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]

I would definitely contact the exams officer. All the clocks should say the same thing and we have never changed the time on the clock either.

[Bluetrews25]

When I did exams, they wrote on a board the time the exam started, and the time it was due to finish. Does this not happen now?
I also wore a watch and planned accordingly. Are watches not allowed now?

[Joopy]

The clock should not have been turned back, I had invigilator training a month ago and they were very clear (though different boards might have different rules). I would call the school ask to talk to the exams officer.

[Nonnymum]

Seems an odd thing for the invigilator to do. I invigilate and exams in schools often start late but we don't change the clock. Instead we always display at the front the actual time the exam starts and when it is due to end.

[NailsNeedDoing]

People taking A levels really aren't children, nor should they be completely distracted throughout a 2 hour exam for something like this. Why didn't your 'child' ask?

[GrannyWeatherwaxsHatpin]

I’ve worked as an exam invigilator and while we always started exams on time so had to need to either change the start time
(eg 2.03 instead of 2pm) or change the clocks to show the correct time, I have had situations where there was a clock in the room that was incorrect. Once it was brought to our attention we took it down and told student to go by the clock at the front of the room.

If a student was unsure I’d expect them to ask.

[TheFallenMadonna]

You are allowed a watch, removed and placed on the desk.

[callmeadoctor]

Invigilator here, definitely breach of rules. If you are sure that your DC is telling the truth (no reason that she would make up something so spurious) then yes I would complain as the invigilator needs more training. I couldn't say that there would be a change to her mark though, sorry.

[CherieBabySpliffUp]

No you aren't TheFallenMadonna where I am. Where are you that they allow that?

[callmeadoctor]

Rules now state that invigilators are not allowed to tell students how much time they have left though (just to confuse the issue)

[callmeadoctor]

Cherei, the watch rule is allowed at my school (watch taken off and put on desk)

[ScreamingValenta]

Wouldn't someone of the age and intelligence to be sitting A-Levels either

• ask
  

or if too timid to do this

• work to the earlier time to be on the safe side?

[NeatFreakMama]

YABU I'd expect her to ask if she was confused between the two and she shouldn't have been distracted for the whole two hours about it.

[Piggywaspushed]

They ARE children , and they are under stress (such a MN view to minimise their stress and expect them to have adult capabilities : and - let's be honest- many adults would get thrown by this). I feel for the student concerned. There is enough to worry about without a time suddenly changing.

I'd moreover be interested to know why an exam started 15 minutes late. That's a considerable delay.

[Acis]

So, if this was a 3 hour exam, does that mean that they only had 2 hours 45 minutes, or 3 hours? If the former, you would have very good cause to complain. If the latter, really your daughter can't reasonably have thought she was going to get 3 hours 15 minutes.

[TheFallenMadonna]

England.

[Zakidoodles23]

I'm an exams officer and I highly recommend you contact the exams officer and ask for special considerations to be applied for. The awarding body will then decide what/if any compensated marks are appropriate. The invigilator did not follow the current regulations and the students shouldn't be disadvantaged. The exam officer will want to know so this is not repeated when the JCQ inspector attends!

[CastleCrasher]

If she saw the invigilator change the clock, then surely she knew what had happened and therefore, what time the exam would end?

[TheFallenMadonna]

My 17yo, also taking an A level paper today would have found this confusing.

That's why the JCQ has rules about it!

[letsgohooray]

So was the exam time 15 mins short or was it the full time? If it was the full time, YABU

[ScreamingValenta]

They ARE children , and they are under stress (such a MN view to minimise their stress and expect them to have adult capabilities

If they're sitting A-Levels, they must be 16, 17 or 18. Do young people of that age not have adult capabilities nowadays? Do people think of them as 'children'?

[KittyMcKitty]

You must show the actual time and record the actual start time - here’s the excerpt from JCQ. I would speak to your exam office. What time was recorded on board and did they specify which clock they were timing from if they said different times?

[IvanaPee]

Ok, it shouldn’t have happened but it’s ridiculous to be so distracted that you miss a question.

Sounds like poor time management and an excuse to me!

[KittyMcKitty]

So was the exam time 15 mins short or was it the full time? If it was the full time, YABU

Actually the OP is definitely not BU as this was a very clear breach of several JCQ regulations and would be malpractice.

[slipperywhensparticus]

She knew how long the exam was though? And saw which clock was changed? So where was the confusion?

Sounds like she is stressed