Special arrangements for GSCE - invigilator interrupted son to question

[Islandgirllk]

Hi I really need some advice regarding what happened during my son’s gcse English language paper 1 exam. He had special arrangements due to SEN - extra time and rest breaks all agreed with the Senco prior to exams starting.
During the exam on asking for a rest break he was told by the invigilator (who he didn’t know) that he was not allowed rest breaks if he was having extra time. This really threw him and for the rest of the exam he was confused and fretting about what he could or couldn’t have. As a result his concentration was shot. I complained to the year head as soon as I found out and subsequently all other exams went smoothly. I was keeping everything crossed for him for a pass.
However has has been awarded a Grade 3 but was only 3 marks off a Grade 4.
So my question is do I appeal on the basis of this interruption which I feel could have been the difference between an additional 3 marks and therefore a pass.
He now can’t do his first choice of course at 6th form.
I’m so upset for him and I really had to fight for those additional arrangements.
Any advice would be so appreciated.
Thank you

Well there's no harm in trying but I wouldn't hold out much hope on the basis of being asked a question (I do understandwhy it bothered him so much, my ds would have beenthe same). But, if he didn't get the extra provision he was entitled to, then the case would be stronger, esp if you can show he usually does score at a 4 with the provision in place.

What did he score on the uninterrupted English paper?

It might be easier to petition the 6th form to bend its rules than get his grade changed though (is the 6th form part of the same school?)

I would say that you should have applied for "special consideration" which should be done on or as close as possible to the day the exam was taken. This process can add on marks if a student is affected by circumstances beyond their control. Do you know if the school applied for this?

It looks as if you can appeal if your request for special consideration has been turned down and you don't agree with the exam board decision. However the deadline is very soon and you have to go through the school where your child took their exams.

The appeal process at this stage is against the exam board, because you believe that they've not followed their process correctly.
However, your problem is with the school. They should have asked for special consideration at the time. If they didn't, the fault is theirs.

Agree with other posters re school should have asked for special consideration but just to bear in mind OP it is a max of 5%, and these circumstances probably wouldn’t get the full %. No idea what English papers are out of ( Scientist here) but might be worth doing that calculation first before anything else.

Applications for special consideration have to be completed within seven days of the last exam. That ship has sailed, I'm afraid, unless the school applied and it was rejected. They can't apply now.

SC for this would be only 1% for minor upset due to administration error.

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Guide_to_spec_con_process_May23_FINAL.pdf

School should still have applied for it but I doubt it would be got him 3 extra marks depending on the max marks available.

It's also a percentage of the marks awarded, rather than the ones available. 1% more is not very likely to make the mark move to the higher grade.

SC for this would be only 1% for minor upset due to administration error.

But it wasn’t an administrative error, it was a failure to provide an agreed adjustment.

OP could you ask if the 6th Form could make an adjustment instead and admit him?

It doesn’t matter what you call it. There are strict rules about what issue falls under what category and when you consider ‘death of a parent’ only gets you 5% you can see that a failed arrangement won’t get much. The JCQ guidelines are strict and I’m guessing school either failed to apply for SC or it was rejected.

Luckily sixth forms can often be very flexible so maybe a meeting with the admissions team could be arranged.

If he can't perform to the standard of grade 4 with extra time, and this is a requirement to study at advanced level, then I don't really see why the sixth form would want to bend the rules.

@Somaliwildass There are plenty of reasons that someone may struggle with English Language but be a high achiever in other areas, whether that is math, art or something else. Or are you suggesting that someone who has, for example, a specific learning difficulty, shouldn't be able to access higher learning?

Depends on course. My ds got a 4 with special arrangements (reader scribe and extra time) people would say he shouldn't study higher as not able.

But he got 7 and 8 in maths subjects and double 9 in science. Did stem at college and HNC. Passed t level with merit (equivalent to 3 Bs at a level)

Some people will struggle with English Lang due to the type of send they have. Doesn't mean they can't excel elsewhere.

I got good GCSEs - except English language which I barely scraped a C, and failed English Lit. I went on to get good AS and A level results and three degrees in science from RG universities plus a random selection of other qualifications. Not understanding what I was meant to write in English never held me back in science.