Can a school appeal a GCSE grade because they failed to allow extra time and print exam on correct coloured paper?

[jordintay]

I have raised a complaint with the head of curriculum and chair of governors at my DD school . My dd has just received her GCSE results. She passed her science with B but failed the other two important ones - Maths and English. She gained a grade C in Maths Units 1 and 2 but a D in Unit 3, giving an overall mark of D. English was D across the board. I agree that another year of English will do her good. We have been advised she missed the overall Maths C by 1 point. DD advises she was not given the extra time allowed nor were the exams printed on blue paper which is normal practice for her dyslexia and visual stress. The exam board have obviously marked on the information they were given but the school have completely failed my dd; extra time and the correct coloured paper is likely to have made more than this one point difference. The school advise they cannot appeal and she will need to resit all 3 units again taking Maths for another full year. As result of this and her ALIS results they have now refused her to take the AS subjects instead making her resit another year of Maths and English and two Level 2 diplomas instead. At the start of year 10 she was predicted grades E/F in everything until WE had her tested for dyslexia. Since this diagnosis she went on to gain B's and C's (apart from English and Maths) so in two years she has moved on 2 grades. I feel she has been let down on two basis - they failed to diagnose her dyslexia (her written work is full of uppercase B and D as this is the only way she can distinguish a b from a d) and then they failed to give her the extra time and blue exam papers - which are specified on her IEP and her own 'Passport' which she has for the class teachers. When she had the meeting with the head of curriculum he asked why she never said anything - her passport and IEP do say "I do not always ask for help when I need it". My complaint letter suggests: 1) appealing to the exam board for consideration of a remark based on the full information 2) allowing her to resit English for a full year at their cost for course and exam fees 3) allowing her to resit Unit 3 of the Maths exam. Their answer is: 1) they cannot appeal as the exam board have placed her in a band and it will not be moved 2) yes she can resit English but needs to drop her AS subjects 3) she cannot resit just Unit 3 maths she needs to take the whole year again and resit all three units again.
I do not know if option 3 is a school thing or an exam board thing. Does anyone know if there is anything I can do? I can't appeal to the exam board as an individual the head of the exam centre has to but as they are the ones at fault I can't see them admitting to this. My next step I assume is LA? Can anyone give me any advice? My daughter is so lacking in self esteem that she has now dropped out of the sixth form and is signing on at Adult Ed.

Hi jordintay, I know your Dd is older but I think you might get some advice on the special needs children board, there are some really knowledgable people over there who will know where you need to go to get advice about this awful situation.

Everyone over there is really nice and we all support each other

The school is right about the regrade. BUT and this is a big but they have discriminated against her because of her disability.

The very minimum they need to do is allow resits with the adaptations and they should also be writing a big cheque to her.

She is probably better off at college / FE / Adult Ed. If possible she should do a three year VI form, start taking AS courses but with maths and English along side.

I'm dysslexic and use a blue background and it makes such a difference.

Another option is to go for November resits, this may be with a different exam board, edexcel do resits in November for maths and English.

I'm quite bolshy, I'd write to the school, tell them they have acted illegaly and what you want to put this right.

Things I would ask for

Them to pay a private tutor for each subject.
Them to pay for entering her for resits, either at the school or elsewhere.
The cost of keeping her for a year (if she does 3 years), and a payment for hurt etc.

Do you have legal cover on your house insurance?