Asking to see your UCAS reference

[marl]

Anyone know if you have a right to see this from a school in your child. DS1's tutor is something of a cold fish (favours those from very affluent backgrounds it seems) and although his subject teachers are hugely supportive of his university applications I get the impression there is not much love lost between him and his tutor. As a parent can I ask to see the reference before it goes off? I would have thought he would be highly professional but I'd just like to reassure myself.

I believe your child can ask to see it.

DS asked if it was possible to see/read his reference and the school said their policy is not to allow the applicant to see it before submission. The children of friends (at other schools) have been allowed to see it, discuss it and have input into what is included.

Once it has been submitted, I have read on here that any applicant can request a copy of their whole application directly from UCAS.

Ok. Thank you! I'll ask.

The UCAS applicant or the named person on their form can give UCAS a ring and they'll send a copy of the whole application (incl school ref) to the applicant's email address. It used to cost £10 but now it's free. Obviously this is after the event so no use for remonstrating with the school to change something - but then parents shouldn't have any input into the school ref.

DD's school tutors read the reference to the girls before submission and they do get the opportunity to add to the reference (DD reference stated she had sat the Biology Olympiad but when the reference was written they did not have the results ...so they just added that she performed in the top *% of DC in the world who sat the exam).

I was a TINY bit worried about DD's reference because her tutor retired at the end of Yr 12 (she wrote the reference) and there was an incident where DD's DF papped his horn in disapproval at the car in front of him whilst DD was in the car and it happened to be DD's tutor...she was a little frosty with DD after the incident.

My dds got shown them and especially dd1 was asked if it covered everything she needed as she was applying to dentistry.