Special circumstances what things count?

[Meltinthemiddle]

Head teacher has sent out a letter asking for us to complete form if we feel that there are special circumstances affecting home learning which could have impacted their GCSE's . Can I write that his mental heath was effected during lockdown?

If that was the case, you can certainly say so. If you got as far as making a GP appointment, then say that, too.

Certainly, though it will carry more weight if you can give more detail about how it affected his learning.

I imagine most responses will be of that nature...

Yes Grey you are probably right but then it's a considerarion isn't it as it definitely would have had an impact.

@Meltinthemiddle

Yes Grey you are probably right but then it's a considerarion isn't it as it definitely would have had an impact.

Yes, I agree.

Here you go: www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Special-consideration-–-Summer-2021.pdf

www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Special-consideration-–-Summer-2021.pdf

Annoying! I don't know why the link isn't posting as a hyperlink but it will if you copy and paste it.

There's quite a few things, but obviously COVID will have added a layer of complication. My DDs did GCSEs and A levels respectively in 2019 and their grandmother died two weeks before the start of the exam. They got a % added to their score.

In my experience of typical years the sort of adverse circumstances have involved: moderate illness, treatment for chronic conditions, close family bereavement, a student accessing professional mental health support (eg admitted to hospital as inpatient, or crisis team involvement, or ongoing involvement with CAMHS), family emergency situation, safeguarding situations etc.

I would imagine lots of parents will reply saying something like "mental health was affected during lockdown" and I'm not sure how much weight that would have on its own. If you can refer to any counselling appointments, GP appointments, any requests for CAMHS referrals, any contact you've previously had with Head of Year about mental health concerns, then that might have more weight. The disclaimer here is that COVID makes everything more difficult at the moment and it's not like normal years.

The link does work @ElizabethinherGermanGarden