Extra time in exams - how schools actually decide.

[MJHLondon]

I work in learning support and am worried about how difficult parents with neurodiverse children find it to interpret the JCQ (exam board regulations). I am wondering how common this is and what help is available generally?

@mrsconradfisher
It sounds as though the SENCo is probably thinking about the “normal way of working” requirement in the JCQ guidance.

In England, extra time usually has to reflect support that is already part of the student’s normal classroom practice rather than something introduced just for exams. Schools normally have to show evidence from class tests, internal assessments or teacher observations that a difficulty with speed of working is affecting performance.

When difficulties only become obvious once timed tests increase in Year 10, it can sometimes be harder because the evidence hasn’t been built up earlier. That doesn’t necessarily mean nothing can be done, but schools usually need to see the pattern across several assessments before deciding whether an arrangement like extra time is appropriate.

Sometimes other adjustments are also considered depending on the nature of the difficulty.

It might be worth asking the SENCo how they are monitoring his performance in timed assessments this year and whether they are gathering evidence about processing speed or speed of working.

@Miskast
Just to clarify my intention with the thread – I’m certainly not criticising parents. If anything it’s the opposite.

As I mentioned I work in school learning support and over the years I’ve realised that the exam access arrangements system can be quite difficult for parents to interpret from the outside, especially because most of the guidance is written for schools rather than families.

I was really just interested in how it looks from a parent’s perspective and what parts of the process feel unclear. It’s actually helpful for me to hear different experiences.

@mrsconradfisher I am not an expert but he still has Y10 mocks, Y11 mocks and lots of smaller timed tests ahead of him. I think there should be plenty of time to trial him with a different colour pen (he switches colour at end of standard time period) and to test him for things like slow processing. My non-expert theory is that bright autistic students can compensate for/hide their slower processing with sheer ability in younger years - they miss bits but can guess well enough, or can get down just enough to get the marks - but the wheels can fall off when expectations step up in Y10. My top set autistic child tested as bottom 15% for processing speed, which apparently made a strong case for securing her extra time. It might also be worth considering whether your son would benefit from moving down a set or two in some some subjects. A slightly slower pace, and being separated from the very whizziest kids, might just give him a few extra beats to absorb the information and mean he takes in more and does better. Because if he does have a processing issue with getting things down on paper, which is common in autistic students, he is likely to also have the same issue with absorbing information even if he is unaware of it (like someone not knowing they need glasses because blurry is normal for them). Lower set doesn't always mean lower marks, it lowers the pace which can often benefit children who are high IQ but slower processors.

The cut off for applications is March of Y11 so they still have a whole year to build evidence for him. I think sometimes it's convincing a SENCo that the child is doing their utmost and is distressed, rather than the dropping marks being because they have decided to coast. Convincing them that you are not just "that parent" asking for accommodations because their coasting child has not pulled their finger out. If his marks have just dropped off a cliff despite him trying hard, that is already the start of evidence that there is a problem.

If he can't get extra time it is worth exploring whether he could get rest breaks, which apparently are easier to get and might take a bit of the pressure off.

However as OP pointed out, I am not well versed in JCQ guidelines on this. I'm only speaking from our experience.

Miskast makes a good point about rest breaks. Under the JCQ regulations they are a centre-delegated arrangement, so they are generally easier for schools to implement than extra time. Schools still need to record the rationale and ensure it reflects the student’s normal way of working, but they don’t require the same specific testing evidence that extra time sometimes does.
The guidance actually encourages schools to consider arrangements like rest breaks before extra time in some cases, particularly where fatigue, processing load or concentration during long tasks may be the main issue. In fact, the regulations require the SENDCo to consider rest breaks before extra time can be awarded in the case of a medical condition.

