extra time refused for dyslexic DD's A levels

[yolofish]

just that really! Her reading and comprehension have been assessed as still slower/below average, but not bad enough to meet the exam board threshhold for extra time.

she had extra time at GCSE, and should apparently have had a reader although she says she didnt know that. all her teachers have assumed she will get extra time for A levels, with advice including "use your extra time to map out the essay" etc etc

her main problem is not reading/comprehension, but getting the ideas out of her head and onto paper, so writing an essay is a tortuous process for example, although she gets there in the end.

I have asked the school whether there is a writing test, rather than a reading and comprehension test, and whether there is scope for input from teachers re the amount of time/effort she has to put in to produce written work.

she is now very stressed... any other ideas about how I can help her anyone please? TIA

We narrowly avoided this situation with my DD. It was the year that the new regulations came in that set arbitrary cut offs for extra time for working memory and processing scores - only for in the below average range, which actually equates because of the way they do the ranges to the bottom 14% of the population, which really is a very significant level of disability for someone of high ability. the Examination Regulatory Authority did actually recognise that this was discriminating against bright dyslexics and were advised that it was vulnerable to prosecution under the disability legislation, it is about time a parent took them to court.

We brought forward the assessment that they require for university and though the scores in the pre GCSE assessment were borderline, the scores on that test came in at the 9th percentile so we avoided the problem but we were advised that as a back up to that to prepare to plead a special case on the basis of her record of need (there had never been any question of her needing extra time to do herself justice , she had moved for sixth form so I went back to both her previous school and her primary) and the speed of her writing, also tenth percentile.

I am a bit confused though, since I understood that the process was one where the school submits the exact scores for Working Memory and Processing to the exam board for automatic entitlement, and if those scores are too high then there is a process for special consideration with less chance of success? Obviously since Working Memory and Processing are at the root of the problems with speed, organising and getting ideas on paper etc. they should reflect the full range of your DDs issues and the school should be going on those scores. I am not sure why Reading and Comprehension scores alone would have them going back on a previous judgement that there was evidence of need?

I recommend you go back to the school with a copy of the exam regulations and ask them to defend not submitting an application for special consideration based on the full range of her scores and the evidence of need and that this is her usual way of working, all of which should have been tested and recorded as part of the process for her GCSE subjects. I cannot see why it would change between GCSE unless there has been another change in the regulations

My DD did not get extra time at GCSE for some subjects, Maths, Science because it was not deemed that there was sufficient evidence of need but in the essay based subjects she continued to A level that was never in question.

I really feel for your DD, it put my DD in a complete panic, she is anxious enough about exams as it is. On the plus side she is now at uni and the support could not be better but as her Ed Psych said it is being enabled to show your ability so you can get there that is the issue.

extra time can be awarded for a below average score in either:
speed of reading
speed of writing
speed of processing
working memory

Although if her reading speed is below average then she should meet the criteria for extra time - a score of below 85 is below average - anything above that is not.

Yes they have tightened up the criteria recently. What tests have they used to assess her scores? LUCID Exact? Ed Psych?

Some useful links

General background from the British Dyslexia Association www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/educator/access-arrangements

The actual regulations, now issued by the JCQ, the detailed information on the scores required starts at p22 but worth reading all the way through. As I thought the regulations have not changed as far as I can see since 2012, when the change in the regulations was the reason the problem emerged for us between GCSE and A level because in the pre GCSE assessment she only had one score, speed of writing, definitively below 85 . I really cannot see why there would be a change between GCSE and A level, if anything evidence of need is going to be reinforced by working at a higher level?

www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/access-arrangements-and-reasonable-adjustments-2014-2015

thank you that is really really helpful; I am hoping for a meeting with SENCO next week (waiting for her to respond to my email setting out my concerns) but I will look into all of that.
just feel so much for her!

Can I jump in and ask for advice please?

Dd was diagnosed as mildly dyslexic by an ed psych when she was 7yo, he also said she has the worst working term memory he's ever seen. However she is bright and now in year 9 and getting NC level 7 in most subjects so is on track for A or at least B.....

Should I be asking for extra time for her? She gets no help or input for being dyslexic at all. I asked about this in year 7 and was told she could be put in remedial classes if I really wanted. . It's that or nothing.

The criteria changed last year so if she is A2 level she may fall foul now. As a result Ds lost his extra time for GCSE. Agree one of the specific processing scores needs to be below 85 to qualify for extra time although for other access arrangements such as laptop use it only needs to be the established mode of working. If you want to get an Ed Psych report to demonstrate the need for extra time which also needs to be supported by teachers' evidence then time is short now.

just had a really helpful email from SENCO; they are looking into it in more depth and want a week's grace - fair enough, also gives me time to check out what you guys have said!

Viva my DD is allegedly moderately dyslexic; her CAT scores are also lower than average (altho she will go far, given her emotional intelligence!) all I can advise is that you go into the school now to see the SENCO with her previous ed psych report and ask about how they propose to help her in the future, because although she is keeping up well now she may struggle as the workload increases, however bright she is (and she should have the input, she is entitled to it). Remedial classes have fuck all to do with it! (and I speak as someone whose DD is NOT what they classify as 'bright' BTW)

From Patoss website:

'When candidates begin an A level course, they do not need to be formally re-assessed, but the Centre must establish that there is a continuing need for these arrangements, and paint the picture of need. This might be achieved through gathering commentary from teaching staff, mock examinations etc and preparing a brief summary note to attach to
Form 8.'

But does that also assume an Ed Psych report less than 3 years old?

