GCSE's Medical condition diagnosed too late for access arrangements

[MoonUnit27]

My DO has been unable to attend school since December due to visual problems (not previously experienced). We're getting closer to diagnosis but still not got it due to wait times for specialists. Sat a couple of papers but really struggled. Mock results good.
School have given rest breaks and laptop for exams, but didn't know what other access arrangements would help. Has anyone got experience of requesting "statement of recognition of likely qualifications and results" to allow DO to move to next stage without having to resit. School have suggested may not be able to resit there as no room in year below. Any similar experiences / advice?

Modified papers are modified by the school photocopying them onto A3 paper from A4. Larger print isn't supplied by exam board. I would ask the exams officer again whether they actually checked or made an jncirrect assumption.

I have been in touch with exam boards myself, and I had to get everything put in place myself for my son - unfortunately a change of SEN leadership meant the provision went to shit.
And was told everything needed to be put in place and registered with the exam board by January.
And for another example my friends DD who goes to a different school has just lost her Grandad mid exams and the exam boards have said it's too late for special circumstances to be added.

Larger print is provided by the exam boards, the schools can't even open the papers until they're in the examination room so can't photocopy them beforehand!

No they don't! Well not at my son's school anyway, it's the same scribe for each exam and they've been working together on exam preparation since January.
Every child I know who uses a scribe (I know quite a few) has the same scribe for each exam.

If school have already agreed to the laptop, would they consider plugging in a bigger monitor screen so the size can be increased more easily. May be easier to also use a separate keyboard and mouse so the laptop can be to one side and you don't get distracted by that screen.
Its what people working in offices do - laptop screens are way too small!!

Even if the centre doesn’t use the same scribe for each exam, having worked with scribes previously but not the particular scribe you have in that exam is different to having never worked with a scribe at all before. The latter is not ideal, especially for essay subjects, and sticking with a laptop (and other adjustments) may well be better than a scribe.

Temporary illness/injury and/or a new disability/new need for access arrangements can be applied for after the normal deadline. There is a section of JCQ’s EAA guidance specifically about that. Although OP’s DD’s difficulties don’t sound new. They were present prior to the deadline.

Why does she need a diagnosis? As long as there is evidence of her need, diagnosed or not, then suitable arrangements can be applied for, and should have been months ago. Get on to the exam officer urgently, asking for emergency considerations.

Large print is provided by the exam board as photocopying doesn’t always work that well particularly for subjects with diagrams. My DD is registered partially visually impaired and had her exam papers ordered in advance. The ones the school did for her mocks were not clear enough for her.

Have you had any input from the visual impairment team at your local council? I have found ours to be invaluable in the support they have offered. My DD did not have a EHCP at this point and all the necessary arrangements were put in place for her.

I'm enjoying the animal theming of this exchange. But I don't think Jan is right. My daughter's was all done in early March. Still it's a bit of a moot point as both Jan and Mar are before May.

Special consideration for bereavement etc absolutely can be applied for during the exams themselves, and is specifically designed for very last minute events. The deadline for application is something like 7 days after the last scheduled exam, so late June? The problem is it's only a tiny % and it sounds like that won't touch the sides in this case. I can't see how your friend's daughter's grandfather dying could possibly have happened too late for SC to apply, if she is still mid exams now. I would direct your friend to the JCQ guidelines for special consideration. However the adjustment she'd get would be very small. Losing a parent only gives a max 5% adjustment.

If visual, can Exam Officer go and quickly photocopy sheets in larger font? Or use a computer to enlarge.

Computer maybe better as enlarging doesn’t always work well.

Colour on screen can be adjusted as reading from yellow (or reducing blue) can help reduce the glare.

Its best practice, but best practice is not the norm unfortunately

Yes there's a deadline for access arrangements if they're for something that has been present for the duration of school, there's a admin responsibility to lodge these things on time, it would be mayhem otherwise. But it's also to ensure that any access arrangements put in place are the child's normal way of working and they're not having to get used to something new on the day of exams, which would ironically disadvantage them. Ideally they'd have time to practice these arrangements for mocks and tweak as needed. This obviously doesn't apply if a child has a new medical condition that's got worse in the run up to exams and now needs access arrangements put in place in order for the child to access the exams. Dec is very recent, it would've been impossible to know if a medical condition that started then would still be bad in May. It's most definitely an exceptional circumstance.
As for the grandad bit- This is like JCQ Chinese whispers. JCQ have a very detailed guide on all of this and there is no deadline to people dying, that is nonsense.

The deadline for modified papers was 31st January (although the exam boards make it clear they will still try to fulfil applications for modified papers after this date but can’t guarantee it), but the deadline for all other access arrangements was 21st March. The school absolutely should have applied fro access arrangements on time.

I've had various levels of visual impairment at times. Defo agree that a laptop screen is not big enough. Mine is always plugged into a 27" screen, separate keyboard and mouse. In the past I have also played with Microsoft settings. There is one to flip it to white text on black background (which helps reduce blurring) and enlarge the icons somewhere in the accessibility settings. Might be worth trying out ahead of exams and asking school to ensure laptop is set up that way ahead of the exam if it helps.

They have been terribly misinformed. Special circumstances aren’t applied for until after the last exam in the series.

You need a QTVI, please ask for an urgent telephone/in person appointment with the ECLO at the eye hospital your child is under to arrange this. Also ask if she is eligible for CVI.

You must have some medical letters, leading up to this date? Even with no diagnosis, they could explain her eyesight problems. With a consultants letter, you could have applied for a reader and a scribe, as well as rest breaks and probably extra time. This can be organised very quickly. We had a pupil who broke their hand the day before GCSEs and he was given a scribe and extra time.

Thank you. Unfortunately we don't have a diagnosis yet and it has all been put down to migraines and stress, but now that the symptoms have been going on for months the medical professions are beginning to look for other issues. Unfortunately it looks likely that nothing will be resolves before the end of exams, so we will have to look at doing something with an EHCP and visual impairment support next academic year.

Please could you explain ECLO and CVI? We are waiting for referral to paediatric ophthalmologist but it has been triaged as routine (as they think it is visual stress or visual snow syndrome for which there is no treatment) so probably 6 month wait. I ring regularly to see if we can get a cancellation.

My DD has been having all sorts of medical issues to do with the eye as well in the last year, we've ended up under neurology. She's also sitting her GCSEs now and without letters from the consultant, I'm not sure we would've got very far.
We were fobbed off lots, also put under routine. You need to contact pals if you haven't already, explain GCSEs, impact etc. Even a confirmation letter from the department to say she's awaiting an appointment- that's what we had at one point. That's the only way we got to where we are and unfortunately- still no diagnosis but we do have access arrangements and letters in case she misses an exam. You may not end up with a diagnosis- but for GCSEs that's not what you need really. You need a letter confirming that the issues have got worse now, and other than that, she's been prepared sufficiently for the exams.

Minimally they need a reader for the exams that’s allowed and I wonder if a TA could operate a reader pen for the exams a person reader isn’t. That’s just me wondering out loud for the last bit.

ask for a big monitor and large keyboard if they can’t touch type.

definitely contact the VI team and ask for help.

sorry for lack of capital letters! my phone is doing its own thing tonight.

What council do you live in, if you don't mind sharing?