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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Fractured arm!

15 replies

humblesims · 22/05/2017 17:59

FFS! DS2 has fractured his arm this morning just after his Eng Lit exam. Dominant arm, and cant write. Been in A&E for four and a half hours. Rang the school immediately and twice since. Both times been told the examinations manager will call me. Its nearly 6pm now and they havent called! Office now closed. He has exams tomorrow and for the rest of the week and I have no idea what will happen. I'm almost hyperventilating that they havent called me back. I need to get a grip and calm down. The hospital were useless, the doctor sent us off with referal notes for a completely different patient. ARghhh kids!!

OP posts:

SarahGraceMc · 22/05/2017 18:02

Go in tomorrow before the exam the school will have to arrange a scribe for you DS

friendlymum67 · 22/05/2017 18:05

Phone the school again in the morning or go to the school with your DS.

Exams officers are very busy at this time of year, but there are procedures in place for this sort of situation - try not to panic! Easier said than done l know! 🙂

Ollycat · 22/05/2017 18:06

We have had this with students in the past and they have had a scribe or laptop. He may find the laptop easier as using a scribe takes some practice.

Original poster

humblesims · 22/05/2017 18:08

I dont think he will be able to use a laptop. what is a scribe exactly?

OP posts:

allthosewhowanderarenotlost · 22/05/2017 18:14

A scribe is someone who writes down exactly what the candidate says. Essentially, the candidate dictates to the scribe. There is a form that is completed to say that a scribe is being used which will be submitted with the exam paper. What subject is it?

Original poster

humblesims · 22/05/2017 18:18

RS tomorrow. BS and Physics on Wed and Maths Friday. then half erm thank god.
Will they allow extra time if he has to use a scribe do you think?

OP posts:

TheFallenMadonna · 22/05/2017 18:23

25% extra time. Using a scribe is hard when you are not used to it. Practice is essential. For questions with SPAG, you have to dictate the capital letters, full stops etc.

SocksRock · 22/05/2017 18:25

I've been a scribe. I am only allowed to write exactly what the student says, he will need to dictate punctuation as well, except for the capital letter at the beginning of a sentence. He will need to say "full stop" if he wants to end a sentence. I may ask him to clarify by spelling common words sounding the same e.g. Their / there / they're. I'm not allowed to say anything at all except reading back text that I have written. I can't read the question or interpret it in any way or help with spelling.

He'll be accommodated in a separate room to avoid disturbing other students, I don't think extra time is available unless he gets extra time for other reasons. It's possible if he has the use of one hand a laptop might be available. This will allow him to get SPAG marks as long as the spell and grammar check are off.

Rosieposy4 · 22/05/2017 18:25

Yeah, he might find typing with one hand on the laptop easier. It is very hard to use a scribe if you have had no practice. Poor lad.
Get to school pronto tomorrow though to give them time to sort it.

Original poster

humblesims · 22/05/2017 18:26

Thanks for the info. Exam manager answered my email and is waiting for a response from the SLT. Guess we will just have to take things one step at a time. I'm gutted for him, he has worked really hard.

OP posts:

allthosewhowanderarenotlost · 22/05/2017 18:32

I taught a student who broke his arm on the morning of an exam. He took the exam later the same day with a scribe after being kept apart from other students as he came into school after it was set. This problem is one that does arise and there are procedures in place to deal with it. Good luck.

Original poster

humblesims · 22/05/2017 18:36

Thanks.

OP posts:

Ollycat · 22/05/2017 19:28

I scribe for students in GCSEs. We have had students who have broken arms and they generally find a laptop easier although that won't be poss with maths and much of science. Get him to try a laptop tonight and see how he goes - rs lends itself to a laptop (we have rs tomorrow afternoon is he the same) alternatively he can type some and a scribe some.

Our students who have scribes practice with them from year 7 or 8 really - it is very much a learned skill.

In maths calc paper get him to show the scribe what he has on the calculator and they will copy it down. I have scribed in maths and it is v v hard to do with some of the calculations.

Tge scribe will be able to read back to him what they have written.

He will probably get 25% extra time - in real terms that means that today's 1 he 45 min Eng Lit was 2 hrs 11 mins - that isn't much time!

Original poster

humblesims · 22/05/2017 19:49

Yes RS tomorrow. I think he might be OK with a laptop, but some extra time would be needed too. I cant see him managing a scribe with no practice first. I am hoping (and praying really) that by thursday and friday he might have a little more mobility in his elbow (where the injury is) to manage the maths and physics with painkillers and a stiff upper lip. Thanks for the help btw.

OP posts:

samlovesdilys · 24/05/2017 22:14

If it is giving him pain he may get medical note. Using a scribe or laptop when not practiced is VERY tough. This would allow him to miss some exams, he needs to do 50% including CA, so for example if science CA is worth 25% with 3 exams, he would only need to do one. You will need medical cert though. Happened to one of my lads a couple of years ago - cricket - so ask. I agree see exams officer FIRST THING though.

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