To further clarify, until a few days ago, the school were actually required to trial and thoroughly exhaust the option of rest breaks before considering extra time as an option. Literally in the last day or so the JCQ provided an update changing the regulations:

In section 5.1, supervised rest breaks, we have amended the wording to state that ‘Where a candidate has an impairment other than a learning difficulty, the SENCo should consider the option of supervised rest breaks before making an application for 25% extra time’. This is because we recognise there might be circumstances where it might not be practicable or appropriate for a SENCo to ‘trial and exhaust’ supervised rest breaks before making an application for 25% extra time. SENCos should always use their professional judgement to determine the most appropriate adjustment for the candidate’s assessments. This would be based on classroom observations, feedback from teachers and the candidate’s own views.

when they say an impairment other than a learning difficulty they mean a medical condition such as ADHD or ASD etc.

@mrsconradfisherThe update from the JCQ also identifies correctly that the students on view is important in terms of evidence about what examination access arrangements are appropriate for him. Evidence does not just have to come from teachers. The view of the student themselves is also very important.

There. is an argument that for many with ADHD rest breaks are better. If the child is at their limit with 2 hours of writing or whatever anyway, extending this can create more pressure than it alleviates. Especially at GCSE when they are sitting often 12 or more exams in the first 2 weeks with little recovery time.

However rest breaks are not always implemented well. DD's been told she can only have 5 mins, and she's had to take them sat at her desk when the reason she has asked for the break is sensory overwhelm sat next to multiple students with readers. But I guess there is only so much a school can do when they have dozens of students now needing these adjustments - they can't all have their own room and staff.

Miskast, you are absolutely correct. Sometimes extra time simply extends the time a student is in the stressful examination environment. In terms of accommodation schools usually have one or two rooms separate from the main exam hall for pupils who need this to support concentration, have readers etc. it’s quite unusual to have 1:1 invigilation - this would be used when there is a risk of disruption to other candidates. An example might be if an individual had Tourette’s syndrome or significant behavioural difficulties etc. The implications for resourcing individual invigilation are obvious .

@mrsconradfisher if DS is in Y10, there is still time to demonstrate normal way of working. Not needing adjustments before now doesn’t necessarily mean DS doesn’t meet the criteria for extra time (&/or other EAA). I would request a meeting with the school.

My DD’s schools made the arrangements including testing. Dd1 had 25% extra time, breaks and a separate room (asd) and dd2 had just the extra time (dyslexia). I didn’t have to ask them to sort it but I did need to send in each of their official diagnosis letters to be submitted to the exam board which was around early February at that time

To me as a parent to a teen with ASD and dyspraxia extra time was for kids that needed more time in exams ie for processing or who generally in lessons needed extra time to finish their work. Neither applied to mine who worked fast but I've known (and worked with) students who got it and i didn't think should have. I think it would make much more sense to have 10% as an extra time option rather than just 25 and occasionally 50%. Things have tightened up much more in recent years though I think.

That’s absolutely true. In the IB exam specification I believe 10% extra time is available as an access arrangement.

In the IB system as I understand it 10% extra time can be used where a student has a documented difficulty affecting processing or reading speed but does not need the full 25%.

The IB also still requires evidence and the adjustment has to reflect the student’s normal way of working in school, but the allowance can be scaled (10%, 25%, or occasionally more) depending on the level of need. That flexibility is quite different from the GCSE/A level system where the main threshold tends to be 25%.

It’s quite an interesting comparison actually because the different systems approach it slightly differently.
If anyone has questions about how schools usually evidence things like processing speed, reading speed or “normal way of working” under the GCSE/A level system I’m happy to try to explain how it tends to work in practice. It can be quite opaque from the outside

What makes little sense if the getting the diagnosis or adhd and or asd and it makes no difference as school still (y9) want to do use the class tests to decide if they need extra time
so 2 re tests where the dc got 8-12 marks more
and now a maths paper they got 4 marks (8%) more in 12 minutes. So 66% to 74.
And never finishes any work.
But
—because these are not proper exams it could just be the time given is always too short
— i dont think a higher set would be suitable for this child but the loss of marks on every test definitely could be affecting it.
—with adhd possibly the dc could speed up a bit when on meds. But even they are not certain/predictable re reactions
— ive known dc is unusually slow since y6 sats but the teacher ‘couldnt ‘ get extra time then. So dc didnt finish the reading. And i have talked about it increasingly frustrated at every parents eve since.

