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?

[MummytoCSJH]

YANBU. Whether she had the ability or knowledge to ask or not, it's against the rules of the examining board as lots here have mentioned.

[GunpowderGelatine]

I'm confused as to how your DD got muddled with the times. If say the exam started at 1pm, she expected it to be finished by 3. But it started at 1.15, so finish by 3.15.

So at actual 3.15, one clock must have said 3 and one clock must have said 3.15 - I'd expect a 5yo to figure out the actual time from that, let alone a few 17/18yo!

[placemats]

No exam should start after 2pm, unless there is a delay in getting the paper to the centre or it has been already agreed between the exam board and the student in which case the student should have supervision and all forms of internet communication removed.

[Stiffasaboard]

But they always have a board that they write start and finish times on.

If they were there and she noticed two clocks showing different times- why didn’t she just ask which was correct and go from there?

Don’t hype her up over this OP just move to the next exam. 15 mins probably won’t make much difference- it should really be checking time anyway not scrabbling for the last question.

[Todaythiscouldbe]

So who confirmed that the clock had been changed?

Yes I would complain about the invigilator if rules have been broken but your daughter's reasons for not completing the question don't add up.

[placemats]

An invigilator is not allowed to tell the time to a student, or how many minutes/hours remain, other than to announce a five minute warning as the exam ends.

[coconuttelegraph]

The OP hasn't said but I'd say it's very possible that the students were in the exam hall by 2pm and the delay was something unavoidable, there are always going to unforeseen things that might delay the start a little

[spongedog]

This year we are being told that candidates should remove their own watches and place in a tray at the front or on the desk. So no checking own watches for the time.

[PuppyMonkey]

God this thread has left me totally am I the only one? Thank God I’m never likely to sit an exam again.

[Zakidoodles23]

You are absolutely reasonable to expect your daughter's exam to follow the regulations set to keep all exams fair. The only opinion that actually matters about whether she was disadvantaged or not is the awarding organisation's. The exams officer will definitely want to know about this incident so that they can prevent this happening again. I wish your daughter all the best in getting this resolved and with any further exams she has.

[itswinetime]

So was the clock changed so that the time on the clock matches the time on the board or was the board changed? or am I really old and there aren't boards anymore

[RoryGillmoresEvilTwin]

The time thing is also not correct for university...I have an exam this week at 9.15 am.

[coconuttelegraph]

People are making the time thing too complicated.

Finish time written on board (say) 3.30

The clock the DD is looking at is effectively 15 minutes slow so when she thinks it's 3.15 it's actually already 3.30 which is why she thought she had 15 minutes still left

[TheCanterburyWhales]

In the kindest possible way, is this the same dd in a panic over grades?
If so, then it sounds as if she's totally stressed out and every little thing is adding to that.
Re the clocks, we started late this morning but left the clocks at the real time and noted start time on the board.
If your daughter didn't lose any time because of her confusion then I'd leave it. If you take it further shell probably get even more stressed.

[Zakidoodles23]

University exams are not regulated under JCQ so they will be different.

[SarahAndQuack]

I'm surprised so many people think a student doing A Levels, who is distracted by a clock, must be stupid or making excuses. I doubt this is about someone with a disability, but off the top of my head I can think of several geniuses who would have found such an inconsistency very difficult to ignore. It's not something that has a lot to do with academic intelligence.

Aside from that, it's stupid and inconsiderate to make a change like that silently. Many students might have glanced at the clock before it was changed and then been disoriented later on. I think a complaint should be made.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

The thing is, it happened to every student in the room. So, unless there is a "class action" complaint, what would be achieved?
If a complaint were upheld, then all the students' work would be evaluated with the clock thing in mind.
If not every student had the dd's problem with the final question, then it's a hide into nowhere.

[SarahAndQuack]

But it didn't happen to every student sitting the exam in total, did it?

Surely it would be right for all students' work to be evaluated with this in mind?

I'm not very familiar with A Level complains procedures. Is there really such a thing as a 'class action' complaint?

[alevelkid223]

@sarahandquack

I have multiple disabilities - dyspraxia, autism, ADHD and dysgraphia. A clock being turned back isn't something to be put off by, I certainly wouldn't be and many others I know wouldn't be. I don't understand why this is raised as a big issue, it is a clock. I'd understand not having the full time, if the exam duration was slower, but it wasn't.

[KittyMcKitty]

Yes every student was potentially disadvantaged and there is an argument that the centre apply for special consideration for all students and then the awarding body decides.

I invigilated RS this morning. It was a 1hr 45 minute exam- some students stopped writing after 20 minutes and some were still writing up to the point I ended the exam, told them to close their papers and put their pens down. That is irrelevant however they are all entitled to have their exams conducted fairly and in accordance with the regulations.

[lljkk]

OP's Dd must have been able to see both clocks, hence her confusion, else why mention there were 2 clocks in the hall.

Is it possible the invigilator was unaware of the other clock that OP's Dd could see & be confused by?

OP posted that recently her DD is 18. Does MN now call 18 yr olds children. I hope her A-levels finish soon.

This thread makes my head hurt.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

But that's the point. If all the students were confused, then a complaint might be upheld as all of them have been disadvantaged. If only the OP's daughter was confused (and not even all of the ones near that particular clock) then where is the basis for complaint? How could she possibly prove it was the time thing that made her mess up? It would be hard to prove.
By class action, I mean an entire group of candidates could presumably launch a joint complaint, but I've not heard of one under these circumstances. Schools asking for remarking for whole groups due to issues in the actual papers, yes. But because a student got confused about the time? Can't see it.

Give her a hug Op and get her ready for the next one.

[TSSDNCOP]

It isn't a question of whether YOU would be put off. It is a question of EVERYONE sitting in the same conditions.

In this case EVERYONE didn't.

Presumably, more than one candidate was effected - maybe there just wasn't time after the exam to conduct a poll, but again that is beside the point otherwise the JCQ wouldn't have issued the rules.

[KittyMcKitty]

alevelkid223 with the greatest respect the fact that you don’t think you’d mind were you to be taking an exam and were you to find yourself in this situation is irrelevant. The bottom line is the exam was not conducted in line with the very clear rules.

[user1471525753]

I'm an exam officer. JCQ regulations as of this year state that all clocks should show the actual time. Also all clocks in the exam room should show the same time. You need to speak to the exam officer and ask for them to put in special consideration for all of the candidates in the hall/room. (This is what would happen if for example, the fire alarm sounds during an exam). If they refuse, you can complain that the exam board as this is malpractice on the part of the school. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring that exams are run according to the regulations lies with the head of centre. Wrist watches do need to be removed, it is up to the individual school whether they allow them to be placed on the student's exam desk or handed in.