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Original poster

URGENT PLEASE HELP: Anyone know about A Level exams/marking/parent passing

56 replies

EllenLRipley · 18/05/2023 17:18

My sister has been unwell for years and has now reached the very end.
DNiece, 18, has A Levels and is not fit to take them. She is predicted AAA
Her mother will die in the next 2 weeks. The school have said nothing can be done to cancel the exams or give assessed grades, she will score 0. I cannot get thru to the exam boards and cannot get any sense from anyone.

Please help me, her dad is in no fit state to be doing anything.

I cannot believe the cruelty of this system

OP posts:
SquidgersMummy · 18/05/2023 17:26

I work assessing kids after acute medical conditions. The exams boards often don't understand if kids have been very unwell. Speak to the ALNCO at the school/college. Personally, I would suggest a letter from a medic saying she is medically unfit to take the exam. Try to speak to her GP. They will listen more to that I hope. They are very unhelpful these days. They used to award based on predicted grades but it seems to be impossible to her that these days. Is there a way to defer?

My heart felt best wishes for everyone in such a terrible situation xx I'm so sorry xx

SquidgersMummy · 18/05/2023 17:27

Medically unfit because of acute distress....that sort of thing.

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 18/05/2023 17:28

If you Google JCQ mitigating circumstances, you will find the guidance but it will likely equate to 5% per exam, and she will have to sit at least most of them. If she missed one paper per subject she could be graded.

Unfortunately the only other option would be to resit the whole year.

I'm on mobile but can link to the guidance if needed later.

SoupDragon · 18/05/2023 17:28

I wonder if the problem is that she won't be sitting any of the papers (I assume). There seem to be systems in place for when a student misses a paper/unit but not if they don't sit it at all.

Hopefully someone will come along who knows but in the meantime this will bump the thread.

what a dreadful situation.

MrsHamlet · 18/05/2023 17:28

I'm sorry to hear this.
She will be entitled to special consideration but the school have to apply through their systems. There's no point contacting the exam boards - they can do nothing. I know that sounds harsh, but it's the system.
The school is also correct that if she hadn't completed any of the assessment in a subject, she will score zero. If she has coursework, that changes things. Do you know which subjects she's doing?

Hooveslikejagger · 18/05/2023 17:30

Contact the school exam officer who can contact exam boards. They also contacted first and insurance uni choices to make them aware if that applies to your situation.

MightyEagle · 18/05/2023 17:30

She certainly can withdraw if that's what she wants - I withdrew two of my students this morning.

Daftasabroom · 18/05/2023 17:33

@EllenLRipley I know this sounds extreme but why not just pull her out of the year, give her time to grieve and resit (or sit) next year. Let her focus on one thing at a time.

gogohmm · 18/05/2023 17:34

If she was missing some exams they can take into consideration the grades she did achieve, also she can be awarded a small extra percentage, used to be a 5% uplift.

Not taking any exams is trickier, in some subjects where there's a major assessed component then a mark should be awarded based on that, but I'm pretty sure for 100% exam subjects there's not a lot that can be done. The advice is to sit them and it will be taken into account, not helpful I'm afraid

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 18/05/2023 17:37

The school are right; if she sits no part of the exam she will score 0. There is no way of awarding her a grade based completely on teacher assessment.

there are 2 options:

  1. she sits the exams and you work with what she gets for future plans
  2. withdraw her and she sits them next year

or, bonus option 3, she doesn’t sit them and she doesn’t resit them and she does something different next year.

familyissues12345 · 18/05/2023 17:42

I agree with retaking when she's ready. Poor girl, you sound like a lovely Aunty x

SheilaFentiman · 18/05/2023 17:43

AQA require at least 15% of the assessment to have been completed

https://www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/special-requirements/special-consideration

SheilaFentiman · 18/05/2023 17:44

It looks like school should be able to withdraw her https://www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/entries/check-change-or-withdraw-entries

xyzandabc · 18/05/2023 17:46

If she sat at least some of each subject, special consideration can be applied for but the maximum awarded is 5%. In the case of a parent dying this won't nearly make up for the drop in grade to give her the grade she would have got had circumstances been different.

She could speak to her school and see about the possibility of retaking yr 13, as I'm sure her full focus has not been on her studies if her mum's been ill.

She could also ask about the possibility of doing resits in November but to do this she would have to make sure she's not been withdrawn from the summer entries as you can not take exams as 1st entry in November.

If neither her nor her dad are up to doing anything at the moment. You could call or email the school on her behalf and ask to be put in touch with the exams officer or head of 6th form who will be able to tell you her options.

Above all don't panic. Being with her family and mum at this time is more important than exams which can be sorted out later. School will be able to give you better information than the exam board, as they will know what they can /can't offer.

LIZS · 18/05/2023 17:48

The school/college would need to liaise with the exam board and provide the evidence. How soon are her papers, is there any chance of sitting any of them, such as those after half term. Has she has any formal assessments already in any subjects? Such a sad time for all involved,

PinkFrogss · 18/05/2023 17:50

I’m so sorry OP, this must be so difficult for you with your sister so unwell and your niece to support Flowers

I agree with others, it may be best to withdraw from the exams this year and sit next year instead. Does she have plans for after college E.g. a uni offer?

powerrangers · 18/05/2023 17:56

What a revolting system we have. This should never be the way it works. I'm so sorry OP

Original poster
EllenLRipley · 18/05/2023 18:38

I think I am in shock TBH.
I spoke to the school they said nothing can be done, they will apply for 5% extra
I cannot believe this is real, she got an A* in Maths mock
She isn't able to sleep or eat, she cannot do any exams. She is so upset. He dad is catatonic. I am trying my best but I don't know what to do

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 18/05/2023 18:42

Op, I am so sorry, this is so hard.

it might be worth posting in higher education as well, to see what her offering university will do. Admissions people may well advise on how they would view a set of zero grades followed by a reapplication after sitting next year

CrapBucket · 18/05/2023 18:42

I’m so sorry about your sister.

The advice to resit in November is a great idea. Your niece is clever and always will be. She can redo exams in future. I wish you all, all the best in the times ahead.

SheilaFentiman · 18/05/2023 18:43

Do any of her subjects have a coursework component?

Azandme · 18/05/2023 18:43

As a teacher my suggestion would be to withdraw her now, remove all the pressure, the questions, the stress and allow her to focus on her mum, and what is to come.

It's highly unlikely she'll be in the right space to go to university in September, so suggest she takes the time to grieve, then picks up her A Levels again when she's ready, and goes next year.

It feels like a long time, but it really isn't.

I'm so sorry for you all.

SheilaFentiman · 18/05/2023 18:47

We were told by DS1’s teacher that it’s possible to withdraw even after the exam, as long as grades aren’t yet issued (this was when he was very stressed about one gcse subject so quite different).

When you spoke to school, did withdrawing come up, or was it around what allowances could be made if she sat the exams?