Page 6 | GCSE exam finished early. What can I do?

CAMHShelp · 2025-05-14T14:15:51+00:00

DDs GCSE exam was 1 hour and 45 mins. The invigilator asked the kids if they had finished to which DD replied yes, as she had answered all the questions (ASD) but planned to use remain 20 mins to check answers. They immediately took the paper away and ended the exam early as she was the last one to stop writing. I have made a complaint to the school but they are being dismissive and fobbing me off. What can I do?

YourNumber · 14/05/2025 18:44

FenywHysbys · 14/05/2025 18:42

Invigilator has discretion - if everyone in the exam are sitting with pens down for at least 10 minutes, then the invigilator can ask. If someone is still pondering an answer then they say not finished yet and everyone stays put…

Some autistic children would find it very hard to speak up and say they hadn’t finished, so no, the invigilator shouldn’t ask.

Loverofoldfilms · 14/05/2025 18:46

WombatStewForTea · 14/05/2025 15:17

There's nothing you can do now to impact the paper already done. But going forward, tell her to always say no

Of course she can do something! Official complaint to the exam board and I'd find a specialised(!) lawyer too.

Lbet · 14/05/2025 18:46

WombatStewForTea · 14/05/2025 15:17

There's nothing you can do now to impact the paper already done. But going forward, tell her to always say no

Completely untrue

ButterCrackers · 14/05/2025 18:46

YourNumber · 14/05/2025 18:44

Some autistic children would find it very hard to speak up and say they hadn’t finished, so no, the invigilator shouldn’t ask.

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A non autistic child could find it difficult to say they hadn’t finished. It would also be disruptive to the exam thought process.

gcsesargh · 14/05/2025 18:46

FenywHysbys · 14/05/2025 18:42

Invigilator has discretion - if everyone in the exam are sitting with pens down for at least 10 minutes, then the invigilator can ask. If someone is still pondering an answer then they say not finished yet and everyone stays put…

We have no discretion about this at all. In fact we are specifically told this isn’t allowed. You can’t ask a candidate this sort of thing. A fair number of our pupils write bugger all and go to sleep in the exam. They still can’t leave early.

Mushypeasandchipstogo · 14/05/2025 18:47

Just interested to know if the exam invigilator was a teacher? At my school any invigilators who came in just for the exams had to be accompanied by a teacher.

YourNumber · 14/05/2025 18:48

MissyB1 · 14/05/2025 18:41

Can the posters slagging off invigilators stop it please!! I started in the exam hall at 8:15 this morning, I had one break of exactly 20 minutes at 1pm, finished at 5:30 pm. I had one wee in all that time! We are not idiots and we work bloody hard!

I suspect OP's DC chose not to use her extra time. She needs to use it in future.

Not all invigilators get it right. We’ve never had any issues, youngest is sitting GCSEs at the moment, but I know of cases through my friends school where invigilators have messed up.

Ellen1990 · 14/05/2025 18:49

roycroppersshopper · 14/05/2025 15:23

I think that exceptional circumstances can be applied so that the the person marking the paper is told that the candidate wasn't given the full allocation of time and didn't check their answers. I know they barely add much on for this, something like uplifting the mark by 6% or something, which won't necessarily get you into the next grade boundary.

Even so, I would officially complain to stop that particular invigilator repeating it in other exams.

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its only 3% now

Loverofoldfilms · 14/05/2025 18:50

catndogslife · 14/05/2025 15:47

Was your dd in a room where some candidates were taking papers that were 1 hour 10 mins long and she had 1 hour 45 minutes?
In that case the correct procedure would have been for candidates taking the shorter paper to leave after 1 hour 10 mins and for your dd to have the full amount of time.
I think that this may count as exam maladministration and qualify for special consideration, but you need to inform the school as soon as possible.

Agree with that but school is 'dismissive' according to OP. Hence I would write to the exam board by email (followed by hard copy recorded post) and state what happened in very factual words and state that you don't think this is right and should not have happened. I would take legal advice from a specialised lawyer who can then follow up. It's a type of discrimination when you think about it.

gcsesargh · 14/05/2025 18:50

@Mushypeasandchipstogo- at our schools we are employed by the school, DBS checked etc. teachers are not allowed in any exam halls. Just SLT occasionally if any behaviour problems. I have lots of friends who work as invigilators in lots of different schools. It’s the same in all of them.

YourNumber · 14/05/2025 18:50

ButterCrackers · 14/05/2025 18:46

A non autistic child could find it difficult to say they hadn’t finished. It would also be disruptive to the exam thought process.

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I agree, but I was referring to autistic children as OP said her child is autistic. One of my children is autistic and I know they would feel put on the spot and awkward in this situation.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 14/05/2025 18:52

That’s terrible.

I am not an expert but not surprised people are saying it’s maladministration.

ByHangrySloth · 14/05/2025 18:53

I'm am exams officer. The school needs to report the invigilator to the exam board for suspected malpractice, they also need to apply for special consideration for your child.
If they ignore you, report them to the exam board & JCQ - failure to report malpractice is taken very seriously.

