Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

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

Original poster

Hypermobility - Extra time GCSE's

27 replies

Teenmum60 · 20/04/2018 22:31

My DD has Hypermobility - rest breaks have been agreed in the forthcoming GCSE's (she was also offered use of laptop but decided against this because she uses an Ipad in school). DD was only diagnosed at the end of Yr10 although she has always struggled with poor pencil grip and slow writing (some adjustments made in class - missing every other question etc).

Obviously its too late to consider extra time for GCSE's but it maybe something we look at for A levels. Therefore just wondered how many children have access arrangements (extra time)
who have hypermobility and whether this was on the back of a consultant report (which we have) or whether other tests are required.

OP posts:
TheSecondOfHerName · 20/04/2018 22:46

So for him, rest breaks aren't really needed, so long as he can type his answers in English and similar subjects.

TheSecondOfHerName · 20/04/2018 22:44

DS2 has hypermobility in his hands and wrists. He has to grip the pen very tightly and can only write for 2-3 minutes before it starts hurting.

The school SENCo asked us to get an OT referral via his paediatrician. The OT did an assessment in Y9 and the report was sent to the school in time for adjustments to be implemented and become his normal way of working. Recommendations included rest breaks, using a laptop, sloping writing surface.

They considered lending him a school laptop in Y10 but decided against it because his hypermobility made it difficult for him to carry a laptop as well as a school bag full of books.

In the autumn of Y11, the SEN department agreed that a school laptop could be brought to his English lessons for him when he had to do long periods of writing.

For his mock GCSEs, they provided a laptop for half of his subjects (the ones with most writing) and hopefully the same will happen for his GCSEs this summer.

Rest breaks have not been offered (despite the fact that he also has ADHD) but if he is using a laptop in the subjects with a lot of writing, then I don't think he'll need them.

Fortunately he doesn't plan to do any essay subjects at A-level.

Swipe left for the next trending thread