My son missed 4 GCSE exams due to being ill.

[NoahFeilding]

My son has been very ill for the past week now, this has effected his ability to go to school to do his exams. I have contacted the school yet I have not heard back from them since Friday, even though I have been calling them everyday since then. I am very worried that this will hurt his ability to go to collage, and with the school not calling me back is their any other way he could do it when he is better or could I could contact someone else so that he could still achieve a good grade in them as he has missed four of them. Please let me know.

He has options
"If you miss more than one exam for a subject, the exam board may award an overall result based on how well you do in the exams you do take. If you miss all the exams for a subject, you would be expected to resit the exams in November, or if it was a subject that was not important to you then just forget about that GCSE."

https://edumentors.co.uk/blog/what-happens-if-you-miss-a-gcse-exam/

They should be doing a special consideration letter for every exam missed so that he will get a grade based on his coursework and mocks. Focus on gathering medical proof he was too ill to attend on exam day as you work on reaching the school.

See: https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guide_to_spec_con_process_2223_FINAL.pdf

The pp quoted the wrong part of the blog they linked. This part applies to you
”The Joint Council for Qualifications is a group of the eight largest providers of qualifications in the United Kingdom. They have implemented systems to ensure that students receive the grades they deserve. One such system is called “special consideration,” which takes into account any extenuating circumstances that may have affected a student’s performance on an assessment. According to JCQ, special consideration is given to students who have experienced illness, injury, or other unforeseen events that may have had an impact on their ability to perform.
The JCQ has provided a guide to the special consideration process on their website, which is updated annually, for more information on how to apply for special consideration. It is recommended that students visit the JCQ’s official website for the most up-to-date information on this process.”

Provided he's back for the other paper in each subject, it shouldn't be a problem, but I'm really surprised the school hasn't talked to you. Try and get them to put you through to the exams officer - perhaps ask what time they're most likely to be available.

Email the exams officer and ask for advice. Your ds will need to have to meet the 15% rule to be eligible for special consideration. There's no using mocks etc but if you sit eg 2 out of 3 maths papers then have d&v and miss the 3rd the exam board can do an aggregated grade. If your ds has seen a GP and you have an appointment confimation or prescription (you can take a photo of the prescription or medication label) or can get a transcript of the appointment then attach that to the email to the exams officer as evidence. If he hasn't seen the GP etc then you need to do the JCQ self certification form.
Don't panic though OP there is plenty of time to sort it and unless your ds misses all the exams of any subject he should still be able to get a grade based on what he has done.

The head of y11 and the exams officer are incredibly busy at the moment. That's likely why they've not replied to you. The best way to get in touch at this time of year is by email.

We don't do our special consideration applications until after the candidate's last exam so there's really no rush or need to panic.

@SummerFeverVenice do you think that special consideration would also apply to receiving traumatic news just before an exam, but still sitting said exam? (Sorry to hijack the thread).

Yes

Make sure you have sound medical evidence and contact the school exams officer. If you son recovers enough to do some exams he can discuss with school staff in school.

Yes, although it will probably only be a couple of % additional. You should definitely let your school exams officer know and they can advise you further.

do you know the name of the schools exam officer? ask reception for their email adress

No no no, there are no grades for mocks. There are also no grades for coursework unless this is already part of the exam being sat.

@NoahFeilding in your place I would be going in to the school immediately if you can as you do need to speak to someone.

Definitely phone but also email - you need a record of your contacting the school

if he has only missed one exam per subject he will be ok - they will use the other paper to give him a grade. He will need medical evidence.

How ill is ill? Hospital ill, possibly yes. But generally 'I feel shit today so I can't go in' probably not. I think a few kids have been caught out that way this year; especially those who have been used to having days off here and there for being ill, whereas other kids who have been ill have come in for the exam, then gone home. A few kids have been genuinely stunned that missing an exam (woke up late/ felt ill/ got day wrong) doesn't mean they get to sit it another day.

Coursework & Mocks are no longer a possible option to assign a grade from under special circumstances. This is because mocks are unregulated and all schools do them differently and many subjects do not have coursework.

SC will only use other papers sat from same subject to assess average grade expected or add on 1-5% marks to a paper if the paper was sat but some hardship was suffered, depending on incident that happened.

Have you gone to the gp so that there is independent confirmation of his illness?

@NoahFeilding former exams officer until very recently. Email the exams officer for your school and keep them fully updated. Send any evidence you have.

If he only missed say 1 paper out of 3, the exam board can average his grade from the 2 papers he sits to cover the 3rd missed paper.

If he misses all papers in a subject then there is nothing the exam board can do. In fairness, bad health sometimes means the only option is to resit the course later. Health comes before exams and life sometimes gets in the way.

Hope he’s better soon and just make sure you are in communication with the exams officer.

Special consideration only gives you a tiny percentage point extra. My nephew’s mother died unexpectedly just a week before the first GCSE - he found her - and he was only allowed 5%. I think that’s the maximum. He did sit all the exams, though.

You will need medical evidence such as a letter from the GP explaining the illness.

It’s possible but the % is not much. 5% is max and for things like death of parent! I’ll attach link to this years guidance and on page 17 ish is the % categories. JCQ Special Con for summer 2024

https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Guide_to_spec_con_process_2023_24_FINAL.pdf

Have you taken him to the doctor? The exam board will want a doctors note

That's only if you're in hospital

Unfortunately not, retaking in November is probably his only option

No, even in hospital, you cannot be given a grade from mocks or coursework.

Special consideration covers many situations, but it only adds on a percentage of marks gained to a sat exam, or takes into account a missed paper when others in the subject are still sat (for GCSE at least 25% of the exam components must have been sat).

Otherwise, even if in hospital, grades are only ever given/determined on completed exam papers.