard lesson but hopefully he will learn it now.

I do feel for him, and the OP. And the poor other kids who were disturbed.

Most exam invigilators do the job because they are either retired or want an easy job that fits in with school pick up. I just do as I am instructed by the school. I have no emotional attachment to the kids as I don't know them. I do my best to look after the kids, but I follow the rules to the letter.

I think that being emotionally detached from the kids must have advantages when horrible situations happen.

Mumsneedwine. There wasn't a dodgy pm. If you think that was the case then I suggest you report it to Mnet and let them be the arbiter of it.

Ah yes, we used to have an invigilator a bit like BeaufortBelle. Had a dh on the governing body & was prone to trilling 'we are a governor, you know!' at random intervals in between brightly delivering misinformation to the kids & engaging the ones she liked (ie. they were mates with her ds) in friendly chitchat.

As I say, we used to.

It's a job - admittedly a badly paid & fairly boring one - you follow the rules or, not to put to fine a bloody point on it, you could be fucking that exam up for everyone in that exam hall. That simply can't be allowed to happen.

Two things before I start with year 9. Womanimsack - hi ! And OP - hang in there. I've got 5 kids myself so know how scatty they can be. Your son will get a fair hearing and hopefully not be penalised too badly. Exam boards are firm but fair.

Mumsneedingwine

This thread is getting stupid if there are dodgy private messages.

I invigilated ten years ago and actually there is little change. Mobile phones were banned then. Differences are that they are stricter about watches on the table, most of the rules that existed ten years ago existed then. The biggest difference is getting rid of modular exams. the rules on extra time are tougher.

My DH once walked through airport security with all the signs up about liquids and tiny plastic bags and people binning their bottles of water, got to the x Rays and they asked if he had any liquids in his bag and he said no. They then took out his toiletry bag filled with big bottles of shampoo, deodorant etc and he went 'oh yeah, I'd forgotten about those'.

Because there were so many signs and reminders he'd just tuned them out, in a 'they don't apply to me, I'm not an idiot' way, while being an idiot.

So I can totally understand how the OP's DS could have made such a stupid mistake. Once you've seen the warnings and so on that many times, you stop listening.

If there was clearly no intention to cheat then I think the exam board will just cancel this paper, but you may not find out till the end of the summer.

FloggingMolly You asked me something ages ago upthread, and I've only just read it. Yes, years ago I entered a couple of incident reports about 'chaos' as opposed to cheating, e.g. glasses of water being spilled and papers flying everywhere.

I wasn't writing specifically about mobile phones ringing.

I was trying to support the OP.

Me - teacher here too!

Oh and can I just add, I did like the 'and you say you're a teacher'. I do. Because I am. That's why I'm still
working at 11.29. Anyone else still working ?
I've spent a lot of today discussing Hannah's sweets. And dealing with 16year olds who feel they've mucked up .