• Replies 4 replies
  • Subscribers 68 subscribers
  • Views 137 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Exam disruption impacts my son, and school declines my request for Special consideration - anyone got experience of this??

KIDS3

I would be interested to know others views and experiences - inc teachers of course!! of the correctness of an invigilator speaking to a pupil in an exam, scribbling over their 'quote dumping' at the start of an English exam, when they handed their paper in at the end of the exam, telling them they are 'in breach of health & safety regulations' if they change their chair, telling them prior to the exam, in the corridor, that their computer reader was not working today, telling them off for ignoring their instruction [to change their chair] during the exam.

These all happened to my ASD OCD 16 year old son every day in the first week of his GCSE's. I have applied to the school for special consideration, as he was severely impacted by them, and overwhelmed with anxiety to such a degree that he could not think/write, let alone perform his best. He ended the week in tears, and only told me these things had happened at some point every day, on Friday that week.

The school is refusing the grant him Special consideration, saying that the disruptions were minor. I have quoted back to them JCQ regulations that state

that in such instances his disability should made minor disruptions major for him, but they are still saying no.

Has anyone won a similar battle please? If so, how?  Any advice and suggestions would be appreciated please! many thanks :-)

Parents

  • Hi KIDS3 - I'm an invigilator (inv), a parent of a child currently undergoing testing for ASD/ADHD & was invigilating a GCSE this morning! In answer to several of your questions:

    1) the inv should not be writing on a students exam paper

    2) the inv should not be talking to the student once the exam has started unless the student has indicated they have a question, the exam has ended & the inv needs to tell them or there is an 'extraordinary situ' such as a fire drill 

    3) if your child is expecting a computer reader & one has previously been provided by the school, then your child could reasonably expect that subsequent exams would also have a computer reader provided

    4) it is not usual to change seats/desks at the start of an exam (or once it has started), but we have done it where I work.  Sometimes you need to change a chair/desk if it has malfunctioned or a child could be overly anxious / feeling sick / not well & ask to sit by the door.  If it is the latter, then we make a note on an Incident Form to say that there has been a change, the child's name & the reason.  This may not happen in other schools (for local reasons), but I do not believe that there is a JCQ regulation that does not permit the changing of seats

    On a personal note, the school should not be 'down playing' your son's disruptions as minor.  Whilst they may appear minor to other students and/or teachers, they are not minor to your son and have clearly caused him distress.  I would request a meeting / phone call with his Head of Year and/or SEN Co-Ordinator ASAP as there are still a few GCSEs to go & you want your son to have the least anxious exam experience that he can.  Good luck 

  • in reply to Janeob

    Thanks for your reply  it is really helpful and detailed. I will certainly add it to the evidenced argument I will present to the head, especially as you state ways that similar incidents are dealt with at your own centre. Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed response for me, I do appreciate it.

Reply
  • in reply to Janeob

    Thanks for your reply  it is really helpful and detailed. I will certainly add it to the evidenced argument I will present to the head, especially as you state ways that similar incidents are dealt with at your own centre. Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed response for me, I do appreciate it.

Children
No Data