What happens if a child is ill on the day of their exams?

[PJ67]

Hi. My sone is only 14 but has cyclical vomiting syndrome and can be sick every 2 weeks, always in the morning and lasting 3 to 4 hours. I've started to worry about what will happen when it comes to exam time in 4 th and 5 th year if he is sick. If we tell the school in advance that this is a possibility are they allowed to let him do the exam in the afternoon or does everyone have to sit it at the same time? Anyone have experience of this?
Thanks

your school should have a support network in place for this.. and presumably he's been off with this throughout his school life so they should be aware... however you will need doctors letter/note for the school to send to the exams authority... this is also what prelims and continuous monitoring is for.. the school can ask the exam board to judge missed exams on previous performance... but discuss with the school as different exam boards may have their own criteria...

There is a 'window' to take the exam on the specific day. So its possible he might be able to take it later in the day but this is up to the school concerned.

If he really can't take it that day, you will need a doctor's certificate for the school to pass on to the Exam Board. Talk to the school beforehand about the procedure for this.

In Scotland: All pupils need to sit the exams at the same time. If he is too ill to sit an exam you will need a doctor's line to prove this which the school will submit to the SQA. This will allow the school to submit other evidence of attainment (basically the prelim) and his final grade will be based on this. It is worth mentioning that pupils normally do better in the final exam than in the prelim so if possible he should sit the exam.

As long as he is in quarantine before the exam eg with the school nurse with no access to phone/email then the exam could still be sat a few hours later.

You need to raise this issue with the school in year 10 so they can discuss with the exam board and get a system in place that the exam board is happy with just in case.

Thanks. I will discuss with the school in advance. We are in scotland
Moonface, so it sounds like there would be no option to do the exam later in the same day? I'm not even sure if they will still do prelims with the new national exams and I would rather him sit the exams if possible but if he was sick it usually takes him until at least 11 am to feel better.

If he is doing National 4s they are entirely internally assessed so it won't be an issue - there won't be any exam and he will be able to cover the internal units in school in such a way that will meet his needs. All schools are finding their way with the new Nationals but the one I work in, and those my friends work in have elected to do prelims for those pupils sitting N5 and Higher examinations. Confusingly, this year is the first year of a new appeals system the details of which you can find here.

www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/48186.html

Your son would come under exception circumstances (as long as you get a medical certificate). Chat to the school - they will be generally happy to chat with you and their SQA co-ordinator will be able to contact the SQA directly in order to discuss your son's individual needs if necessary. I have never seen a circumstance in the past where a child has been allowed to sit an exam after the paper has been completed by others and there has therefore been the potential for collusion.