The ‘system’ is not working for us! How can we at least 3 years on still not finish anything and not be allowed extra time?

Weve had to pick gcses and avoid history as im certain dc wouldnt finish and looking at past papers organising time looked impossible.
Im certain the papers for all gcses have much less time than when i sat them. No wonder so many kids want extra time. Though my understanding is many kuds actually dont want it themself and its making little difference to them

That does sound really frustrating, especially if it’s been a consistent pattern over a number of years.

In terms of how schools look at this, they don’t need long formal exams to build evidence — what they’re usually looking for is whether the same pattern shows up in timed classroom tests and regular assessments over time.

If a student is consistently not finishing within the allowed time, that is often something schools would explore further, but they would usually want to understand why — for example whether it’s linked to processing speed, reading speed or written output.

One helpful question to ask the school might be whether they are seeing that same pattern across different subjects and whether any adjustments (like rest breaks or extra time in class tests) have been trialled as part of normal way of working.

The school seem to not have allowed anyone extra time in tests until now. Which does seem wrong. The tests often tale up whole lesson so cant be longer.
It does seem to affect all subjects - even art. (So eng/maths/history/art/mfl etc)
And is i assume a processing speed issue. Her reading speed is probably ok.
Even affects doing cookery or other D&T. The cookery she does manage to finish as time is left for cleaning etc. But other d&t projects she hasnt finished them.
Affects homework too probably 2-3x as long to do maths. And art can take hours..
The only times it may not be an issue is say a spelling test or multiple choice science test. Perhaps because it can be less thinking/decision making and is pure reading and writing. I think that probably makes sense with how it developed through school.
(reception - Gifted reading ability chapter books before 5, but slow to write correctly and maths dropping in y1, some refusal to do hard work through the years in class. By y6 only doing 1 maths question a lesson. And needed a lot of help to do sats because they hadnt been doing the practise. Only 50% if that of the arithmetic paper getting done).

It feels like it is unusual for what should be an able student to be so slow. And yet they are slightly faster at maths than y6. Though in some ways more an issue or should be noticeable because they are able to answer all the paper whereas ‘lower achieving/ability’ cant answer it all anyway

That’s a really helpful description actually, because the pattern you’re describing is exactly what schools are trying to understand when they look at this.

The key thing they tend to look for is whether the difficulty is consistent across subjects and over time, rather than linked to one subject or type of task. What you’ve described (affecting multiple subjects, taking much longer for homework, not finishing even when understanding is there) is the sort of pattern that would usually prompt schools to look more closely at speed of working.

You’re also right that it doesn’t have to be “formal exams” — evidence often comes from normal class tests and day-to-day work.

What schools then have to establish is why it’s happening (e.g. processing speed, written output, organisation etc.) and whether support like extra time is part of the student’s normal way of working in class.

It might be worth asking the school how they are currently building that picture across subjects, and whether any adjustments (like extra time or rest breaks in class tests) have been trialled consistently.

@Adaaustem Just to add to this, what you’re describing sounds like a fairly consistent pattern across different subjects and types of task, which is usually what schools are looking for when they’re trying to build evidence.

In those situations, they would normally expect to see that same pattern coming through in timed class assessments and end-of-year exams, not just in isolated tests.

It might be worth having a very direct conversation with the SENCo about how that evidence is being gathered across subjects, and whether they feel it points to a broader difficulty with speed of working. If it does, the next step is usually looking at what support is being used regularly in class (e.g. extra time or rest breaks) so that it becomes part of normal way of working.