Viva If you look at the regs you need two things in place to get extra time, firstly the relevant scores below a certain level (85 or below the 14th percentile, ie the bottom 14%) in a recent Ed Psych assessment (or the relevant tests administered by a suitably qualified SENCO) as set out in the JCQ regs above, and secondly that the school has established evidence of need.

The second was actually always required but the quality and level of that process varied between schools. My older daughter actually met the first criteria but because she managed to achieve very good grades via her own compensating strategies her school did not regard her as having sufficient evidence of need and she has only started to have extra time granted at university when those strategies were not as effective in coping with the requirements of her exams.

I think the first question should be whether you or she feels she needs extra time because her working memory problems are manifesting themselves in difficulties under exam conditions eg misreading / misunderstanding questions, struggling to finish consistently. Otherwise it is putting yourself through a lot of hassle! If that is the case you should ask schools will then have to implement a process to a. test and b. establish need / the usual way of working in consultation with all her teachers and eg incremental granting of extra time with a change of pen colour so that they can see what use she has made of different time etc.

It was the senco I spoke to in year 7. She seemed like a total muppet to be honest.

again from PATOSS

'A key change has been made in that all evidence for these arrangements must now be drawn from assessments conducted no earlier than year 9, rather than from any time within secondary education'

Ive no idea if it's causing her problems in exams. It all seems like a load of hassle, think I won't bother. If she gets a B rather than an A it's not the end of the world. Thanks.

i was told by senco that once assessment had been made by ed psych that was it, as your cognitive abilities dont change.
my ds was last assessed in junor school, this report has been used in secondary school.
im worried now as ds has the extra time and sits by himself at gcse but hopes to do a levels does that mean he might not get them anymore?

wfrances don't worry - school must have the necessary evidence if he has been awarded extra time.

They may have done processing assessments in-house since if SENCO is suitably qualified. I'm surprised an assessment in y9 would be admissible for y13 though. Ds' in y8 was not accepted for GCSE.

The assessments have to be completed no earlier than year 9 and will be current in the sixth form. The authorisation from the exam boards would have to be renewed as they last for 26 months, but assessments post year 9 are still valid.www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/access-arrangements-and-reasonable-adjustments-2014-2015
NB Assessments for DSA (disabled student allowance) must be post 16 years.
Lizs I wonder whether your DS was affected by the changes in regulations and the fact it was pre- year 9.
The deadline for this summer's exams and exam concessions was today.

Yes I think so . He still got good grades even without it but whether one or two of the As have been A*s with more time we'll never know!

just marking place to come back later. (sorry)

well I've had this today from asst SENCO:

I have arranged a meeting with all of DD1’s teachers this afternoon, as the information they fed back to me was that
DD1 needs
· to be reminded of the task
· the task explained in more detail / broken down
Unfortunately this assistance would not qualify for extra time and staff would certainly not be able to assist in this way.
Please bear with me, I will do all I can to ensure DD1 gets any support I can evidence the need for. If there is still a question mark, then Mr XXXXX (SENCO) and I have already agreed to get her assessed further.

It's progress I suppose....

I think the criteria has been tightened up. And I agree. Of course I can't comment on your DD. But the extra time thing should only be used in very exceptional circumstances.

My DS got 25% extra time (and the offer of 50% which we didn't pursue because A levels were getting very long). All done on ed psych report every three years, SENCO rubbish at assessing anything. The same reports were used for DSA at uni. His was a straightforward case because the discrepancy between his actual IQ and his performance IQ (at least this is how it was explained to me) was more than 30 points and 10% is normally considered severe enough to allow extra time.

moomin You describe the scientific basis of an Ed Psych diagnosis. That with evidence of need used to be enough to get extra time. In 2012 the D of E decided that too many pupils were being given extra time and Gove wanted to have a nice soundbite for the Daily Mail so the regulations were tightened up with a complete disregard for the scientific basis for a diagnosis that you describe. Now you only qualify for extra time if certain scores are below the level of the bottom 14 % of the population, whatever your level of ability. So now you are discriminated against if your scores are well below what you would predict of someone with that level of ability but still above the level of the bottom 14% at level, and given an advantage if your scores are what you would predict for someone whose ability is in the bottom 14%, so that struggling to show what you are capable of in timed exam conditions because of your working memory, processing, speed of writing etc. is not necessarily the issue.

yolo progress I suppose but the task explained in more detail / broken down Well she isn't going to get that in exam conditions. Do those teachers understand dyslexia? Is this more to do with wanting to, as the Dof E have, appear to be tougher? Do they understand the previous testing / evidence of need that resulted in her getting extra time at GCSE? I still think that if there were test scores and evidence of need last year what has changed needs to be explained. Some individual scores may vary year to year but the underlying differences in the way in which your brain works don't go away, you can get better at coping but it is counterintuitive that that would happen at a time when the challenge of A level over GCSE is going up a level. Normally that is when greater difficulties start to manifest themselves. It certainly should not be something that changes because of school policy or some other factor than your DDs needs.

More worried that someone downthread said the deadline for getting approval for special arrangements was last Friday? Have they already mucked up her chances?

I would really be on the warpath, it is no joke to for a pupil who faces these challenges to be faced with losing the extra time she has been used to working with, and it will affect her grade.

poison I dont know... however she is of lower than average academic ability according to CAT scores. but yes, the "what has changed" question seems very valid to me, although they've told me her reading ability/comprehension has improved as said in the OP.

the 'task explained/broken down in more detail' was what all her teachers have been telling her to use her extra time for - she CAN do it, but it takes her longer.

no view on the deadline of last Friday, according to today's email that doesnt seem to be an issue, or hasnt been raised as such.

I am a parent governor at the school, so I am very wary of being seen to throw my weight about, and despite what I know about some areas of education I am so much less informed than many of you who have responded - so thank you.