Access Arrangmentts - Form 8

[Summer888]

Hi. Has anyone ever had a copy of their child's Form 8? Any reason why a parents would not be allowed to see it? I have asked school for it and was told it was not relevant and that parents are not allowed to see it. We think it has been incorrectly filled out as my child's access arrangements have suddenly changed, but without seeing it, we can't prove it. We were told 7 months ago by the E.P., following the top up test, that she still qualified and the form 8 had been filled out and submitted. Then 4 weeks ago, out of the blue, we got a letter saying she no longer qualifies. It has been her normal mode of working for the last 4 years, she always uses her extra time. Anyone with any GDPR knowledge or JCQ knowledge I would value help.

What year is she in?
Did the ed psych fill it in after contacting the school first and requesting the form from them? What were her below average scores in?
Have you asked school why she no longer qualifies - does she just have extra time?

No reason but the school don't have to accept an outside assessor and shouldn't if they have no relationship with that assessor. Does your child has a score at 84 or lower for a speed of processing test . If you give me a run down of the scores and tests used then I can tell you.

As it has been her normal way of working for so long, if she has two scores of below 89 for processing then she could get it for that but their evidence has to be substantial. Unfortunately, it is a stock phrase for private ed psychs to say 'extra time' not based on JCQ guidance but on a disparity score so cognitive of 125 and processing of 95. Yes, they don't match but the latter does not qualify for et.

The school have presumably tested her so their scores may be over the guidance. However, if it is a move from gcse to A level at the same school then they can go on the scores for gcse eaa and then write a file note on headed paper to confirm normal way of working.

Schools shouldn’t use reports from an ed psych as evidence for access arrangements, it should be an in house test. Perhaps when tested in school she didn’t meet the strict criteria.

It was an in-school top up test, by the school's chosen E.P., arranged by school, at school, during school hours. The Ed Psych emailed us afterwards and said all was fine and still qualified, and that form 8 had been completed. School have now said that the Ed Psych was mistaken, even though the school (and the SENCO) have had those scores since March. We have not been allowed to see the form 8 so we do not know what is behind this. The extra time has always been used and is needed - she is dyslexic. Any reason parents are not allowed to see the form 8? This is my daughter's A level year, first exam in January, then the rest mid-May onwards. We are currently seeking specialist advice also. School have said that the AAO is final and can not be appealed, and that nothing can be done. We had initially been told her GCSE access arrangements would carry her through her A levels. The top up took 15 minutes and my daughter said it was rushed - we had been told by the SENCO it was only a formality and would not affect her AA it was just to provide evidence of need. Flyingarcher - you sound as if you might know more than most - how long do you think a top up test should take? Thank you in advance.

The Towre takes two lots of 45 seconds (yes, really). The Ran/Ras generally takes me about ten mins by the time I've faffed about with the sodding stop watch. Bits of the CTOPP are quick. The spped of reading is difficult to do but that could yake longer. Tests for working memory take s while and the ten min handwriting speed assessment does what it says on the tin. I don't know why the school are being daft about this because they can keep the same scores from GCSE unless your daughter isn't using her ET. Perhaps they were inspected by JCQ last year and got their knuckles rapped for something. Possibly, your daughter's original scores didn't meet the criteria then and she shouldn't have had ET but they mistakenly gave it to her because of the diagnosis. A diagnosis doesn't mean automatic EAA. JCQ have hugely tightened up the guidance recently. If I was you, I'd ask to know the scores. They obvs don't have anyone qualified to do the EAA testing in house so get outside Ed Psych in to do that. Is there any way you could contact that person to ask for the scores.

It is possible for someone to improve and if her teachers have said she is fine, keeps up in class, doesn't use ET for tests then I can see why they might take it away. Sometimes ET can be a disadvantage as some kids just use the time to waffle and thus detract from marks.

And I could do a quick test in 15 mins but always take care to use the right tests for that pupil's needs. Also, for older students, I let them know the scores then and there.

A Form 8 will not have been completed by the Ed Psych unless the school had already filled in the first two sections, indicating evidence of normal way of working in school and the need for access arrangements. Then the school may request that their usual specialist assessor (or their usual Ed Psych if they don't have a specialist assessor) carries out an assessment to justify the arrangements being applied for, and the assessor or ed psych then completes the last section of the Form 8.

From last year, extra time is not permitted if the only evidence for extra time is a low score on a single word reading test, or a low score on a test of reading comprehension accuracy. If a JCQ inspector had found last spring that the school had been using these tests as grounds for extra time in contradiction with the regulations, the school could be obliged to retest. As Flyingarcher implied, in these circumstances the school would have needed to show they were squeaky clean with correct application of the regulations this time, no Form 8 would have existed. Again as Flying said, a dyslexia diagnosis isn't a justification for access arrangements, it's irrelevant. Was this a diagnosis from the same EP who works for the school?

It's strange that an ed psych, who was working for the school , would have been directly in touch with the parents: that's the job of the SENCo. It really isn't normal and I suspect there's something going on here which hasn't been revealed. OP, please explain how it was that the Ed Psych emailed you? Maybe that the EP hadn't done the appropriate CPD and didn't realise his/her mistake. Or has the school appointed a new SENCo?

Before the test, the candidate has to sign a data protection notice permitting the school to reveal personal information to the awarding bodies (ie the exam boards). The school has no right to disclose the information to the parents as far as I can tell.

Am a bit confused to the reference to exams in January during Y12 - does this mean that you aren't in England OP as there have been no January exams since 2014 and exams are usually taken at the end of Y13.
Are these exams mocks or do they contribute to the A level?
When my dd was turned down for access arrangements a few years ago we were given full information about her test scores and our daughter was told these scores as well.

Edexcel still have January and May exams i think?

Thank you everyone. I will read and digest the information over the next few days. The January test is an Edexcel level 3 award, that is being done in addition to the A levels as an added qualification.

And the E.P emailed me and the SENCO simultaneously in March, as she did with the full dyslexia report that was done 3 years previously also, (presumably she had our details from the parental information questionnaire). The school had completed the 2 first parts of form 8, and the EP confirmed she had filled in the last part, and emailed to say she had done so and all was fine. My daughter has given us full authority to have access to her information, and hence we are confused why the form 8 is being denied to us and to her.

There are January exams for level 2 and level 3 equivalent qualifications and also for iGCSEs. However this is no longer the case for ordinary A levels or GCSEs.
Sorry if this takes the thread off track.
Hope you are given the info you are looking for OP.