Anyone doing an OU course - can you help me - looking for who I need to write to............

[alwayslookingforanswers]

to basically inform them that I'm likely to do pretty badly in my exam on the 21st of October because of circumstances at home.

My tutor is as much use as a chocolate teapot - when I told her my concerns she just said "oh just concentrate on finishing the last block and revising - you went to the revision day so you'll be fine"

thing is I'm not going to be fine. I'm really really struggling with managing to read anything, let alone do revision all this stuff over the last (almost) 2 weeks has really messed things up.

I've scoured the study support bit on the OU website and I can't work out who to contact

Hi, when I had problems at home during a course a couple of years ago I also found my tutor useless and had no idea who to contact. I called my regional centre in the end and they were really helpful, so might be worth trying that?

It's a shame not all the tutors are understanding and helpful. I've got a great one now, but it hasn't been the case in the past.

If you end up doing the exam good luck, that's the same day as mine!

I don't do OU but I do work in a department with distance learning and I think you are absolutely right that you are better to contact someone now even if you do then end up being fine - your tutor is wrong to advise you not to do this, because even though she should be reassuring, she can't know exactly what your circumstances are. Having told someone in advance about the problems will work in your favour should things go wrong.
Good luck.

Im with everyone else - your regional centre will know who to speak to, you can postpone your studies and resume later, so you may not even need to sit the exam untill things are better, i dont know how much notice you need though. hope that helps

Yes. Definitely your regional centre. The tutor is there for the work side of things. The regional centre will deal with your kind of issue.

thanks everyone - wil contact the regional centre.

I'm just concerned that we were told (at the revision day) if we flunked the exam this time round (but only just flunked it) then we could sit it again next June when the next lot sit theirs.

I'm due to start another course in Feb and really don't want to have it hanging over me until next June.

Will find their number and ring tomorrow.

TFM - we were told that if we had any issues that we could contact our tutor .

I know they say that. I'm just passing on what I've found to be the case.

There should always be a back-up if the tutor isn't helpful.