Special circumstances during GCSEs

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DS is in the middle of GCSEs right now, and DH's mum looks like she may only have days left to live. It's a horrible time, even though it's been inevitable for some time.

DH is obviously upset, but we are trying to be keep it low-key for DS. DS hasn't actually seen his Granny for a few years as she has dementia and hasn't recognised who he is for a long time.

However this happening right now is having an impact on DS. In the very likely expectation that she will pass on soon, I can see from the JCQ document on the school website that he may be eligible for special circumstances in his exams.

Does anyone know what evidence school/JCQ will need for this and will they need to chat to DS to see how much impact it has or is it just like an appeal kind of thing?

I know it seems like a weird thing to be thinking about right now but tbh all of the arrangements for DH's mum have already been made pretty much. Thanks if you can help.

I'm an exams officer, he will be eligible for some special consideration, speak to your exams officer and explain. The exam boards don't require any evidence, they will take the word of the school.

Definitely speak to the school's exams officer asap. DS was eligible for special circumstances during GCSEs but his school didn't put the application in on time. I can't remember if it has to be before they sit the exam or within a short time frame after the exam.

Sorry to jump on the thread, but if it is a very close family bereavement, and a child is really struggling in the exams, would they go back to mock results? Is there a standard response from the exam boards? Thanks.

My understanding is 5% award of extra marks depending on circumstance. Mock results are never used. If a candidate misses an exam through extreme & evidenced circumstances, and 50% of the paper has already been taken or will be taken) a grade will be given based on the 50%. Different boards might differ.

As a current example, a close friend of DS lost his mother 3 weeks ago. He is currently sitting his GCSE’s. He has been given the 5% across the boards. Doesn’t seem much, I know.

Thanks. My niece lost her Dad suddenly four weeks ago.

Mock results are never used as the exam boards have no guarantee they were conducted under JCQ regulations. There is a sliding scale 5% is the most available (for the loss of a parent) They have changed the regulations, for GCSEs they have to have completed at least 25% of the exams to be awarded a grade.

Thanks. That's tough

She's turning up for exams, although she had a complete mind blank in her language oral, which was the day before the funeral. So bloody hard

Definately speak to the exams officer. Dh was blue lighted into hospital on the morning of dd's maths exam last year with a suspected stroke and 2 days later her English paper features a newspaper article about a musician who died following a series of strokes (you really couldn't make it up) and I think she was given some consideration but I'm not quite sure how much.