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Special Consideration and Exceptional Circumstances Award

This advice applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For Scotland, see below.

Many candidates diagnosed with ME will be receiving examination concessions which take into account their day-to-day difficulties with their symptoms. Sometimes, however, candidates will experience a flare-up of extra difficulty in addition to their usual symptoms. This may affect their ability, at short notice, to sit examinations, or may negatively affect their performance during a particular examination. Chapter 10 of the regulations for examination concessions Access Arrangements and Special Consideration www.jcq.org.uk sets out the criteria for candidates who may qualify for 'Special Consideration' due to sudden illness. Special Consideration can only be applied for within seven days of the last examination in each subject, once it is clear that extra difficulties occurred just before or during the examination period.

NB Special Consideration is available only for candidates who suffer extra difficulty on the day, either through a flare-up of extra symptoms or a genuine inability to sit the examination on the day. This situation cannot and should not be planned in advance and the Special Consideration provisions should not be used to abuse the examinations system.

Special Consideration is a complicated business and it is important to note that it may not necessarily give the candidate the grade they were expecting.

Special Consideration works in two different ways:
1. Special Consideration where the total assessment is not complete; or
2. Special Consideration for those who have completed the total assessment but have been badly affected during the period just before or during the examination period.

To understand the difference, it is essential to know what is meant by 'the assessment'. The assessment includes any coursework, any practical examination and examination papers in each subject. Each subject will have its own components. Each component has a value or 'weighting' which makes up the whole assessment, eg the coursework may be worth 20%, with two examination papers worth 40% each, creating a whole assessment of 100%. Components for different subjects will have different weighting.

1. Special Consideration where the total assessment is not complete

For GCSE and GNVQ qualifications, if a candidate has completed 35% of the total assessment in a subject but has missed a component, s/he can apply for Special Consideration. So if the candidate has completed the coursework worth, for example, 20%, and attempted one of the two papers worth 40%, but has been so seriously ill they have been unable to attempt the second paper, s/he will have completed over 35% of the total assessment and can apply for Special Consideration. This is applied for by the Examinations Tutor within seven days of the last examination in each subject. A grade is worked out based on the work provided. Subject teachers would be able to inform candidates of the value or weighting of each component.

PLEASE NOTE: Once an examination paper is attempted, it will be regarded as a completed paper even if the candidate does not finish all the questions. This applies to any component.

For AS, A Level and VCE, 50% of the total assessment needs to be achieved. This works in a different way from GCSE. At AS level the candidate must have completed two out of three AS units. At A level, a candidate must have completed a minimum of three units, including at least one A2 unit.

2. Special Consideration for those who have completed the total assessment but have been badly affected by additional difficulties to their day-to-day symptoms just before and/or during the examination period

The regulations allow for extra marks for candidates who have completed their assessment but who have suffered extra difficulties around the time of the examination date. Candidates with ME experiencing their usual day-to-day difficulties and symptoms during the months before an examination will be granted examination concessions to improve their access to the examinations. However, if a candidate with ME has attempted the whole assessment in a subject but has suffered a 'flare-up' of extra symptoms in the days before or during the examination, their Examination Centre can apply for them to receive an extra allowance of 2% on their final mark within seven days. However, to support the application it is necessary to provide a medical letter proving a 'flare-up' of extra symptoms and detailing the extra difficulty on the day.

Exceptional Circumstances Award

GCSE level - if a candidate proves too ill to complete the assessment and does not have the required 35%, s/he can apply for Exceptional Circumstances Award. One component must have been completed; usually it would be the coursework. In addition, appropriate pre-existing evidence of attainment must be available in the components missed. This pre-existing evidence must have been produced under controlled conditions. So, for example, if a mock paper has been taken under supervision and covers the component missed in the examination paper, this can be offered as pre-existing evidence. Based on this evidence, the Examination Board will award an appropriate GCSE grade.

AS and A Level - Exceptional Circumstances Award is not available at this level.

The regulations about Special Consideration say this:
"Special Consideration can only seek to go some way to assist the candidate affected by a potentially wide range of difficulties, emotional and physical, which may affect performance in examinations. Special Consideration cannot remove the difficulty faced by the candidate...Only minor adjustments can be made to the mark awarded because to do more would be to jeopardise the standard."

For Scotland

In Scotland, the system is different. Difficulties with examinations because of illness are dealt with by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). The school has to appeal on behalf of the candidate and each case is judged on an individual basis. A doctor's letter is needed to support the appeal. SQA would take into account the results from NABs and Prelims and a report from the school, after which they may offer an award. Re-sits would depend on the completion of NABs. If NABs have not been taken the whole course would need to be repeated, but, if NABs have been completed, the end exam can be retaken.

For more advice on these appeals, members can contact SQA on 0141 242 2214 or e-mail customer@sqa.org.uk.

Article last edited on Thursday 12th August 2010 Printable Version

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