Is this a loophole in private schools?

[namechangetoinvestigate]

Posting here for discussion.

I know a boy at a top private school in Edinburgh who currently has 25% extra time in written exams for slow handwriting. He's a normal academic achieving boy with no learning difficulties. The school has advised the parents that they are going to apply for extra time next year for all his exams, not just written exams.

It made me wonder, is it one of the reasons private schools are getting better results because normal academic achieving kids are getting awarded 25% extra time? That's a big advantage.

I know there's a lot of pressure for private schools to get the grades and wondering if this might be a loop hole they take advantage of, are private schools given privilege when applying for extra time in exams?

The child is in my extended family, so I know there's no other learning difficulties. This doesn't sit right with my conscience.

Even in a Private school the school has to apply to the board for extra time, and it comes with an Ed Psych diagnosis too.
The board decides, not the school.

My nephew had this. He was at a state school and his handwriting was appalling at speed.

I remember my aunt huffing about it - until she was firmly told that he would fail his exams without the extra time, no matter how much work and revision he put in.

This was 20-odd years ago, by the way. It's not a new thing at all.

There was an article in last Saturday's Times magazine by a tutor who cheated at exams. He was the scribe for the child, but would actually start typing before the child read his words rather than the child dictating to him.

This gives the info regarding extra time and how candidates are assessed with regards to qualifying for this. Can be for a variety of reasons.

www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/access-arrangements-and-reasonable-adjustments-booklet

It's not a loophole. In secondary a child can go through school on waiting lists never being seen. One of my dc state, went all through school was diagnosed at 17, after spending most of his school time in the corridor and gaining really low GCSE's. Another in Private diagnosed in first month of starting.
I saw both SENCO to raise our concerns, State can't do anything except waiting list, not their fault due to cuts etc.
Private gets it sorted as that is what parents are paying for.

It's nothing to do with knowing what to say, loopholes or anything else.

DS1 has awful handwriting and takes ages to write. He is very very intelligent but if he has to hand write his work is of a much poorer standard as it’s takes so much effort for him to write.
Over the years he has (on the advice of occupational therapist) had a writing slope, special pencil grips and also had touch typing lessons provided by school to help him use the laptop instead of writing.
He’s in year 7 now and his writing is better but I imagine when he gets to exams he will either be allowed extra time or a laptop.

In state schools I think many issues are missed or not followed up that quickly. Private schools are much more results focused as parents have high expectations that they are paying for. Staff seem more aware of individual progress and issues seem to be diagnosed and provisions then sorted out very quickly.

I know of a child with reading difficulties in a state school that has still not had any diagnosis by year 4 (but has been receiving additional help from the end of year 2). A child with milder reading difficulties in a private school received 1-2-1 help from year 1 and had a diagnosis that same year after their parents paid for an Ed Psych assessment.

No, never ever heard of this. If children have significant needs then of course, but otherwise no.

The Times piece by the cheating scribe suggests there is a lot amiss with the system.

And it would be naive to think there are not private ed psych’s who are willing to diagnose borderline issues for a fee.

There was a recent article in a newspaper about children in private schools getting a very experienced post grad to type up their exams for them due to alleged special needs and the post grad doing the typing was actually writing the essays and the student just reading out what had written. The invigilator just sat at the front and didn’t notice. Apparently it is a loophole now used by people to ensure their kids get good exam results

The child will be tested whether state or private. The parents just think perhaps it is no-one elses business.

Slow handwriting would not be a choice in exam conditions.
Slow handwriting is usually the result/symptom of processing issues, which falls under SEN/dyslexia and once diagnosed, would mean 25% extra time and use of a laptop.

My dd never wrote enough in exams at her state secondary, but teachers put it down to laziness and being a perfectionist.
She never failed any exams, but never seemed to do as well as anyone expected, considering how verbally eloquent she is.
Her GCSEs were a mix of 6's and 7's with an 8 & 9 thrown in.

Private 6th form assessment was not timed, which is the key factor.
She scored top marks. Because it didn't matter that her handwriting was slow. She just took longer to complete it.

