GCSES - Extra time for anxiety?

Peggy that is incorrect; with a diagnosis of ADHD your DD just needed a senco statement as above to get extra time. So many schools and parents don't understand this and think the recent evidence of speed of processing is needed. It isn't.

Things have changed massively. We blame Michael Gove in our house. Extra time is much harder to get DD had a 60 centile gap between her writing and reading but because her writing was above 15%ile she wasn't dyslexic enough.

She has anxiety and ADHD so did qualify for rest breaks.

My Dd had a person with her for all GCSEs (same person, a lovely TA). Before each exam DD would say when she wanted to take breaks according to structure of exam. We sometimes wrote it on post it and she gave it to TA e.g. every 20 minutes.

Good luck. Ask for quiet room too. We were told this was full but DD panicked when she had to sit in middle of exam hall and staff had to move her paper to the back of the room. Then she was allowed in quiet room for other exams. Grrr.

That's not correct. If she has a diagnosis she does NOT need measures of processing speed, (a form 8 assessment), she just needs statements from her teachers that she benefits from extra time, and for it to be the usual way of working. This needs support (eg diagnostic report) to confirm diagnosis. This is because once you have a formal diagnosis you are covered by the equality act and entitled to reasonable adjustments.

Extract from relevant pages of QCA information below

25% extra time
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Sensory and/or Physical Needs (HI, MSI, PD, VI)
Social, Mental and Emotional Needs (e.g. ADD, ADHD)
Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
Supervised rest breaks must always be considered before making a request for
extra time, since they may be more appropriate for candidates with a medical
condition, a physical disability or a psychological condition.
(See Chapter 5, section 5.1, page 21 for more detail).
5.2.3 Where a candidate has complex needs, i.e.
• Communication and Interaction Needs; or
• a learning difficulty with a current EHCP or Statement of special educational needs; or
• Sensory and/or Physical Needs; or
• Social, Mental and Emotional Needs;
which have a substantial and long term adverse effect on his/her speed of
working, appropriate evidence of need (as below) must be available at the centre for
inspection. Form 8 is not required and must not be used.
Substantial impairment – evidence of need
So as not to give an unfair advantage, the SENCo’s letter or file note (written on
centre headed paper/template, signed and dated) must:
 confirm that the candidate has persistent and significant difficulties when
accessing and processing information, and is disabled within the meaning of
the Equality Act 2010;
 include evidence of the candidate’s current difficulties and how they substantially
impact on teaching and learning in the classroom;
 show the involvement of teaching staff in determining the need for 25% extra time;
 confirm that without the application of 25% extra time the candidate would be at a
substantial disadvantage; (The candidate would be at a substantial
disadvantage when compared with other, non-disabled candidates
undertaking the assessment.)
 confirm that 25% extra time is the candidate’s normal way of working within the centre
as a direct consequence of their disability.
The SENCo’s detailed information, as above, will be supported by:
• a letter from CAMHS, a HCPC registered psychologist, a hospital consultant, a
psychiatrist; or
• a letter from the Local Authority Specialist Service, Local Authority Sensory Impairment
Service or Occupational Health Service†; or
• a letter from a Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT); or
• a current Statement of Special Educational Needs, or an Education, Health and Care
Plan, which confirms the candidate’s disability.
†For example, an Occupational Therapist specialising in Children and Young People Services,
learning disability, mental health.

Yes is the short answer. The school needs to apply to the exam board and there's various options, dd got extra time and "stop the clock" breaks of up to 10 mins per hour. She gets the same at university. She also has a private room.

I would also suggest bringing it up at her next annual review of EHCP (perhaps talk to SENCO and form tutor beforehand). Then it is on the record of that discussion too.

As above mostly, but also building an evidence file to suggest that it part of her usual way of working. Our SEND team have to build an evidence file for each student that has examination access arrangements for coloured paper, lap tops, extra time etc. Some additional access arrangements come with part of a students individual needs (EHCP for example might reference need for breaks) and this can be used to get access arrangements for exams, however some need additional evidence, especially scribe, lap top etc. Hope she gets the help and support she needs!

You can ask for things like being able to take her exams in a smaller room if you think that will help.

The assessments also need to be recent (less than 2 years old too) so ones done in Year 7 are not valid and schools usually do them again around the start of Year 10

It doesn’t depend on individual exam boards. They all have to adhere to the JQC regulations. Use of laptops etc can be “normal way of working” but extra time is more strictly regulated (it too should be documented though with different coloured pens etc).

It depends on the individual exam board but I’m sure the school should be able to use the EHCP as evidence to apply for extra time. Supporting evidence of extra time being ‘normal way of working’ is often also required so hopefully if you can get her back in to school staff can start recording when extra time is needed (in lessons and mocks for example).

Assessments of reading speed, writing, cognitive processing etc. should not be needed when there is an EHCP confirming need, and as you say her scores may fall in the average range so would not be any of use and could cause unnecessary stress and anxiety.

Hope that helps

Speed of information processing is different to freezing/anxiety. Processing speed is to do with how long it takes the brain to receive and process information, extra time is designed to re-dress the balance.

Freezing when anxious (ds does that too) is different. Time out (rest breaks) would generally be more beneficial.

Yes, things changed pretty recently. My ds was told back in year 7 he would get extra time. But he’s borderline on processing speed so just gets a laptop (his DASH score is low) and rest breaks (for anxiety/asd issues)

Yes I think there has to be evidence for extra time. Ds is currently being assessed for ASD. He had a DASH handwriting test at Easter as he has pain and problems handwriting. His score was on the 24th percentile so he does not qualify for extra time ( I think it is 15% or lower) although he will be using a laptop. The OT explained that the rules are very strict for extra time which is understandable.

For extra time the school would carry out assessments e.g. on your dds reading, processing speed and handwriting speed. if these are below the normal range i.e. below 85 then she would qualify for extra time. Additional evidence such as not finishing exams in normal time can also be used.
There are however other access arrangements that your dd may qualify for. For pupils that "freeze" there is a prompter who makes sure the candidate keeps on working. It is also possible to have short rest breaks if needed (the time the pupil has out of the room is added on so they have the full amount of exam time).
Hope that helps.