What is the protocol if a DC is ill on a GCSE exam date?

It’s shit isn’t it. I mean, it’s worth doing definitely as could make all the difference at a grade boundary, but the uplift is so small.

My DC was very unwell last week with a flu-like virus - not unwell enough to miss the exam but felt horrendous. They had a fever and terrible headache the whole time week. Their performance will no doubt be impacted for those exams. School have been very good and are applying for special consideration, but it’s likely to be 2%. Which is nowhere near enough to compensate for the drop in performance due to how awful they felt, but it’s better than nothing.

I feel so bad for them when illness foils their hard work.

Great news! What a relief for you both X

For AQA, Pearson, OCR and WJEC GCSEs, the candidate has to have completed one whole component that is at least 15% of the total qualification. At GCSE, it is only 25% for CCEA.

If a pupil misses exams then they can still get a grade if they have sat at least 25% of the assessed components, e.g. one out of the three maths papers. Their grade is then based on their performance in that component compared to other candidates. The aegrotat isn't based on mock or predicted grades.

If they miss all the exams and assessments then they cannot get a GCSE in that subject.

They can apply for a statement of recognition which confirms their predicted grades and the fact that they could not sit their GCSEs, which would enable then to progress to college (so they could use it to meet entry requirements) but they do NOT have a GCSE in that subject.

Yes, that is all accurate. If missed altogether, doctor's certificate needed, and the subject will be graded according to mock grades and grades since the Mocks.It is called an aegrotat.

We experienced this for one my eldests A-levels. He was unable to attend due to a migraine. He has a long history of migraines, (and subsequently terrible attendance) and the school told us that a pre-emptive GP letter explaining the situation would suffice if it happened on an exam day, so we paid fifty quid to get one and handed it over.
However on the actual day it was a different matter - they said we needed a GP letter dated that day, so I had to take him down to the surgery and beg to see a doctor. (which as you know is not how they work these days) The surgery were brilliant and fit him in as an emergency - the GP wrote in his notes that he was not fit to sit any exam, and they printed those notes out for us, which I took to the school. It was a very stressful morning, and he was out of it for about four days afterwards. However he got B in the end which I was pretty impressed with!

Please be very careful about taking the exam when unwell. Read the regulations carefully, and discuss with the exams officer. I've seen several cases where people who were clearly not well enough were told (sometimes by well-meaning exams officers) to give it a go and they'd put in a special consideration form. That can only make a small percentage difference, so if the candidate is ill enough that they're not going to manage to complete the paper, they would usually be far better not doing it, and having the result worked out from their other papers - especially if those have already taken place - obviously if they miss all papers, no grade can be provided.

I have experience of this. My DD was very ill during the two weeks starting from half term. She missed the whole week after half term of her GCSEs, from memory a paper of each science and a geog, maths and an English language paper.
The school advised her not to even try and sit the exams that week (she couldn't have as was too ill but was so worried about not getting any results so we did ask). The school notified the exam boards and they looked at what she had got in the papers she had already sat and then looked at what similar candidates got in the papers she had missed and award her a similar mark. I think the school also applied for the illness uplift for the last few papers she insisted on sitting the following week (she was worried about people judging her for not trying).
In the end DD got a good set of results that she deserved after all the work she had done up until illness struck.
Interestingly despite having seen a Dr several times and being on medication we couldnt get a doctor's line as it is our healthboard's policy not to give these for exam absence. I offered to pay but they said no. I was worried about this but we were not asked to produce one and the exam boards (a mixture) must have all just relied on the schools submission.
OP I hope this helps reassure you but hopefully you won't need this route. It's a distant memory now but it was all very stressful at the time. Results day was nerve wracking but all OK in the end.

That would be for them to decide based on the evidence provided

I'm finding it hard to work out what consideration they'd apply to an acute episode of a long term illness - they mention IBS but AIUI a flare up of that would be days or weeks long and not interfere with consciousness like DS epilepsy. Migraine is closer but I have those myself and I would probably not go to an exam if I had a really bad one but if it came on during an exam I would probably push through as much as I could.
DS couldn't carry on - he'd either fall to the floor unconscious or would wander around the exam room repeating himself.

Worth getting checked for low blood sugars as a child mine would drop low and the only symptoms I had was nausea followed by a migraine if I didnt eat. I had a letter from the GP to have glucose tablets and drink in longer exams as this was a trigger. Also as a teen my migraines rarely caused headaches but the nausea was awful. It was only as I got older that the actual head pain came after the nausea.

All the information you need is here: https://www.jcq.org.uk/knowledge-hub/a-guide-to-the-special-consideration-process-2/#chapter-2

Illness at the time of the exam is 2%

To get 5% it would need to be a terminal illness.

Hi OP

Get EVERYTHING documented in full - consider a timelines and photograph/ get copies of everything. Dr note as absolute minimum.

DS smacked his head on a bench falling downstairs in the middle of his GCSEs and ended up with a concussion that lasted several weeks. I was terrified it wouldn't get better (it did, but slowly).

He needed special consideration for all exams after that and missed at least one IIRC.

Hope all goes well.

Actually I think this is bad advice as a general statement. Special consideration for being ill whilst taking the exam gives a small uplift of 2%-5%. So if student is definitely going to underperform because poorly then missing the whole exam may be preferable.
(Not an expert)

I don't think they 'just' double it. I think they look to see how people who did similar in the paper that was taken achieve in the missed paper. This allows for one paper being easier/harder than the other.

I am worried about this with DS who has epilepsy. If he has a tonic clonic in the morning he is likely to be very sleepy and out of it the morning of that day, we generally send him to school and he's fine later. If he has an atypical absence during or just before the exam though he can sometimes not understand anything spoken to him for an hour. He's likely to need assistance in the exam (he will be doing GCSE Maths and probably Foundation English, possibly Biology and some BTECs which are less problematic) including maybe a reader.

This happened to me.

I was genuinely just vomiting and vomiting. Yes doctors note, and the school ask for special consideration.

the exam board usually just work from your other papers in the same subject.

You can buy anti sickness tablets from the chemist