On arrival at new private school 6th form, all students were assessed for dyslexia. My dd noticed that despite all her best efforts, her handwriting noticeably slower than other students.
The dyslexia assessment revealed that she is on the 99th percentile for verbal/non verbal/IQ, but 4th percentile for processing.

Now at the end of year 12 she has aced her end of year exams.
The 25% extra time is not an advantage for her. It's levelling the playing field and it's allowing her to fulfil her potential.

Private schools pick these kind of things up.
State schools usually only pick up on dyslexia if a child is failing and has obvious, serious issues, because they lack funding and resources.

I teach in a private prep. About 30% of our year 8 cohort had extra time for their CE exams this year. They all have an ed psych report to say they need it to achieve their potential.

They aren't necessarily the 30% you'd pick out without assessments. Some are at the top end academically. But they still have a SpLD that means they achieve even more with the right support. A child who isn't academic and doesn't have a barrier to learning won't use extra time effectively - it's just 25% longer to sit without knowing the answers.

I think the difference between private and state is that:

1. children with specific needs are both more likely to be spotted and assessed in private schools
2. children with these needs are more likely to be in private sector in the first place (why move a child who is already achieving their potential in state)
3. An ed psych report costs (I think) £500.

I didn't mean to come across as being 'mean spirited' I am happy for this child, my child is in private school too, so no chip on my shoulder for whoever suggested likewise. I genuinely wanted to open up a conversation about whether private schools are working the system to the benefit of their students. I know that all schools can apply for kids who need extra time. The article that was linked gave the figures I wondered about and clearly confirm what I was thinking.

www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/access-arrangements-and-reasonable-adjustments-booklet

Section 5.2.2
Clearly refers to speed of writing as a allowable reason.

It's open to everyone to apply for that.

(You should also note earlier in the document that mental health issues are permissible for requiring additional time - this child may well have other things going on that are not being discussed with family members and the writing is used as a public reason)

Private schools make four times the number of requests for special consideration despite having far fewer pupils.

Private schools aren't working the system.
State school are often failing SEN students, due to lack of funding and resources.
Children of high IQ are often misunderstood and undiagnosed, due to an ignorance that dyslexia is present at all levels of intelligence.

I know I am old, but when I was at school not one child in my year had extra time in exams. Its sad to think some of them would have got better marks if they were sitting exams now.

My child's slow handwriting is not caused by Dyslexia hence no extra time given. His handwriting is illegible unless he goes really slowly. He has significant motor issues and hyper mobile joints. The teachers couldn't tell which way up his paper was most of the time. Wen's all the way through school being told his work was messy and his handwriting careless but is very bright so it was never pursued. I mentioned dyspraxia a few times and was told by school he definitely didn't have that. On my insistance and backed up by a couple of very good teachers, he was assessed eventually to use laptop for exams.

We went to GP as he would need continued support with this at Uni and he has now been diagnosed with DCD (Dyspraxia). He is apparently on the 5th centile for some of his motor issues.

This is all masked and not picked up because he is bright. Managed to be in top 2 or 3 DC in primary but due to Scottish ed system, we had no idea he was not performing at the same level in high school until his first exams at 15/16!

• due to an ignorance that dyslexia is NOT present as all levels of intelligence.

Arethereany - my child didn't get extra time in the 11+ because there isn't much writing involved. Now he's at grammar does, he does in his yearly exams and will in his GCSEs/A levels.

He gets 25% extra time not because he's thick and wouldn't pass his exams otherwise but because he's autistic.

He may have a physical problem with his hands - sometimes if fingers are hyper flexible I believe (sorry not sure what it is actually called) It affects handwriting and those who suffer from this can be given extra time.

Plenty of children in state school get extra time so I would not think it was just private school children who get help.

tempester - yes, my DS has hypermobile wrists and fingers ( and elbows and ankles) - they bend unnaturally - this means in order to write he has to put a lot of effort into trying to keep his wrist and fingers stiff, making him get very tired very quickly. he types at a sufficient speed to cope with exams but I guess if he didn't then he might get extra time.

He may have dyspraxia which would affect his handwriting