Exam arrangements for DD with autism

[dadoodoodoo]

After a really appalling year last year where DD was incredibly unhappy and school refusing she has just been diagnosed with autism. This year so far has been much better but she is doing her gcses and is worried about working under exam conditions. She says she finds others around her distracting and disturbing (she has been allowed to use earphones and earplugs in school for some time due to sensory issues so there are well documented. She also says in some exams she gets very overwhelmed and anxious , which slows her down. We approached the school about the possibility of her being in a smaller room and assessed for extra time. The problem is the school has been unsupportive as she is bright and does fine - however this doesn’t mean she’s reaching her potential. I realize I should have started this sooner but last year was just so awful it really wasn’t on my radar. Can anyone advise how I should try and push an assessment forward with the school? Also I’m not sure how an assessment for extra time would work for her - unless she’s overwhelmed she doesn’t read or write slowly - her problem is “zoning out” which may well not happen when being assessed.

Read JCQ’s guidance then speak to the SENDO and exams officer. If they fob you off speak to the HT/formally complain. Because DD has ASD she does not need her speed of reading/writing/processing etc. assessing in the same way as those applying for extra time under the learning difficulties criteria because the low standardised scores criteria doesn’t apply and a Form 8 isn’t required.

Thank you - that’s very helpful. I’ll look this up tomorrow morning

Do get on to it soon though, so any arrangements can be in place for the summer exams.

Thanks - have looked at guidelines and don’t seem that clear on autism and how should be assessed?

Look at page 36 of JCQ’s guidance.

Extra time needs to be the candidate’s normal way of working, there needs to be evidence the pupil has persistent and significant difficulties and how these substantially impact on teaching and learning. And there needs to be evidence of the disability. Rest breaks need to have been considered and trialled too.

Thanks for this -really helpful. I’ll get onto it this week.

As an example my DD (also asd) has extra time for all tests - including class tests. She sits them in a separate room as otherwise the others finishing the test will be disruptive to her, so she will often sit in a 6th form class to do her tests - not silent as she doesn't cope well with that, but not as loud and disruptive as her normal class.

She switches pen colour at the end of her 'normal' time so the work she does in her extra time can be monitored and this provides evidence it is necessary.

She also has rest breaks - so if she feels overwhelmed, she can take a break while the clock stops and restart when she has calmed down.

As pp have said, form 8 is often used to apply for extra time and is needed where schools need to prove it is necessary eg slow processing or writing speed. With a diagnosis of asd, application for extra time is via form 9 and requires evidence of diagnosis and to confirm it is a normal way of working. Schools often forget this is an option so worth reminding them!

Would a prompt help with zoning out?

Thanks very much for your thoughts. I think she would find a prompt distracting and off-putting. However, my understanding is that teachers do keep an eye on her and check she is on task. I will try and find out which ones so we can suggest this is her "normal way of working". And certainly she normally uses ear plugs and ear phones to cancel out noise, so this should be fairly easy to demonstrate.

I don't know for certain but I suspect that for exams no plugged in / bluetooth earphones would be allowed, though ear defenders may be.
Of course in an exam there should be no 'noise' but there will be background sounds of course.

@TeenDivided it is sometimes possible to have electronic headphones e.g. playing white noise.

Hi - yes we are assuming no headphones, so asking for a smaller room, but may ask if she can have those. Thanks very much.