Thank you.
i dont think rest breaks would help- could hinder. Because its not a tired hand (or brain). We do break down some tasks at home (eg maths into the times tables). But with other homework we have to just push through even if its hours because shes so avoidant it wouldnt get done.

Unfortunately the school never has year end exams. Which does make the situation re class testing that doesnt allow extra time worse. Because

• tests are limited to mainly 1 lesson at most. I think 1 time in a double lesson.
• they dont have much notice of tests - up to 5-7 days at most. And that means they are still doing possibly a lot of homework for other subjects AND tests on same day for other subjects.
• i guess yes it would be more obvious if you have tests in may/June and all the results were 10% down and not 1 paper finished. Whereas what happens is its say oct and you get 1 test - not finished. You talk at parents eve to all teachers but just get its on radar later, later..
• homework isnt marked nor graded. .For geo (and maybe mfl) in class its more obvious as there will be printouts so you can see its half completed. (But obviously never any comment from teachers)

I think the school/senco see it as a problem for gcses etc but not the harm that is being caused - in lessons and these small tests. As examples whilst not ever having extra time weve had kids put in maths sets (based on sats) and rejigged based on class tests. Put in sets for MFL - which havent changed in almost 2 years. We are doing gcse science already but school will decide on who gets to do separate science (no extra time). Gcse predictions already so obviously incorrect. In y10 they will likely rejig classes to fit chosen gcse and perhaps more setting. Its just all an unnecessary addition to the main sen issues we also have.

But what seems minor now will likely explode to a huge issues in next 2 years because we cant speed up homework so probably squeezing out revision time. And moving to longer exams and essays.

I can see why this feels frustrating, especially as it’s been a consistent pattern for a long time.

One thing that stands out from what you’ve described is that if extra time (or any other adjustment) isn’t being used at all in class tests, it becomes quite difficult for a school to build the “normal way of working” evidence that’s needed later on.

Schools don’t need formal exams to do that — they can use regular class assessments — but they would usually need to trial some support in those situations to see what actually helps and to build that picture over time.

It might be worth asking the SENCo again very directly whether they are planning to trial any adjustments in class (even on a small scale to start with), so there is some evidence to work from before GCSE courses really ramp up.

You’re also right that this tends to become much more of an issue as exams get longer in Y10/11, so it’s helpful to address it earlier if possible.

It might also be helpful to have a focused conversation with the SENCo specifically about exam access arrangements, just so you can go through how they’re viewing it at the moment and what evidence they feel is still needed. That can sometimes make things much clearer.

It feels like it is unusual for what should be an able student to be so slow.

@Adaaustem it actually isn’t that unusual. It isn’t that unusual for DC not to need so much time for maths. It is why some may need extra time for some subjects but not all.

Your issues go beyond exam access arrangements. Request a meeting with the SENCO. Follow up with an email so you have a paper trail as evidence should you require it in future. The school must make their best endeavours to meet DC’s SEN. If you don’t get anywhere, go higher.

However, some of what you say is normal in many schools. For example, having homework and tests at the same time, differences in setting policy between subjects. Have you asked the school about their homework and classroom marking policy?

Have you looked at how to ease the homework burden? For example, not doing homework for subjects DC won’t take at GCSE. Not doing homework that is ‘filler’ type homework.

I think that’s a helpful point about how varied this can look in practice.

What @Adaaustem is describing does sound more like a consistent pattern across subjects rather than something subject-specific, which is usually what schools look for when they’re considering whether there’s a broader difficulty with speed of working.

That’s why the evidence side becomes quite important — not just whether work is unfinished, but whether that pattern shows up regularly across different types of task and over time.

A conversation with the SENCo is definitely the right next step, but it can be helpful to keep it focused on how that evidence is being gathered and whether any adjustments are being trialled in class to build a clearer picture.

Sorry - are you using ChatGPT to write all your responses? There's a really odd dynamic to your posts.