Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

GCSE extra time, illness.

15 replies

Paletteofcolour · 20/04/2021 11:18

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of requesting extra time in GCSE exams. My daughter has ME and her consultant has given us a written report which asks for extra exam time. Her school has said she doesn't meet the criteria. I've read the handbook for her exam board (Cambridge) and it doesn't list specific illnesses, so I'm not sure where to go now.

OP posts:
HeddaGarbled · 20/04/2021 11:24

It’s not so much about specific conditions as the impact they have on the individuals. The regulations are very strict on making sure that no one is given an unfair advantage so the school needs to prove that she works more slowly as a result of her illness in order to apply for extra time. This would be through “normal way of working” evidence and/or timed testing.

Does she work more slowly than her peers? Would rest breaks be more appropriate?

TheDrsDocMartens · 20/04/2021 11:26

JCQ is the place to look but rest breaks may be more appropriate

Original poster
Paletteofcolour · 20/04/2021 11:38

Thank you for the reply @HeddaGarbled. She has been offered rest breaks, but feels that would make things worse as she struggles to concentrate and that would break her concentration altogether.

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Secondary education
HeddaGarbled · 20/04/2021 12:25

Ah, sounds like the school have considered her needs. You could ask them how the rest breaks would work. It may be that they will be ‘on request’ so that she can crack on when she’s on a roll but stop between sections of the paper, for example.

The problem is that if she doesn’t have significantly slower reading, writing or processing than her peers, she actually gains an advantage over them if she’s given more time to write her answers.

LIZS · 20/04/2021 12:33

She can choose when to take rest breaks, so between questions rather than mid flow.

paralysedbyinertia · 20/04/2021 12:37

My friend's dd with ME was given extra time. However, she also has quite complex mental health issues (partly but not exclusively linked to the ME), so I'm not sure exactly what swung the decision in her case.

Can you ask the school to send you a list of the criteria so that you are clear on exactly which ones she doesn't meet? It might be that she does meet them and you just need to provide additional evidence of this?

TeenMinusTests · 20/04/2021 12:38

Why does the consultant think extra time is needed? Has he put his reasoning in the report? Remember he isn't going to be an expert in access arrangements.

Both mine get extra time (processing) but I agree with others upthread, it sounds like rest breaks could be more appropriate for ME.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 20/04/2021 12:59

The problem is that consultants can write that a person needs this, that or the other, but they cannot authorise it. It’s unfortunate, because it sets up an expectation, but strict criteria have to be met and it sounds as though rest breaks would be the most appropriate access arrangement.

Original poster
Paletteofcolour · 20/04/2021 22:23

Thank you for taking the time to reply.
DD does have a few mental health issues too, which have been exacerbated by the school's (not great) handling of the assessments now needed in place of the exams.
The consultant asked for extra time because she is currently so exhausted that it takes her far longer to process anything, she is also panicking during the tests.

I have since discussed the rest break option, it may help and DD is going to give it a go. I just worry a bit that it might hinder. I accept that they don't want to give any child an unfair advantage and when she is well she is academically very able, but at the same time she is not well atm and is really at a disadvantage.

OP posts:
nicky2512 · 20/04/2021 22:32

My Dd got extra time at GCSE and A level for ME.
We had no issues at all. Though she did have extra time the whole way through school for end of year exams etc which may have helped.

HeddaGarbled · 20/04/2021 23:01

My Dd got extra time at GCSE and A level for ME.
We had no issues at all. Though she did have extra time the whole way through school for end of year exams etc which may have helped

Yes, the school would be able to use that as evidence of her “normal way of working”. It’s a problem when the difficulty is recent or sporadic, as in the OP’s daughter’s situation and a shame that JCQ won’t accept a medical report on its own.

OP, if she goes for the rest breaks, she’ll be in a smaller room rather than the main hall, perhaps on her own, perhaps with a few others having special arrangements, so that might help with the panicking.

Ultimately, if it all goes horribly wrong, she will have opportunities to try again in the future, and her illness will be taken seriously when she explains to future educational institutions why she needed to retake.

I’ve worked with many many young people whose disabilities delayed their educational progress but didn’t prevent it.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 20/04/2021 23:05

Is your Dd in year 11 now and is this a new recommendation by the medical professional because access arrangements are supposed to be the students normal way of working and children are normally accessed in year 9 or 10.

Original poster
Paletteofcolour · 21/04/2021 05:27

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime

Yes, she's in yr11, she only got her diagnosis late last year. But she had arrangements in place due to her anxiety for most of yr10 (exams/tests in a separate room with a teacher), this had been organised by her form tutor, who left part way through year 11. We were then told there was nothing official in place and the school couldn't support it, so she couldn't have the separate room anymore. The current assessments are in classrooms, she will have to have them with everyone else, despite the rest break.

We were told about the "normal way of working" and the SENCO said they would use that as justification, but then they backtracked. It is also complicated by the fact that she was OK without the separate room for some key exams late last year, but she coped horribly with her mocks this year.

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 21/04/2021 06:38

It's really difficult, I feel for you.

I know this seems crazy, but would there be any mileage in
either

  • reducing timetable now and e.g. only going in for assessments
and/or
  • agreeing to abandon some subjects altogether

(My y11 is down to 4 subjects only, having had a MH breakdown and not accessed school since lockdown. Sitting some assessments at home now finally on some working meds.)

Einszwei · 21/04/2021 06:49

Even though it was a while ago now, I had extra time at school and university for ME. Luckily for me the deputy head was diagnosed around the same time as me, so really understood my needs.

Maybe you could contact the ME association? They might be able to give you specific advice in regards to dealing with the school? Now she has a diagnosis she is classified as disabled, so reasonable adjustments need to be made under the 2010 equality act.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page