Loverofoldfilms · 14/05/2025 18:53

ThatSillyMintOrca · 14/05/2025 18:38

I work in a secondary school and have a lot of knowledge/ experience in exams. The invigilator could only have asked if the exam paper was shut. As your daughter said yes that’s also consent to finish. So whilst it might feel unfair I don’t think complaining would get you anywhere unfortunately. How did the exam go otherwise? (I’m assuming it was GCSE biology and I’m head of science in a school but currently on mat leave so interested to know)!

Seriously?

Bedknobsandhoovers · 14/05/2025 18:55

It's quite a few years since I last invigilated a GCSE exam.

As I remember there were quite strict rules about how late a pupil could enter the room and how early one could leave.

At the very least it's rather sharp practice to wind up proceedings for everyone to finish early.

There were occasions in which I'd ask a pupil, who had obviously finished, would they like to leave? And if so then silently.

This being more so because it was looking like they would distract those still working and checking. Too much looking around, tapping, experimenting with biro springs etc.

But everyone?

ShanghaiDiva · 14/05/2025 18:55

Loverofoldfilms · 14/05/2025 18:46

Of course she can do something! Official complaint to the exam board and I'd find a specialised(!) lawyer too.

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What exactly would you expect this ‘specialised lawyer’ to do?

UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter · 14/05/2025 18:57

You can report to the school and if it is not taken seriously then report it to the exam board for malpractice.
they should then apply for consideration for all
pupils as they ended the exam early.
it is not true that you can’t leave an exam early. Depending on the board and if they are jcq members or not they have core times that the candidate must be present for. Candidates can leave the exam if they have finished after this time.

take a look at the JCQ instructions for conducting exams. And general regulations.

please do make sure your daughter understands to say no of this happens again and to report it.

if you have reported it to the school I would chase with SLT to see what they plan on doing.

gcsesargh · 14/05/2025 18:57

OP- mistakes do happen especially when it’s a super busy day with lots of different exams going on.
I don’t think you need to be contacting solicitors, LEA s etc etc.
Contact the exams officer again and maybe copy in ahead of year etc. Say you want them to contact the Exam Board. Your DD and the invigilator will need to make a written statement. This should be done asap.

Loverofoldfilms · 14/05/2025 18:57

ShanghaiDiva · 14/05/2025 18:55

What exactly would you expect this ‘specialised lawyer’ to do?

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Write a letter to the exam board and/or supervising authority? Make sure that her child is treated fairly, given the school is being dismissive? Specialised lawyers often know the law... should the OP just accept this?

FenywHysbys · 14/05/2025 18:57

of course invigilators can ask, most of the exam boards quote this, don’t be so naive - parents should also take responsibility for ensuring their child has been rehearsed in exam conditions beforehand and given all of the information they need, and what to say if asked a question.

the school has more than one child to get through exams, including those who are nervous/anxious - that’s why parents need to support as well. Just tell the school that your child might not have used the time they needed, but bear in mind that you’ve only got one side of the story.

ButterCrackers · 14/05/2025 18:57

ShanghaiDiva · 14/05/2025 18:55

What exactly would you expect this ‘specialised lawyer’ to do?

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The job title says it all really - law and legal aspects.

ShanghaiDiva · 14/05/2025 18:58

ByHangrySloth · 14/05/2025 18:53

I'm am exams officer. The school needs to report the invigilator to the exam board for suspected malpractice, they also need to apply for special consideration for your child.
If they ignore you, report them to the exam board & JCQ - failure to report malpractice is taken very seriously.

Probably wiser to initially get a statement from child and invigilator/s as to what actually happened.

CaptainMyCaptain · 14/05/2025 18:59

ShanghaiDiva · 14/05/2025 18:01

Teachers can invigilate, but not their subject and must have undertaken the invigilator training. We sometimes have teachers to help invigilate if it’s a very large cohort 440 plus candidates, but this would be in addition to 10+ external invigilators.
For art exams, especially where equipment is being, used there may be support from a member of staff but an external invigilator is also present to ensure that the member of staff is not helping the student. I invigilate three d design and a member of staff is always present for health and safety reasons.

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OK that was just my school, no teachers ar all came in to exam rooms (unless SLT called for a behaviour issue - only happened once during mocks). I invigilated art but the teacher and a technician were there too.

ShanghaiDiva · 14/05/2025 19:00

Loverofoldfilms · 14/05/2025 18:57

Write a letter to the exam board and/or supervising authority? Make sure that her child is treated fairly, given the school is being dismissive? Specialised lawyers often know the law... should the OP just accept this?

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I would think a more rational place to start would be with a statement from pupil and invigilator/s as to what actually happened.

Mushypeasandchipstogo · 14/05/2025 19:01

gcsesargh · 14/05/2025 18:50

@Mushypeasandchipstogo- at our schools we are employed by the school, DBS checked etc. teachers are not allowed in any exam halls. Just SLT occasionally if any behaviour problems. I have lots of friends who work as invigilators in lots of different schools. It’s the same in all of them.

Certainly not the case in the area I worked ! Wish that all the invigilators had been brought in as I seemed to be invigilating every time that I would have be teaching an exam group. Invigilators were never allowed to start or finish an exam either.