Slow processing and exams. Help!

[tarapinn]

DD is 17yo and in Year 12. At a city college where they is no sense of real community or support, mainly due to lockdown and online learning.

She has got dyslexia and has slow processing speeds. She is also seeing a psychiatrist in a couple of weeks to talk about a possible ADHD diagnosis, emotional dysregulation, coping with stress etc etc - you get the picture.

She had her first Sociology assessment today, a paper that lasted 1hr. Bare in mine she never sat GCSE's this was her first 'exam' in timed conditions.

She is SO stressed. Knows what she wants to write, has great english when given enough time, but just cannot put it altogether under exam conditions.

She has 25% extra time, but what if that is not enough? Why oh why are these dc made to sit exams when their brains literally cannot do them. But given them an essay or something with no time limit, and they can do great.

Is there anything else she can do? She is convinced she is going to get kicked off the course (she's doing 2 A levels because she couldn't cope with 3) and has been told that if they don't pass, they're not allowed to continue. Cue more stress and crying and shouting and feeling fucking awful because she can't do what others find so easy. Ideally she wants to go to Uni to do fashion journalism and has found a course which only needs 96 UCAS points, 3 GCSE's and NO exams. But she may not even be able to get that.

It breaks my heart but I don't know how to help. Anyone else understand?

My DDs also have slow processing.

Did she do y11 mocks? How did she get on in them timewise?

Can she make sure she does a good plan with bullet points of key things, and then she may get marks for things there even if she doesn't finish?

She needs to be strict with time, don't go over on one question because she hasn't finished. It is easier to get half marks on all questions than full marks on half and zero on the others.

I have a feeling (don't quote me on this) that more than 25% extra can be given in exceptional circumstances, you could look to see what JQC has to say, but she would have to be very slow I guess.

Did you ever look at non-A level routes? She could 'restart' and do e.g. a (Extended) Diploma in BTEC in fashion & textiles over 2 years. this would have same UCAS points as (3 or) 2 A levels. They will have some exams, but most of it is coursework. There is college funding for 3 years if needed.

I second looking at a BTEC.

If DD isn't eligible for more than 25% extra time what about using a laptop &/or rest breaks?

Definitely worth asking about rest breaks - the standard for proof for those is much lower than ET. But yes 50% or 100% ET can be given - we had a student in recovery from a brain tumour with 100% ET but one of her exams was then 6 hours with a lunch break!

There's nothing stopping your DD doing timed questions at home regularly to reduce anxiety about them - but assessments can't be a complete free for all. Classrooms need using for other classes and teachers and invigilators need to go home eventually.

She could also look at apprenticeships?