Rest breaks for GCSES

[vbnm89]

My DD suffers from exam anxiety. She in year 11 and on her 3rd set of mocks, she gets so stressed out and doesn't eat or sleep during exam periods. She is capable of 8's and 9's but as she panics and doesn't write much she has been predicted 5's and 6's which is just about enough to get her on to a BTEC. Therefore I have told her these don't matter too much because they are more a practice for how they work rather than the actual grades, but she is still stressed out by the whole procedure.

The last round in January they sat her at the back of the hall which she much preferred and also allowed her rest breaks when needed. Today she was sat at the front of the hall and not given rest breaks which made her more anxious as she had no option to leave the hall.

I have just phoned the school and last time round as the exams were in house they could give her rest breaks but as she has no significant SEN she will not be entitled to rest breaks for the real GCSE's and if she was entitled she has to use them. In the last lot of mocks just knowing there was an option to leave if necessary was all she needed and actually she only took the rest breaks in 2 out of 18 exams. Often when she is in the moment of writing and thinking she doesn't need them but other times she will. It isn't that I don't believe the school but if this is the case I worry she will worry even more.

I am cross that I have only found out now that she will not get these breaks for the real exams.

She is absolutely scared stiff of 16 more exams without no option to leave if she needs it. I thought these rest breaks (just knowing she could leave if necessary) were going to make it so much easier for her.

Just wanted to check that the school is right and is it worth me appealing or is it set in stone that the rest breaks HAVE to be used. If this is so it is no good because she doesn't need them all the time and knowing she has to use them is just as stressful as not having them at all!!

You also don’t need a diagnosis to be covered by the Equality Act and classed as having a disability. source The guidance states "It is not necessary for the cause of the impairment to be established, nor does the impairment have to be the result of an illness."

But you do need to satisfy the definition of disability if you’re applying on mental health/emotional grounds? I understand that a medical diagnosis isn’t required because it’s a legal question whether the definition in the equality act is satisfied, not a medical one. But in order to get rest breaks it says on page 29 that the senco has to be satisfied that the equality act definition is satisfied

Aarrrgghh I’m completely confused. I need to sort this out for ds if I can. The rest breaks would help him significantly since he gets pain in his hands

It is possible that OP’s DD would meet the Equality Act definition. It is normal to feel slightly anxious before/during an exam but not to the extent she doesn’t eat or sleep and panics resulting in significantly underperforming. If she has anxiety around exams to this extent it is unlikely her anxiety is only ever present for exams, it is more likely it is present at other times to a lesser extent or fluctuates.

Please ensure you know the difference between rest breaks and extra time.

RB’s only need evidence and centre note.
ET needs application and to meet the toughened new criteria.

They are different things.

I had rest breaks and I was in a smaller room during my GCSEs not that long ago (due to mental health problems). As far as I’m aware the SENCO just decided that it was fine and nothing else needed to happen, although things may have changed. We weren’t allowed to leave the room but the breaks definitely helped a lot in terms of having time to calm down etc. Some teachers looked upon it quite negatively if you didn’t have what they deemed to be a ‘proper reason’ for being in a separate room. But anxiety definitely is a valid reason so your daughter should be entitled to breaks and a smaller room. Best of luck to you and her

www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/AA_regs_21-22_FINAL.pdf

Here’s the official regulations. Rest breaks are in section 5.1.

The sticking point seems to be ‘normal way of working’. If she rarely uses it, it’s not her normal way of working.

@HeddaGarbled

www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/AA_regs_21-22_FINAL.pdf

Here’s the official regulations. Rest breaks are in section 5.1.

The sticking point seems to be ‘normal way of working’. If she rarely uses it, it’s not her normal way of working.

NWOW for rest breaks can be that she uses them in mocks. Rest breaks don’t have to be an every day thing used as NWOW in class as they are more exam specific and rest breaks in class aren’t as likely to be needed due to less pressure. But if used in formal mocks then that’s enough evidence for NWOW.

The evidence for the OP situation could be that in the last mocks she had RBs and did well. But that in these mocks she didn’t get them and performed more poorly. That would show a need for them.

Speak to schools exams officer. There are some things they can do as a school but also some things you need to register and have permission for from the examining boards.

Today has been a bad day - she wrote barely nothing. Exams just freak her out beyond beleif but she needs at least 4's to get into college. Not quite sure what happens if she get belows this.

@donutqueen11

Today has been a bad day - she wrote barely nothing. Exams just freak her out beyond beleif but she needs at least 4's to get into college. Not quite sure what happens if she get belows this.

Sorry to hear that. If she gets below then speak to college. There are routes with extra years added in so more possibilities than you’d think.

However, if exams are not for her, perhaps finding a route based purely on coursework would be best.

The thing is, in life and education, there will always be these tests and pressure situations. So perhaps finding a way to increase her resilience towards them or desensitise her to them would be wise too.