Access arrangements for GCSEs

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

We’ve received confirmation today that ds2 will receive ‘Access Arrangements- extra time’ in his GCSEs.

What does this look like in practice?

I had a little cry when the email came through. I wonder if we’ve been in denial about it all. He’s received help Since being diagnosed with dyslexia in year 4 but largely been doing very well, he’s top set across the board since joining high school in September (so he’s year 9 now).

He will start the exam with everyone else and then continue the exam until he has used his extra time.
Def not something to shed a tear over - he's clearly doing very well at school and there's no reason to think that won't continue and come out with some top grades.

The only negative is that if there are 2 x GCSEs on the same day. The extra time makes the day very very long and draining. They therefore sometimes apply for rest breaks too - DD doesn't because it makes the exams even longer but it's worth considering.

Thank you, that’s helpful. My ds1 is in year 11 and I can already see from his mocks timetable how close together some of the exams are so that’s a great point about the lack of breaks. I wonder how much of a benefit it really would be!

It’s an odd one. I’m glad he’s getting the help he deserves. I’m sad that he clearly struggles so much that he meets that threshold. He’s had ‘assessments’ to see if he’s eligible but I’m not sure what exactly those involved.

Mocks timetables are crammed together as much as possible by the school to take up as little school time as possible, the real exams are spread over a much longer time.

Extra time will give 25% more time for each exam and makes it a fairer playing field for those that need it (and he doesn’t have to use it if he doesn’t want to when it comes to the exam).

He may also get to use a laptop, my DD has 25% extra time and use of a laptop.
Really nothing to cry about it just levels the playing field.

That’s helpful to know about the mocks.

My husband was allowed to use a laptop back in the 90s (also dyslexic) but we didn’t realise that was still a possibility. I’m not sure he could type any faster than he could write though tbh!

Please don't be sad op, it's a good thing if it helps him show what he can really do with a bit of extra time to process questions and consider his answers.

Yes, sometimes there are two exams in one day, but there is a lot to get through and get written down in some exams (Eng lit for example) as you will know, and 20 extra minutes might just give him vital breathing space. My ds1 (not dyslexic, but various learning difficulties) got extra time, a reader and a scribe if he chose to use it - I was delighted.

Thank you all.

I did hesitate about posting this as I read a really unpleasant thread a few weeks ago about how it was unfair ‘loads’ of children were getting extra time in exams...

I think the (very brief) tears were a mixture of relief and sadness for him that he finds things more difficult. I don’t think any of us like to think of our children struggling.

I think people who don't have children who need the extra time have no concept of how it feels to know the answers, but to not have enough time to write them down.
The years I had over Exams/tests where DD knew the answers, but ran out of time.
Thar particularly thread the OP failed to realise that often children with processing disorders/dyslexia are actually very bright. They have developed a huge number of coping mechanisms for everyday life, but these do not work in an exam situation.
They are often very conscientious and hard working and can be devastated to not be able to illustrate this in an exam.
Extra time is not handed out easily and the testing is rigorous DD was assessed in year 5, 6, 7,8 and 9 before she was given her access arrangements. The final assessment she came home and cried about how badly she had done and how little she had got on the paper- I was so glad to be able to tell her this was the one test where it was a good thing that she had not got much down.
The Laptop has had to be her established way of working for GCSEs so she uses it for all lessons, homework and assessments.

You may find that the pupils with extra time are in a separate room.

e.g. At DD's school it goes something like:

• most kids in school hall
• extra time but no other special arrangements in gym
• laptop in classroom with printers
• etc

DD, y10, has just lost her extra time for most subjects as she wasn't making good enough use of it. Though they have said that they will continue to monitor it (eg I think once she improves on some subjects she will be able to answer more questions fully).

The biggest one is the English Lit I think. A 2hr15 exam goes to close to 3 hours with extra time.

I’ve asked ds1 (yr 11) what happens and he says the children with extra time go in to a different room so that’s good and something ds2 is used to.

It also says he will be given extra time in the classroom (where appropriate). Not sure how practical that would be, presumably he’ll just fall behind?!

Anyway I’m pleased he’s got what he deserves and I hope he does all he is capable with it.

Extra time in classroom may well just mean for assessments.
When DD was getting extra time she used to turn up early in break or stay late into lunch etc for assessments. Worked fine except for P1 lessons.
I've also arranged that for one subject where they do 'fill in the blanks' that they give her a printed worksheet rather than writing it all by hand.

its understandable to be sad that your child is struggling but top sets in everything having dyslexia show's they're clearly capable of doing well in their exams.

I was too ashamed to use my extra time until university as they didn't separate anyone with it from the main hall and i go no other support no one except my close friends knew i had a learning difficulty and i was determined to keep it that way, so i'd definitely have the conversation with him that it's nothing to be ashamed of using.

Ds is year 11 and uses a laptop for exams with extended writing. He is also autistic but has not had any assessments for extra time so does not have it.

He is just finishing his mocks and has been in a separate smaller room for all exams alongside those students that have extra time. I think the school have put him in the small room even for the non laptop exams as he gets anxious and stressed so they wanted him in the same room and same seat for everything to hopefully ease any worries for him.

My DC was assessed for extra time which started in Y10 exams. She had to write in a different colour after the end of the original exam so the school could monitor how she used the extra time. She takes some on a laptop so not sure how that works.

My understanding is that although extra time is most commonly 25%, it can be more. One of DD's friend's sisters has 100% extra time which made the exams very long!!

2 of my children have dyslexia (we have lots of people in our family with it). They were diagnosed in Yr 4 and Yr 6 and are now in Yr 8.
How do you go about getting extra time? They are in state school and I hear it is very hard to get extra time if you are in state school.

It's not hard to get extra time in State school. If you believe your DC would benefit I would contact the SENCO and make sure they are on the list to be assessed for extra time. These students are usually assessed in year 9 (as the assessment only "lasts" so long). They are normally the form of standard tests carried out by a specially trained teacher.
You can also ask for extra time now if your children need it. One of mine was spotted in year 7 after doing surprisingly badly on his first Maths test, and had extra time the whole way through.
Other access arrangements which are common include: rest breaks, use of a computer or amanuensis.

But a diagnosis of dyslexia is not enough, arrangements are given for shown need.