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Original poster

** Potential GCSE and A level exam paper printing problems **

29 replies

LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 09:27

Hello all,

I've posted in Chat as I assume more people will get to see this post and I think it's very important.

It's come to my attention that some - maybe all, who knows but definitely my child's GCSE papers have been printed in black and white instead of colour.

My child has their exam papers printed on colour paper because they have dyslexia and they also take their exams in a separate room. This isn't a new thing in education and there are a number of students at our local school who have the same set up.

After taking the English GCSE last week my child remarked to their friends that the exam would have been easier if the photograph for the big mark, creative writing question had been in colour rather than black and white. Turns out that the standard printed papers were all in colour and the papers printed on coloured paper were in black and white.

Obviously the school have been informed and the exam board (AQA) contacted about this now, but if our child had not made this comment to friends we would still be unaware this had happened.

In a paper like English this sort of error is bad enough but imagine if it was maths with colour coded graphs or geography with maps.

I would like to stress that this is not the schools error, but the examining board who sent out black and white test papers.

I just wanted to alert any parents out there who also may have a dyslexic child taking exams to this potential issue - or any teachers who may not be aware of this potential issue.

OP posts:
Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 10:53

I'm bumping this because no one has replied which has surprised me as I would have thought there would be at least one other parent on MN with a child who uses coloured paper which makes me think I've posted in the wrong place........anyone?

OP posts:
Ottercave · 23/05/2022 10:55

Might be an idea to post in the SEN board.

Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 10:56

Ottercave · 23/05/2022 10:55

Might be an idea to post in the SEN board.

Thanks, I'll do that.

OP posts:

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Seeline · 23/05/2022 10:58

Which exam board was this?

treenu · 23/05/2022 10:58

I don't know any other papers that contain colour printed elements.

Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 11:01

@Seeline AQA for the English paper last week, but it could affect others as far as I know.

@treenu I'm sorry I don't understand what you're saying. Any exam paper can contain colour printed elements as such as photos, graphs, highlighted sections of a diagram, maps etc

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 23/05/2022 11:12

Has the school applied for special consideration as this could have disadvantaged them?

Hopefully if AQA are now aware they’ll be able to courier out correctly printed papers for upcoming exams so they shouldn’t be affected.

sashh · 23/05/2022 11:13

Shouldn't your child get both papers? The one on coloured paper and the one on white?

Colour pictures don't print well on coloured paper so I would have thought it was sensible to provide the original paper or provide a separate colour picture.

AReallyUsefulEngine · 23/05/2022 11:14

I thought copying papers onto coloured paper was the centre’s responsibility, rather than the exam board sending the papers already printed on coloured paper. See 6.5 of JCQ’s access arrangement guidance.

LIZS · 23/05/2022 11:15

I was also wondering whether the picture should be issued in colour in addition to the black and white version. Have you checked with the school exams officer? Presumably this is not new this year.

Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 11:17

@noblegiraffe yes, the school has been wonderful and informed the exam board but were unaware until it was discovered accidentally by our child. I started this thread to make other parents that this could be an issue for their children too.

@sashh No, both papers are not given out not as standard, although the school is doing that now.

OP posts:
Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 11:18

AReallyUsefulEngine · 23/05/2022 11:14

I thought copying papers onto coloured paper was the centre’s responsibility, rather than the exam board sending the papers already printed on coloured paper. See 6.5 of JCQ’s access arrangement guidance.

We've been told the coloured versions come from the exam board directly.

OP posts:
Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 11:20

LIZS · 23/05/2022 11:15

I was also wondering whether the picture should be issued in colour in addition to the black and white version. Have you checked with the school exams officer? Presumably this is not new this year.

I think the school assumed the pictures would be in colour on all copies. The school is checking each paper now thought and making sure everyone has the correct colour versions :)

OP posts:
TheGoodEnoughWife · 23/05/2022 11:24

I have worked as an invigilator in a secondary school and the papers were photocopied on the morning of the exam in the school. Also every pupil receiving a coloured paper also had a standard white paper too.
Not sure if the school are quite correct on what they are saying.

TheGoodEnoughWife · 23/05/2022 11:25

*photocopied on to each colour paper

DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat · 23/05/2022 11:25

I’ll copy this here.m as I answered on your other thread in SEN….

I would like to stress that this is not the schools error, but the examining board who sent out black and white test papers

As far as I know the exam boards don’t send out coloured test papers. The school requests the PDF and prints on the relevant colour paper for the students access arrangements. So if the school did that then surely they should have flagged that the diagrams pictures etc were printing in black and white and contacted the exam board before the students sat the exam?

I see you state on this thread that you’ve been told the exam board so send out the coloured paper - who told you that? I am surprised by that as there are so many different options tbh.

DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat · 23/05/2022 11:30

Also, as the colour of the paper is part of each students access arrangements I’d say it was incumbent on the school to have ensured everything was in place for each student prior to the exam. I’m not sure that the school are completely unaccountable.

AReallyUsefulEngine · 23/05/2022 11:30

Who told you that because it isn’t correct? As per the JCQ guidance, downloading and printing or copying on to coloured paper is done at the exam centre prior to the exam.

Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 11:32

Thank you for all your replies, I really appreciate people taking the time :)

I'm just going on what the school have told me re: the coloured paper supply in good faith.

The important thing I want to stress (and why I started this thread) isn't that I'm pointing the finger of blame at anyone, but to make other parents aware that this issue may be a cause for concern for their children taking exams as well and it may be worth checking.

OP posts:
DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat · 23/05/2022 11:33

If the school mean that the PDF was incorrect and it printed diagrams and pictures in black and white then, again, that should have been noted and flagged by them at the time.

Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 11:34

That should say 'NOT' pointing the finger of blame at anyone !!!

OP posts:
TheGoodEnoughWife · 23/05/2022 11:34

It is important that your child (anyones child) knows what special arrangements they have in place and that these are followed.

I think the school have more to answer in this case though. Even just with the white paper as well situation.

DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat · 23/05/2022 11:43

LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 11:34

That should say 'NOT' pointing the finger of blame at anyone !!!

i understand OP, but you started the thread as a heads up for other parents as you have been told this is the exam boards error. Other posters here do not think that to be the case. Someone is responsible (you don’t have to use the word ‘blame’) and your dc has been disadvantaged by threat error. IF it is the schools error they need to be informed and to understand their error so that other students at your dcs school are not similarly disadvantaged in the coming days/weeks.

Original poster
LittleBlackLamb · 23/05/2022 11:47

@DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat
I can confirm that the school and the exam board have been informed and acted on that information :)

OP posts:
maddy68 · 23/05/2022 11:52

It's not a printing issue. The exam board should lnwl howany Sen papers to send speak to the Senco. He might not have that entitlement for his GCSEs and only for internal use