Year 11 - 2024/2025: It’s all downhill from here!

[QueenMabby]

New thread to help us get through the next week or so!

Then don’t talk about the kids who get extra time for difficulties that only level the playing field. They are not given an advantage by having it, it merely goes some way to try to get them to the starting line at the same time, not starting from many metres back.if people want to make the standard time longer, take it up with the schools and exam boards, don’t spend your time taking swipes at kids with SEN or disabilities.

Yes, she is allowed to stop to eat or take insulin which would take a minute but not given extra time to work in the exam because of being high or low.

Well said.

Honestly the sort of attitude shown by some posters here is very disappointing on what has been up until now, a very supportive thread. It’s like I’ve walked in on the late night goady ND threads that mumsnet gets so often.

Not quite the same but we also had to prove our DD's case over her anxiety, with a GP letter and details of her CAMHs referral. Her grades in her Y10 end of year exams – which were atrocious because of her panic attacks – were also taken into account.

DD is autistic. I personally have had to flight the school for 3 years to give her some sort of access arrangements. She was given extra time at the last minute. She still has run out of time in several exams, including today.

Today, she had keyed in the final calculation for a question, but time ran out just as she picked up the pen to write the down the answer, so that's yet another question lost.

DD herself was very reluctant to accept the 15% extra time because she thought her results wouldn't be on her own merits. Her tutor told her that was very noble of her but to take it because she was at enough of a disadvantage already. She knows but still feels bad about the extra time. To the point of having had panic attacks. Which undo the effects of the extra time for several days. Part of the reason is, she has heard others saying they're jealous of kids with extra time. They can have it, along with the rest of her issues.

My DD ran out of time in the Maths exam and is really upset because she could have done the last questions and done them well.

What is the point of learning all this stuff, to then be under such pressure especially when others get 30% more time

It's then no longer a level playing field!

I'm surprised that if you asked for extra time for her to complete the exam after needing to pause for insulin or to eat they didn't give it.

@ExamStuff - you are misunderstanding entirely. I also have an older DC with SEND.

I just now have a DD who has made herself really anxious during these exams because so many of her friends are getting extra time. And she is not. And yes she has some health issues which may be contributing, maybe she has some brain fog. So I am asking how to handle it? Of course I told her it is going to be fine and not to worry about it. What I am trying to avoid is her becoming so anxious about it that we end up having to ask for extra time for A levels, for exam anxiety.

I hope your daughter is coping ok.

It’s the sorts of shitty attitudes shown here that means there is still stigma and negativity over things like anxiety and ND. I’m really disappointed to see it here.

I’m not misunderstanding. I can see what is happening here and it’s not on.

You don't get 30% more time.

The norm is 25% extra.

And I would guess that the vast majority actually have no idea of how to even use extra time effectively as they may have got it at the last minute, and other than formal exams, schools rarely seem to manage it for class tests etc.

DD has had extra time since Y3 and been taught how to manage pacing with that in mind.

My guess is that the exam boards do trial the papers to get the time estimations right.

Every child who gets extra time is SEN. My daughter's anxiety is so acute she has regular panic attacks and requires CAMHs support. It blights her entire life, including her ability to study independently. If your DC is able to revise without breaking down every five mins and can sit down in an exam hall without freaking out and running out, then mine getting an extra 15 minutes on her exam in a smaller room to mitigate her doing the above means it IS a level playing field.

The children who get extra time were at a disadvantage before. This gives them a fighting chance. People seem unhappy that their child doesn’t get to keep their advantage they had from not being autistic, dyslexic, having adhd etc. Wow.

What a shame that up until now this thread has been such a supportive space for parents of DC of all abilities to discuss their exams. I hope those PP realise how much distress they are causing.

My bigotry? I’m presuming you have quoted me by mistake?

I have and I'm so sorry! I meant to tag that other PP. Going to ask MN to remove.

No worries at all. 😊

“We got to bisect a line”! 💖 it! Please tell your DS that he has made me smile!! Definitely an upgrade on “ fine”!!
All I got “ it was alright”….by text when he asked to be collected. Least it wasn’t “absolutely crap” I thought. So, my guard dropped, …he was playing some block game on his phone on way home, he “ lost data” , so swore down at his phone, apparently “ got punished” in the game….(we live in the countryside, so crappy mobile service, too), so I stupidly thought, be glass-half full! So, figured great 💡 to say …”well, it’s a lot better than it was 10 years ago…”.., to which his head shot bolt upright, I got death stare and “SERIOUSLY?? THAT WAS NOT DATA! THAT WAS ME PLAYING OFF LINE ON YOUR OLD IPAD”!!…..

Suffice to say, I got hard door slam on arriving home, and he has taken to his room to NOT revise English or Geography for sure, right now!

Hence .. “we got to bisect a line” is my phrase of the day!! Thanks DS ☠️ pigeon!! 🙏😹

In 2 exams she was high throughout but had already injected prior to the start. She's not allowed extra time for being high even though she has a monitor showing it. It is the subjects she wants to do at A level it affects the most as the extra pressure to do well raises her blood sugar.

From invigilating, not many of those with extra time use it, and even those that do often only use a bit. Just having extra time doesn’t mean it is enough to overcome the challenges they face in learning and in doing exams, and it certainly isn’t putting others at a disadvantage

DS has dyslexia and ADHD. Despite this he does not quality for extra time. The school do very rigorous testing to decide who qualifies. It upsets me as in his mocks he quite often only finished half a paper!

He is allowed to take rest breaks. That’s it. It is nowhere near a level playing field for these children. Even with extra time. I say this with one DS with SEN and one without. Everything is easier for DS2.

DS had AQA higher this afternoon, my limited feedback from him via text is it went reasonably well but was felt to be quite a hard paper with a very challenging last question

I was surprised to find that DD only gets rest breaks in exams that she writes by hand as she has hypermobile fingers.

She doesn't qualify in other subjects even though she is dyslexic and ADHD.

And agree that access arrangements help but never really level the playing field.

I edited instead. Really sorry!

Yeah they never really level the field and it’s very hard to qualify for the extra time. I have had to trust the school on this one. He never uses his rest breaks!