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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to complain about this exam invigilationr?

316 replies

bibbitybobbityyhat · 20/05/2019 17:21

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
coconuttelegraph · 21/05/2019 07:36

Every student has to read the JCQ booklet prior to taking these exams

I'm as sure as I can be that that is just not true, I have DC who have taken public exams at 2 different schools and have asked them, their incredulous looks said it all.

Where does that information come from?

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 21/05/2019 07:43

Every student has to read the JCQ booklet prior to taking these exams

Never heard of this

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 21/05/2019 07:47

ufus you are wrong, it was common practice when I was invigilating

Commen practice suggests that it was in all schools and colleges

And not just yours

It was not common practice in any of the 7 local schools i worked in or that any of my colleagues worked in

I wouldn’t bet my childrens life on it but i don’t remember reading that in the exams booklet...might have been there, i didnt memorise it Smile

What is ‘common practice’ in your individual school is not the case for the rest of the country

KittyMcKitty · 21/05/2019 07:50

Candidates should be given the attached prior to exams and it is also one of the compulsory documents to be displayed outside the room.

But are they required to read the booklet entitled “Instructions for conducting examinations 1 September 2018 to 31 August 2019. For the attention of heads of centre, senior leaders within schools and colleges and examination officers”? Of course not!

to want to complain about this exam invigilationr?
Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 21/05/2019 07:50

And to be fair to both of us moon our previous experiences dont matter

What does matter is that as of this year invidgilators are not allowed to amend the clock

Doesn't matter what happened last year...its changed this year

But obviously the OPs school haven’t updated anything

nwybhs · 21/05/2019 07:56

No, she didn't see any clock being changed. That's the whole fucking* point of this thread.

she didn't know the clock at the front of the hall had been turned back UNTIL AFTER THE EXAM HAD FINISHED. if she had known, she wouldn't have had an issue. Do you see? or does it need to be explained in words of one syllable with illustrations?*

OP you are really really rude. I read your OP to mean that your DD saw the clock being turned, and there was no mention of her only finding out after the exam. I actually came on to support you and offer advice but your attitude towards posters who went on what you said, rather than what you didn't say. Is stinking.

Original poster
bibbitybobbityyhat · 21/05/2019 08:15

It is frustrating when you've put the relevant information very clearly in the op and people either ignore it or don't bother reading it! But I do apologise for being prickly and I have been given some very useful information on this thread ... so thanks all. Those of you who've kindly pmd me ... I will get back to you after work today, thanks for taking the trouble.

OP posts:
Itscoldouthere · 21/05/2019 08:18

This thread is very interesting, I’m surprised that so many people are arguing about the clock/time or how an 18 year old should be more able to managed in an exam.
As a parent of a DC about to sit A levels, I have to say it’s stressful, on so many levels, maybe some of the more unsympathetic posters haven’t been through this yet or have forgotten?
As a parent I would expect all rules about exams to be followed without exception, so all students are in the same position.
Following this thread I’m now going to check with school re the watch rule as this is not something that has been mentioned to my DC.
OP I would definitely take it up with school. Good luck to your DD for the rest of her exams.

thegreylady · 21/05/2019 08:20

I was an invigilator up until last year. We always wrote the correct Start and Finish times on the board even if it meant Start..11.04 and Finish 1.04. The times were those on the clocks in the room and we did give a five minute warning.
The new rule about watches is because so many pupils now have ‘smart’ watches which allow internet access. It would be too time consuming to check every watch so, like mobile phones, watches are collected at the beginning of the examination.
No one should have altered the clock and you have grounds f complaint.

caughtinanet · 21/05/2019 11:51

Like others I didn't realise that when you said the invigilator didn't announce that the clock had changed you actually meant you DD didn't see her change the clock.

It's a fair assumption from what you'd written that students saw it being done but there wasn't an official proclamation, it's understandable imo that posters are confused.

