Son unwell for gcses

[Pleasehelpmefindagoodusername]

I sent him to school this morning for his English exam feeling unwell. I gave him paracetamol. I rang the school and they agreed he could go home straight afterwards. His school doesn't do study leave. He's still doesn't feel well. He feels achey, shivery and wheezy. He's off his food he's never off his food. He's got another exam tomorrow and he wants to go. What happens if he's genuinely unable to go in? He's determined to go in. I have no idea what to do. What happens if he misses an exam. I must stress this is the last thing we want

Keep up the paracetamol and fluids and send him in. It’s better for him to show up and (if necessary) be sent home than to not turn up.

If he misses an exam altogether, with good reason, then provided he's done a certain percentage of the assessment, they'll give a grade off the other paper(s).

If he attends but is unwell, then they can apply for special consideration, which may get him a very small percentage uplift on his mark for that paper. Doing it with a fever may be worse than missing it altogether.

I'm trying to find the rules on what evidence is needed for what, but get on to the exams officer first thing.

https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/other-documents/estimating-the-missing-mark-when-a-candidate-is-absent/

Second the above poster. Keep school informed of his illness - they may find a separate room for him to sit it in in case he gets taken unwell. Sadly, in exam situations, it is much better to go in and be taken unwell than not go in. Special consideration can then be applied for by the school. He could get up to 5% extra marks to compensate him for poorer performance based on illness (2% is far more likely) but this is at the exam board’s discretion. It is not guaranteed.

I’d never advising missing an exam unless literally too ill to get out of bed. It’s amazing what a Lemsip plus can get you through!

I hope he feels better soon. Only 4 more days until half term.

JJCQ Guide to Special Consideration

Just sending good and calming vibes to you. Hope ds is okay and you aren't too stressed

I missed about half of my final A Level exams after a bike crash and 2 week stay in hospital! The school spoke with the exam boards and took Into consideration my predicted grades, coursework and previous modules I had already sat to come up with a final grade. There are ways round it - the school should be able to
advise

https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/
The relevant document is "A guide to the special consideration process".

I’ve just realised my reply above seems harsh. If you have made school aware of his illness today, and you know he’s already completed 15% (or will be able to complete 15%) of his assessed components for that subject before the end of the exam series, then school will be able so support a request for special consideration without him needing to sit the GCSE paper. My only fear is that this doesn’t get upheld for some reason. Hence my advice to let him get himself in to sit the paper and head straight home afterwards to rest.

Honestly, he needs to go in unless he worsens considerably in vernigjt- special considerations tend to be for accidents, bad injuries etc, i dont think a bad cold is enough reason to miss an important exam.

Plenty of fluids, lemsip, ibuprofen and toast in the morning before the exam, and collect him after it - the medicine and adrenaline will be enough to perk him up for the couple of hours needed.

Thanks all. He's gone in. I'm off sick myself not what ds2 has got I hasten to add.

Does your son have a cold. Mine had a cough and has another exam in Thursday.

Sadly that's no longer an option

Was running out of time and/or legibility an issue?

I know this thread is. Couple of months, but I would get the school to apply for special consideration - given the illness will have affected his exam performance. It’s quite a straightforward thing and the school exams officer should be able to help.

I think that boat has sailed - the time to apply for special consideration is as soon as the exam is taken, not after ther results have been received.