To be worried about this exam mistake

Daisypod · 2022-06-23T14:46:22+00:00

Today my son was sitting his final GCSE, the physics paper. He is doing triple science higher (the one with a double award) but he got given the single science higher paper. He has come home in high spirits as he's finished and him and his friends have been celebrating, he said the teacher said he could either stay behind and complete the correct paper straight away or hand that in and they will use it and add a consideration to it (?) Does anyone know whether this is correct? He seems to think it's fine (he said the exam went well) but I'm freaking out! AIBU to be worried about this?

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 23/06/2022 15:47

If he's not worried about it, I wouldn't worry about it either.

I'm sure the teacher would have advised him to stay and sit the correct paper if was going to make that much difference.

ClarissaD · 23/06/2022 15:48

So he sat a harder paper but it went well and he’ll get special consideration? Sounds ok to me and probably better than staying behind to sit the correct paper.

DollyPlastic · 23/06/2022 15:58

If they've fucked up they'll have to apply for special consideration or take the previous exams won't they? I would t be happy either

Dixiechickonhols · 23/06/2022 15:59

Email the exams officer at school today.

DistrictCommissioner · 23/06/2022 16:00

contact the examinations officer.

Original poster

Daisypod · 23/06/2022 16:01

The trouble was his first physics exam did not go well so I was worried they would base his mark from that. I have managed to get through to the school and they say they have spoken to the exam board and it will be marked with special consideration so my son was right. He has adhd and can sometimes not recall info acutely when it's given in a hurry.
So relieved it will be marked but rather annoyed at the school as not only did they make the mistake they made no attempt to contact me to explain!

OP posts:

poetryandwine · 23/06/2022 16:06

Being given the wrong paper is recognised by the JCQ as a reason for special consideration, as it jolly well should be. The Exams Officer simply needs to flag that this is what happened. But do you even know who that is? I would either be emailing the EO with a cc to the Head of Year (if I could contact the EO directly) or simply emailing the HoY requesting that the EO make sure to flag this.

They would almost surely flag it anyway , but it can’t hurt for them to know that you are aware of the situation.

poetryandwine · 23/06/2022 16:09

Cross post, apologies. Good for you and I really hope it goes well for your DS.

stoptheride · 23/06/2022 16:10

Complete school F*uck up!! Make sure the head knows and have it in writing.

Chanel05 · 23/06/2022 16:12

Email the school stating that Mrs. X said that he would be given special consideration due to the errors and would appreciate that they confirm this in writing. Do this today and follow up tomorrow afternoon, straight after lunch with a phone call.

99victoria · 23/06/2022 16:54

How come he didn't notice he had the wrong paper? It states very clearly on the front of the exam paper if it's a Trilogy paper and presumably he's already done 5 of them so should recognise it.

We always do an announcement in the exam hall to ask the students to check that they have the paper they were expecting to sit, before we start the exam. With Trilogy Higher and Foundation papers and the single science papers all being sat at the same time, occasionally mistakes can be made.

How did he come to realise that he had sat the wrong paper?

SandyWedges · 23/06/2022 16:56

Daisypod · 23/06/2022 16:01

The trouble was his first physics exam did not go well so I was worried they would base his mark from that. I have managed to get through to the school and they say they have spoken to the exam board and it will be marked with special consideration so my son was right. He has adhd and can sometimes not recall info acutely when it's given in a hurry.
So relieved it will be marked but rather annoyed at the school as not only did they make the mistake they made no attempt to contact me to explain!

They explained to your son though and then you contacted them. That seems fair enough.

Original poster

Daisypod · 23/06/2022 17:03

My son sits his exams separately to everyone else due to various issues. As I said before he has ADHD and information doesn't always get processed correctly so I wanted to check with the school. This was not his fault but there's and a quick phone call to me to explain wouldn't have gone amiss.

OP posts:

SandyWedges · 23/06/2022 17:07

Daisypod · 23/06/2022 17:03

My son sits his exams separately to everyone else due to various issues. As I said before he has ADHD and information doesn't always get processed correctly so I wanted to check with the school. This was not his fault but there's and a quick phone call to me to explain wouldn't have gone amiss.

Yes no problem checking with the school. I just think if he's told you and you've contacted the school and found out what's what then thats all that needed to happen.

tempester28 · 23/06/2022 17:45

Oh my son also sat his last Physics today and he is also doing the trilogy exam - I hope he did the right one! If the school made the mistake and special consideration is given, then I don't think you should worry too much. I am not sure what the difference is in the papers if they are both higher - I assume the double science perhaps doesn't cover the same breadth. However if it is the same level and he does well in the paper he actually did and gets special consideration then he should be fine. I am sorry that this has happened to your son.