Predicted Grades and Extra Time

[ShinyShadow]

DD is in year 10 and we have her report with her predicted grades for GCSE.
At the start of year 10 the SENCO phoned to say that she may potentially get extra time at GCSE or breaks during the exams.

Obviously with everything going on she hasn't been actually assessed yet but normally would the teachers predicted grades include this provision? The teachers that SENCO spoke to agreed that both scenarios would be beneficial for her but because of bubbles nothing was able to be put in place for the tests she has done.

I know teachers don't have a crystal ball but I was just wondering.

Rest breaks can be given without assessment. Extra time for actual exams needs to be officially granted but can be given informally in mocks etc. I can’t understand why these couldn’t be given due to bubbles.

Yes when assessing grades teachers should take into account any access arrangement that the SENDCo thinks would be approved.

Although of course my answer above may change fully when the ofqual consult results are released on 22 Feb.

I think it's because the tests were done in lessons and then there was no opportunity for extra time, for most lessons they stayed in the one class which they had to leave at break times.

It’s based on “normal way of working”. So if she takes 25% extra time to complete tasks normally then you’d expect her to complete 75% of what a student who doesn’t need extra time would. Teachers can then take this into account. However, nobody currently knows what ofqual are going to come up with in how teachers assess grades. Anything’s possible.

Is this for GCSE’s she should have been sitting this summer as a Y10 candidate? If not it’s less likely that CAGs will be used by 2022 for her Y11 exams anyway. Well we hope!

What are the predicted grades based on? Schools use a variety of things.
They may just be based on KS2 SATS and not be linked to her current progress at all.
They may be based just on her most recent tests.
They may be based on a mixture of pieces of work she's done since she started Year 10.

The only one of these that extra time would potentially effect is if they were just based on tests. Even then, it depends what the tests were. If they were short tests in class, then it may be extra time/breaks would have made little difference.

@RedskyBynight

We have got three different grades. One is the target grade which is from KS2 SATs (so had the same since year 7), one she is currently working at and a GCSE predicted one. The ones she is currently working at and predicted are very similar.

@ThaimForTea Sorry I should have said. This is for 2022

[quote ShinyShadow]@ThaimForTea Sorry I should have said. This is for 2022 [/quote]
In that case I wouldn’t worry too much. Plenty of time for her to be assessed and awarded access arrangements for the actual exams she will sit. Teacher assessed grades won’t matter as much to her (fingers crossed of course!).

OP your DC should be entitled to 25% in any formal timed assessment. But the reality is it depends on the school DD current year 11 was diagnosed with dyslexia age 8 when we paid for an Ed Psych report.

This report is valid until she is 16.
I have sent the school copies of the report once before she started and on three other separate occasions as well as reminding teachers in parents evenings. We had an email debacle with the school and finally they agreed to honor the 25% extra time recommended in the report.

Then she had two mock, mocks in September and received no extra time in either. She also did mocks in December in freezing cold halls where she was granted extra time (but this w mean staying beyond the school day, also due to covid all the windows were open. She was practically blue when she came out of school and so didn’t take the 25% extra time offered.

Goodness knows what will happen with CAG grades.

@Spring2021 access arrangements are time limited about 2 years I think so your report wouldn't actually help as the exams boards would want a recent assessment.

No an Educational Psychologists report is valid until she is 16.

The school have acknowledged her report and decided she is entitled to the extra time. But our understanding and the Ed Psych’s recommendations was that this should have been automatically in place until her GCSE’s.

Access arrangements don’t always follow a diagnostic assessment as they’re follow the regulations set down by the exam board. This stipulates that the extra time must be the normal
way of working and that the student has had certain scores (usually below av in things like aspects of cognitive processing) in access arrangements testing from Y9.
The two year rule is only for specific circumstances with most arrangements timing from 26 months after the formal application has been made.
There are many easements this year due to the pandemic.
Hopefully plenty of time for things to get sorted for next year.

@spring2021 - due to changes in how long reports are valid for for DSA purposes there is no longer a requirement for a post-16 for an application. Access arrangements do not require a full diagnostic so you may not need another commissioning. Some unis, but not all, are asking for an update.

Currently you have to have an assessment from no earlier than year 9 demonstrating a below average speed of working score for extra time in GCSE exams if the need is learning unless the child has an EHCP.
@Spring2021 the school will have to reassess, it may have been different when she was assessed but current regulations won't allow an EP report for dyslexia that's completed before year 9.

I'm an access arrangements assessor.

@Bimblesalong

With DD it's for her anxiety due to having ASD. She had extra time in SATs which ultimately made things worse for her as her high results caused high and unachievable target grades unfortunately. But I think it's easier to get extra time in SATs isn't it?
I don't think she's ever been tested for cognitive processing and certainly not in year 9, so maybe they wouldn't be able to get extra time for her anyway.

For ASD application she will need a report detailing her difficulties, it doesn't have to recommend extra time specifically. It will need to be signed off by a mental health professional or educational psychologist.

My advice would be to push really hard for it now as the rules on extra time look at the normal method of working so the sooner it can be demonstrated as normal the better.

Ok thank you @wonderstuff that has changed considerably then since DD saw the Ed Psych. Unfortunately or fortunately DD is quiet, conformist and hates attention from teachers or her peers so I think she often manages to just slip below the radar (as far more kids are disruptive and not achieving). She is also quite bright at maths and science and good at creative solutions to a problem but unfortunately her written work takes a lot out of her and brings her grades down. So she isn’t achieving her full potential.
If you were me shall I tell the school she never took her extra time in the December mocks incase they are used as CAG (for the reasons stated) or will the invigilators have reported it or would you just leave things? Thanks

I'd expect the SENCO and subject teacher to know who takes extra time, if sounds like the circumstances were less than ideal though so I'd certainly want to make sure they are aware of why she didn't take extra time.

As she is Y11 I would chase an application to JCQ, if she's not been assessed by school I don't see how they can have applied. Deadline for applications is end of March but JCQ are willing to accept late applications give the current circumstances.

Although GCSE exams aren't going ahead there may be some testing as part of the assessment process and GCSE applications can be rolled forward for A levels or other post-16 exams, advice is to submit applications.

Do feel so much for Y11, the uncertainty and disruption must be incredibly stressful.

Thank you for the information @wonderstuff
Normally schools assess the child and then request an assessment from the Educational Psychologist? The last time she was seen was year one due to anxiety and a query of hyperlexia,

@Spring2021 it must be so difficult having a child in year 11 right now

To be honest @ShinyShadow EP appointments can be like gold dust, my large secondary gets 2.5 days a year with the EP, I think its better in some parts of the country. I'd certainly speak with SENCO and ask how she plans to apply for ET, you need a plan.

@wonderstuff thank you I will. I was worried I would come across as ridiculous as they're not in school right now but a plan would be good

@ShinyShadow wonderstuff has given wise advice.
It may be that having the option of supervised rest breaks is a possibility - not for cognitive processing but for managing anxiety attacks. This is school delegated and doesn’t need an assessment. However, if there are indications that additional time can be helpful the centre should be able to look at this and this can be put in place as well as supervised rest breaks. Wishing you all the best.
(I’m am assessor, former senco and trainer of assessors).