Todaythiscouldbe · 21/05/2019 11:54

The information in the OP was absolutely NOT clear, perhaps you should reread it.
Anyway, you've been told it's against the rules and to complain. I invigilate for exams at three different schools and wonder why your daughter didn't ask a simple question during the exam that could have alleviated all of her stress caused by the two clocks.

Gatehouse77 · 21/05/2019 12:08

wonder why your daughter didn't ask a simple question during the exam that could have alleviated all of her stress caused by the two clocks.

Because it isn't on the students to do that - they should expect the correct environment to be provided by the invigilators.

Having done invigilating for the past 4 years and training new invigilators the rules are quite clear.

You do not change the clock.
Students have to have seen and read the warning, not read the booklet.
Watches have to be removed and placed on desks (new rule as of this year).

And I do think your OP was clear.

Mumofone1593 · 21/05/2019 12:11

I think at 18+ your daughter should be able to put her hand up and ask what time to follow.

KittyMcKitty · 21/05/2019 12:15

I think at 18+ your daughter should be able to put her hand up and ask what time to follow.

I would think the adult invigilating the room would have been able to follow the very clear rules correctly!

Essentially all those saying the OP dd should have put her hand up etc etc are victim blaming- she is not at fault. She had a reasonable expectation that her exam would be run correctly.

Gatehouse77 · 21/05/2019 12:16

Essentially all those saying the OP dd should have put her hand up etc etc are victim blaming- she is not at fault. She had a reasonable expectation that her exam would be run correctly.

Absolutely. With bells on.

Original poster
bibbitybobbityyhat · 21/05/2019 12:19

caughtinanet - it doesn't really matter if other students saw the clock being changed ... my daughter didn't. I'm not sure what your point is.

She didn't see the clock being changed. The invigilator didn't tell the hall she was changing the clock. The changed clock was 15 minutes behind the other clock in the hall. Can you not see how that could be a problem?

OP posts:
caughtinanet · 21/05/2019 12:32

How is it victim blaming to say that someone who isn't sure about something should query it? It's a perfectly reasonable thing to ask

I'd hope my DC wouldn't sit and spoil an exam when a 2 second question would have resolved the situation there and then. And to be sure it doesn't happen I will be reminding my A level DC of this tonight.

caughtinanet · 21/05/2019 12:39

OP - I didn't say it wasn't a problem, I was saying that to me and it seems others your original post wasn't clear.

You know what happened, we don't and it's obvious from the replies you've had that people are confused. No need for you to accept that of course.

Original poster
bibbitybobbityyhat · 21/05/2019 13:01

Can anyone just tell me as I'm not sure of the rules.

Is it ok for a student to raise their hand and ask a question after the exam has started?

I tried my absolute best to make my op clear! But if she had seen the clock being turned back, she wouldn't have had a problem and I wouldn't have ever started this thread.

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 21/05/2019 13:17

Yes, you can ask a question once the exam has started. I have no idea why some posters got themselves in such a knot over the details. Seemed clear to me! I hope she is keeping it all together, despite the last few days.

echt · 21/05/2019 13:43

The invigilators are absolutely at fault, not the candidate. The invigilators are there to administer the exam board's rules and if they stuff up, it's down to them.

Sometimes candidates spot an anomaly/problem and raise it, sometimes they don't, but in no case are they responsible.

All of this makes me wonder if this is why in Victoria, Australia, teachers aren't allowed inside or even near public exam rooms when an exam is running, only board-trained invigilators. I'm not saying teachers are crap at this, by the way.

KittyMcKitty · 21/05/2019 13:56

echt teachers aren’t allowed in the exam room.

echt · 21/05/2019 14:07

I mentioned it because when I last taught in the UK, teachers invigilated public exams.

Chloemol · 21/05/2019 14:10

If your child is doing a levels I would expect her to be intelligent enough to work out the time correctly by looking at only one clock

Deadposhtory · 21/05/2019 14:10

Just happened to my dd too and no I'm not complaining 😂. It's just life. Get a grip