Exam Concessions

This guide applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For Scottish examination concessions, members need to contact the Scottish Qualifications Authority on 0141 242 2214 or www.sqa.org.uk for the document ‘Guidance on Special Assessment Arrangements for Candidates with Disabilities and/or Additional Support Needs’

There are many examination concessions available to ill and disabled students and those with learning difficulties but this leaflet will focus on those which are relevant to candidates with ME only.

This advice is relevant for candidates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scottish candidates need to refer to the document ‘Guidance on Special Assessment Arrangements for Candidates with Disabilities and/or Additional Support Needs’ from the Scottish Qualifications Authority on 0141 242 2214 or from http://www.sqa.org.uk.

The school or college where a student is on roll is known as their Examinations Centre. At the Examinations Centre there is an Examinations Officer whose job it is to enter candidates for their examinations and, where appropriate, to arrange exam concessions. The Examinations Officer may be a teacher with this extra responsibility or it may be someone especially appointed for the job.

Providing the Examinations Officer has medical evidence of a candidate diagnosed with ME, he can offer three concessions without referral to the Awarding Bodies (sometimes known as the Examinations Board). These are:

• 25% extra time
• Rest breaks Candidates can take as many rest breaks as needed. This time does not count as part of the exam time or as part of the 25% extra time. Candidates should decide how these rest breaks will be taken and whether a bed needs to be available in the examination room. If the candidate leaves the room, the invigilator would need to accompany them.
• A separate room Sometimes, this concession is offered but means sharing the room with other candidates who have concessions. This makes rest breaks difficult to take. A separate room, in these circumstances, should mean a room for the candidate alone with their own invigilator. Taking the examination in the main hall with all other students means a candidate with extra time will have to tolerate paper collecting and the distraction of other students leaving the hall.

For all other concessions, the Examinations Officer would need to refer to the Awarding Bodies. These concessions could be:

• Taking the exam at home This concession is particularly useful for our members who have difficulties getting to school. Examination conditions would need to be established with a dedicated place, quiet surroundings, a clock, all telephones pulled out and a note on the door asking visitors not to call. For examinations at home, an invigilator would need to bring the paper and stay for the duration, returning the paper to the Examination Centre at the end of the time.
• Using a computer Candidates would need to show a disability to write e.g. through chronic fatigue or muscle weakness and that this is their usual way of recording answers. The spell checker should be disabled and the recycling bin may be examined.
• Using a scribe A scribe writes or word processes the candidate’s answers from dictation. This technique needs practice. Candidates would need to show a disability to write or word process answers and that this is their usual way of recording answers. If a scribe is used, he or she would be in the examination room with the candidate as well as the invigilator. A scribe may not be used if a candidate can use a computer.
• Using a reader Candidates would need to show a disability to read through visual impairment. If a reader is used, he or she would be in the examination room with the candidate as well as the invigilator.
• Coloured paper The examination paper can be photocopied on to a specified, coloured paper.

There is a difference in the roles of the invigilator and the supervisor. The invigilator is the person who delivers the examination papers, monitors the examination and returns the papers to the Examinations Office. The invigilator cannot be a parent, home tutor or interested party. The supervisor is the person who stays with the candidate if the time of the examination is moved either before or after the examination period (see below). Sometimes, Awarding Bodies will agree to supervision by parents.

• Changing the time of an examination Examinations can often be timetabled at a difficult time for students with ME. It is possible to ask for an examination to be delivered either earlier or later. A candidate, whose examination has been moved from e.g. 9.30am to 2.00pm would need to be supervised at home or at school between those times until the invigilator delivers the paper. If an examination is brought forward, the candidate would need to be supervised from after their examination until one hour after the published start time for all other students. This is to ensure no contact takes place between candidates. . Examinations that are moved for ME sufferers are treated as a clash in the timetable would be treated for other candidates.
• Changing the day of an examination This may be difficult as the supervision has to take place overnight. Candidates at boarding school often spend the night in the sanatorium. For day students, it would be worth asking the Awarding Bodies to allow parents to supervise although this is not always granted. If the supervisor cannot sleep in a candidate’s house, the alternative is for the candidate to sleep at a supervisor’s house.

All exam concessions requests need to be supported by a medical letter which, if possible, should name the requested concessions and give reasons.

The aim of exam concessions is to give the candidate an equal opportunity to demonstrate their attainment in the skills being assessed but for whom standard arrangements may present an unnecessary barrier. If students have extra difficulties on the day, a grade by Special Consideration can be applied for. For more information on Special Consideration please see the separate leaflet ‘Special Consideration and Exceptional Circumstances in Public Exams’.

Awarding Bodies would need to be consulted if a candidate is unable to fulfil all coursework requirements or where an extension of time might be required.

Starting early with a personal approach to the Examinations Officer and acquiring a medical letter is the best practice.

Examinations taken in November/December/January have a deadline at the end of October for applying for concessions. February/March/April examinations have a deadline at the end of November and May/June examinations have a deadline of mid- February. The Examinations Officer may never have heard of the candidate and may not know the full range of concessions available. Some Examinations Officers believe that concessions only mean 25% extra time and rest breaks. If this proves to be the case, a spare copy of the publications shown below may come in useful.

Plan for the worst. Examinations can be stressful and young people with ME often feel worse at this time. It is better for the candidate to have concessions in place even if they find they don’t need them on the day.

Whether you are the candidate or the parent of a candidate, deal with this yourself. Leaving it to a third party, such as a teacher, often loses valuable time and can lead to misinformation. It is better to write letters so that all communication is recorded. Keep a record of all telephone conversations or, preferably, record the conversation in a follow-up letter. Keep copies of all correspondence in a file.

Sometimes, Examinations Officers complain that they cannot afford to supply separate invigilators or supervisors. This need be of no concern to parents as the Examinations Officer is ‘duty bound’ to provide these members of staff providing concessions have been agreed by the Examination Boards.

And one personal piece of advice… have a small snack or sweets and a drink in the examination room. It does wonders for the energy levels.

Essential publications:

• ‘Access Arrangements and Special Consideration’
  This document explains the concessions
• ‘Instructions for the Conduct of Examinations’
  This document explains timetable variation.

Article last edited on Thursday 12th August 2010                          Printable Version