to want to complain about this exam invigilationr?

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

One of my children was in an A level exam today.

They started 15 minutes late.

Without announcing it, the invigilator turned the clock back at the front of the hall to the time it should have started. So turned it back from 2.15 to 2.00pm.

She did this without announcing it, I'll just say that again.

However, there was another clock in the hall telling the correct time.

My child was completely distracted by the question of what was the correct time and when would the exam actually end throughout the exam.

In the event, it ended 15 minutes before she was expecting and she missed out on answering her final question properly.

AIBU to be livid?

[TheFallenMadonna]

Exactly!

[scubadive]

My post crossed with the fallen Madonna!

[TheFallenMadonna]

My exactly was to scubadive and not to the somewhat harsh next post! V glad my DS was given a pen today! Not being able to complete his history A level would be in neither his nor the school's best interests.

He laughed at me when I told him to remember to take everything. Then he left it in his bloody bag!!

[thegreylady]

In all my years as invigilator pupils were always allowed to ask to go to the loo and it was allowed as long as there was a teacher of the same sex to act as escort and wait outside the cubicle having checked inside it first.

[thegreylady]

For teacher read invigilator.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

Yes, they can go to the toilet. As others have said, they are accompanied, but they can go.

Have you complained OP? Because action does need to be taken quickly in these cases.

[00100001]

"No, students cannot ask to go to the loo."


Yes they can.


Fucking hell. Why do you think they can't ask to go to the loo??

[MoonstoneMagic]

So if a girl starts her period or someone has diorreah what happens in your school? When I was invigilating pupils were accompanied by a same sex member of staff.

[Bluntness100]

Op, this makes no logical sense.

If she went on the back clock she would have thought it was finishing fifteen mins earlier than it was, so would have completed to meet that time.

If she went on the front clock she'd have completed to that time and also been ok.

At no stage did she think she had an extra fifteen mins past the actual, ending of the exam, worst case she thought it would finish fifteen mins before that, so there is no justification for not competing on time. Because she'd need to have thought she still had another fifteen mins. She couldn't have thought this.

[ferrier]

@Bluntness100 Maybe just read some of the last few posts. Since I posted at 19:18 yesterday there have been at least three posts explaining again how the dd can have lost 15 minutes.

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

Bluntness - Scubadive's post a few before yours describes the scenario exactly.

I think this confusion over the clocks and time on this thread illustrate pretty neatly how the uncertainty arose in my daughter.

[mumsneedwine]

Hi OP. People can be so mean on here these days. You should contact your schools exams officer and ask for a report to be done for the exam board explaining that clocks showed different times. It will probably make no difference to your DD but might just possibly give everyone in the hall a few extra marks. I wouldn't expect it but worth a try. Everyone relies on the time ! And invigilators are not allowed to give warnings of time left anymore.
And a point for those who have not sat exams for a while. Watches are not allowed - too difficult to police which watch has internet access so it's a blanket no.
Hope DD is OK for the next one. I always tell kids (my own too), it's done now so put it in a box and move on.

[coconuttelegraph]

No, students cannot ask to go to the loo

Please tell me you aren't in the UK Katzia of course students can go to the loo in exams, you don't seriously make them sit and squirm for possibly 2 hours do you? Please tell us where this school is so we can avoid it. There's strict and there's stupid.

[cheeseandpineapple]

Have you had a chance to follow up on this yet OP?

It’s a stressful enough time for students without unnecessary confusion during the exam. Having inconsistent clocks in the exam hall is a recipe for disaster. Given the feedback of some invigilators on this thread, it sounds like there’s been a breach of rules which is not surprising.

You’re not unreasonable to be unhappy over what happened and the invigilator needs to be picked up on this in case he/she is doing this on a regular basis.

Hope your daughter’s able to focus on her other exams and not let this experience shake her stride. How’s she doing?

[Rufusthebewilderedreindeer]

I'm in a very strict school

Yes you are!

Our children can go to the loo and we do give out basic equipment

(ONLY year 11...in the hope that they will be used to bringing the correct equipment in)

[Rufusthebewilderedreindeer]

Oops sorry reread the relevant post

We have got loads of pens

Running out has not really been an issue except for a mock a few years ago where invigilators were taking the calculators from some children to give to others

We dont do that anymore

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

@cheeseandpineapple - thank you for asking. I am going to formally follow up on this today but I don't really know where to start. Daughter came out of the exam convinced that they'd been short changed by 15 minutes. She was brave enough to raise this with the invigilator then - and that's when she was told the clock had been turned back. Other students weren't affected but the point is she was and I'm going to complain. So thank you Mumsnet for helping me make up my mind!

But now ... where to start? Who should I write to initially?

[Piggywaspushed]

Don't delay by writing : phone and ask to speak to exams officer and back this up by requesting their email address and emailing them. Others may also have complained : you really can't know that.

Don't delay!

[Piggywaspushed]

Also, can I just add : keep it simple! I understood your OP but some didn't. You need to state that regulations were not adhered to because tow clocks showed different times, with one showing the incorrect actual time and that you are aware this contravenes regulations. Feel free to say this confused your DC but don't start adding too much stuff about 15 mins etc.

[diddl]

" because tow clocks showed different times, "

Isn't that all you need to say?

I remember taking exams years ago & if in the hall with 2 clocks the one at the back was covered.

Not rocket science, is it?

[TheCanterburyWhales]

You MUST put it in writing, of course.

Ring the school first and ask (school office/internal head of exams) who exactly you need to approach. Possibly the school will do it for you- but I think that would depend on how many students are coming forward with this issue. They will know who you need to contact though.

I just asked in our school office and they said if that happened at our school, they would ask the student/parent to put their grievance in writing and would forward it on via PEC, but time is very much of the essence- they pointed out that for language listening exams for example, grievances about audio quality etc need to be raised on the actual day or are not considered- not your situation obviously, but as an example. They (my office) said also that if more students came forward having at least noted the same thing, and not just one, then a grievance would more likely be upheld.

[cheeseandpineapple]

Reposting these links for ease of reference which pp posted.

www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-office/ice---instructions-for-conducting-examinations/instructions-for-conducting-examinations-2018-2019

Page 18 section 11.7 covers the clock point that it must show actual time exam starts and there shouldn’t be clocks with different times in the room.

Page 41 covers malpractice and what to do, first step would be notify head of centre which presumably is school in your case and ask them to confirm that they will follow up on this.

Have you raised it with the school already?

[Ferrisbuellersdayoff]

You have two breaches of the rules to report:

1. Changing the clock (this is the big one, as it caused your child to think she had 15 minutes longer, having missed the change).
2. Clocks showing separate times.

[Ferrisbuellersdayoff]

Mumsneedwine

Watches are permitted by the exam boards (except smart watches or ones with storage) if they are removed and placed on the desk, but may be blanket banned by individual heads of centre.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

Yes, re watches. We have a blanket ban, smart or otherwise. Kids are too smart (excuse the pun) and we have had instances in mocks of one watch being handed in and one being smuggled in in pocket.