How did you all get through your HSC and Prelims without having a panic attack?

wow... did you research all that for this? thats incredible...

thanks. i'll look into it ️

UK

(In the UK you usually need to check the reasonable adjustments arrangements with individual exam boards per subject (the exam boards issue guidance to exam centres such as schools and colleges).  Different schools / colleges may use different exam boards from one another for the same subject).

AUSTRALIA

While in Australia there isn't a single "Australia exam board," examination boards are state-based, with each state or territory having its own authority responsible for setting its senior secondary certificate exams. 

Examples include the <NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for the HSC, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), and the SACE Board of SA for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), and so forth.

(Below is a worked example for New South Wales).

It is worth being aware that NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) is currently mid-process of moving and improving its website information.

https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/home

"To make the NESA online experience better for you, content is being improved and moved in stages to the NSW Government website.
If you can't find the information you're looking for here, head to nsw.gov.au/NESA. Looking for a NSW syllabus? Use our new navigation tool."

AUSTRALIA - DIVERSITY OF LEARNERS - STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY

https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/about-the-curriculum/diversity-of-learners#students-with-disability

I think the above link should help you to know more about what additional support is reasonable adjustments to expect and request, the phrases that are used in your state etc.

ADJUSTMENTS

https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/diversity-in-learning/special-education/adjustments

SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCES AND SUPPORT

https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/diversity-in-learning/special-education

CONTACT FOR SUPPORT

At the NSW Department of Education

Disability, Learning and Support
Level 11, 105 Phillip Street, Parramatta NSW 2150
Phone: (02) 7814 3879
Email: Disability.Support@det.nsw.edu.au

See information about Disability Support at the NSW Department of Education and 

Public Schools NSW.

Just asked the teacher... it counts for over 30% of my grade...

I know that in my head, but during my first NAPLAN, I got really anxious and had to leave early. When mum came to pick me up, the Principal came out and actually got mum in trouble for me being unable to finish so that one experience has caused me to fear exams and tests because - and I know 100% that this is illogical and won't happen - if I don't do well or I end up having to leave early, then mum will get in trouble and I don't want that... It is a completely irrational fear but one that has stuck with me all these years...

(the Principal's excuse was that since I have already read all the questions, I could just go home and search up the answers and memorise them to answer if I re-did the test... I was 8 with undiagnosed, unmedicated ADHD... I couldn't even remember what the subject was for the test let alone any of the questions!)

But thanks for the vote of confidence, anyway ️

I'm pretty sure I do get extra time... I reckon I'll try that, thanks ️

Ooo, that actually sounds like a great idea... Thanks!

Having mantras helped me a lot during the Abitur. Not the “I-totally-got-this” kind of mantra, but a scheme or sentence or carefully worded fact to repeat in your head or out loud (for me it was/is the cABCDE-scheme of emergency medicine, but it could also be listing species, characters etc. or reciting quotes or lyrics) preferably something to do with a special interest. This mantra has to be practiced and internalised in advance. 
It might not work for everyone, but it might be worth a try.

I’m sorry I can’t give great advice, but I was the same way during exams at school (at university I have no exams but still get overwhelmingly anxious and upset over assignments!). The best things for me were repetition, so doing practice exam papers over and over to the point where hopefully even if I feel horrendous I will still do okay because ‘muscle memory’ will kick in. Trying to focus on just getting through the exam, putting all my attention on the one question I was doing, also sort of helped because it kinda stopped the anxiety overwhelming me all at once. I tried to avoid any talk of exams before the actual thing though, doing stuff like practice papers in my bedroom where I felt safe rather than at school. It could be helpful to talk to a teacher or advisor at school and tell them how you feel so they can maybe provide some support too? If extra time is available then that could help you feel more comfortable in the exam as well.

Your prelims are just an opportunity for you to experience a real exam environment and identify your current level. If you do well, great. If you don't do well, then you'll have some valuable information about where to focus your studies ... also great. So, it's great either way!

You will probably learn a bit more about timing and pacing of exam papers that you knew before. Whether or not a particular brand of pen is comfortable to use for hours at a time or not. Little things like that.

When you walk in to the exam hall and sit down to the exam paper, what's done is done. If you think you are not prepared, then so be it—smile and think, "Oh, well, here goes nothing." Just focus on the paper, do your best to answer the questions, and see how it turns out. Nobody expects you to do anything more than that.

Nothing bad is going to happen. You'll be fine.

Unfortunately there is no such things as self compassion in my brain

Thank you, I shall try them

I really hope not

- breathing exercises,

- focus on your physical environment to calm your mind, and

- practice self-compassion with positive self-talk.

Resources for managing exam anxiety, (including study tips):

https://www.anu.edu.au/students/health-safety-wellbeing/feeling-well/exam-anxiety

https://www.monash.edu/change-of-preference/managing-exam-anxiety-a-step-by-step-guide

https://services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel/resources/study-related-issues/exam-anxiety

Wishing you good luck.

No it's not allowed to have someone explain the questions as that would be seen as unfair advantage. A prompter would just be there to tell you to move on if you were taking a really long time on a question etc. 

There is an issue with the wording of exam questions not always being ASC friendly which is frustrating and can be unfair but I can also see that explaining questions to someone could be very unfair to another person.

Do the prelims count for actual grades?

yr11 is the second last grade of school. Prelims are a preliminary exam to basically prepare us for our HSC but apparently the prelims are harder than the HSC (which i find ridiculous). the support options i get are breaks and extra writing time abd the option for a reader or a writer (someone who sits beside me and reads out the question or writes my answer for me) but i can't deal with it, its bothersome and takes too much time. as far as i'm told, there is no option for someone to sit with me to just explain questions to me that i don't understand which is my main issue...

I'm very intrigued as you say year 11 which sounds like UK but I've never heard of prelims so I have no idea what they are.

It's hard to advice with our knowing the ins and outs of what they are. With GCSEs I know the process. 

If you were sitting GCSEs your school would be able to request access arrangements for you. This can include things like a separate room, a prompter to sit with you, rest breaks etc. I would assume there must be a similar process and adjustments that can be made for prelims but I couldn't tell you the process or what is and isn't allowed.

Toilet breaks are also allowed in GCSEs although heavily discouraged as you have to be accompanied by an invigilator and can't talk to anyone else you see - if you were to feel sick, the same would apply. They would then decide if you were well enough to continue the exam. But again I can't say whether the same applies to prelims.

Is there somebody in your school that is in charge of SEND related things, usually called a SENCO? This is who you likely need to talk to about help in exams.

Other than official support, along with your tapping, I'd think about breathing techniques and grounding techniques. You can Google it to find specifics.