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I need to rant re ds's exam

10 replies

amber32002 · 08/05/2009 14:44

Arrghhh!

Ds, as people may know, is 16 (yes, a little old for mn, but hey ho), and has dyslexia of the sort where he's only just learned the alphabet, plus ASD. He has to use technology to get round some of the problems and has specialist help.

He's just done his art GCSE exam.

The teacher in the school-which-shall-not-be-named who was supervising this was supposed at one point to give DS the materials he needed from the locked cabinet outside.

Instead, he disappeared off, leaving DS with nothing to do in the Art exam for a solid hour. DS was totally stressed out, didn't know what to do about it, finally had to leave his place and go find the wretched teacher, and now he doesn't know if this means he's missed out a whole hour of his art exam and won't be able to resit it.

He was supposed to be doing an after-school activity, but ended up having a complete meltdown about playing in the match and had to hand over to someone else, then came home and was in a heck of a state last night.

Now I don't know what to do about it. Am waiting for school to announce what their cunning plan is but I'm worried. Haven't had the brainpower left to think who might know, either.

We have another month of exams to go. I don't know how we're going to get through it, to be honest.

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TotalChaos · 08/05/2009 14:48

oh no that's completely unacceptable. I suppose the alternatives would be to push for either a supervised re-doing of the exam (I imagine in the circumstances your boy may not feel up to it) or for a grading based on the other coursework he will have submitted. you could also if you felt up to it contact the exam board directly and ask what the best procedure would be in this situation?

Widemouthfrog · 08/05/2009 14:51

What a load of crap! Where the hell did the teacher go? Surely the stress will have affected your DS's ability to work at his best too!

Not sure what you can do. Maybe you need to ask the school for an explanation of what happened, and how they are going to deal with it.

sc13 · 08/05/2009 14:52

I don't know about secondary school, but this looks like extenuating circumstances to me (leaving aside the teacher's responsibility for not doing what he was supposed to do). Which at uni would probably mean perhaps not a new chance at the exam, but taking the circs into account when grading. The school must have a policy on what happens when the student feels ill at the exam, which this may be brought under (even if completely different IYSWIM).
Is this the type of circumstance when you may want an advocate to give you a hand perhaps?

amber32002 · 08/05/2009 15:00

Probably, yes, but mine is still only working very part time after her little son died so I daren't ask her to try to do any work today. Think I'll have to risk it...

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HelensMelons · 08/05/2009 15:59

I hope you get this sorted out Amber, it sounds extremely unfair and stressful.

HelensMelons · 08/05/2009 16:02

Amber, unfair to DS and stressful for you both.

Sorry, I think, that sounded a bit schoolmarmish!

Sorry, I have 'lost the plot' today. I'm going to get another cup of tea. I shall make you one too Amber.

x

amber32002 · 08/05/2009 16:14

Oh I like straightforward posts - I understand those ones

Best go to school...will let you know how I do

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troutpout · 08/05/2009 18:30

Teacher should not be leaving the exam room ...children are not supposed to be unsupervised during exam (I used to be a secondary art teacher)
Frankly i should imagine they will bend over backwards to make sure that your son gets the extra hour as (ahem) i don't think they have a leg to stand on really.

WetAugust · 08/05/2009 20:36

You need to complain in writing to the school asking them how they intend to remedy the fact that he's effectively lost an hour of his exam opportubnity through their negligence. you can also demand that the school notfies the Examing Board and requests 'special consideration'for him which may compensate him for the fact his exam was marred by extraordinary circumstances.

I did this for son when the idiots teachers gave him the exam paper for the wrong examing board!!!!

My son used to get a room on his own, one-to-one invigilation and 25% extra time throughout his GCSEs. Perhaps these are concessions that school could provide?

amber32002 · 09/05/2009 06:12

Well, they say they'll give him the extra time, which is good (er, if they do, of course). DS gets the extra time and he gets the use of technology to help him, but he hasn't needed his own room or one to one invigilation so far. Just the right materials to work with would be good

Thank you everyone for your support with this

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