Examinations

Taking examinations can be very stressful if you have dyspraxia. Difficulties with planning, organisation and timekeeping become particularly pressing.

Seeing Your Way Through:

Extra Help With Exams � England and Wales

For those students who have dyspraxia and / or learning disabilities, their difficulties may mean they need extra help and support to be able to take part in exams. This article aims to answer some of the more common questions and give an idea of the timescale involved.

What types of disabilities qualify for help?

The Examining Boards of Great Britain have special examination arrangements that may be needed for candidates with a variety of different disabilities and conditions.

The Joint Forum for GCSE and GCE is very specific about the conditions under which a candidate can get extra help. They state that the type of special exam arrangement is determined according to the assessment needs of the individual candidate. It must not give the candidate an unfair advantage and it should not mislead users of the certificate about what the student has achieved. The special arrangements should not reduce the validity and reliability of the assessment and should not compromise the integrity of the exam. The examining board will consider the candidate�s usual method of working in the classroom when they are making special arrangements. The overall responsibility rests with the Examining Body. 

Candidates are likely to have difficulties in at least one of these areas:

• Reading Accuracy � The child who may be unable to read the exam paper with enough accuracy, so it would affect their ability to understand the questions.

• Reading Speed � If the speed is very slow, the child may lose the understanding of what they have read.

• Spelling � If spelling difficulties slow the child�s work rate and result in a loss of comprehension, which will affect their marks.

• Handwriting Speed � If handwriting speed is very slow, it presents particular problems communicating information. If this problem prevents the child answering questions as clearly and as briefly as possible (where appropriate), they may need extra support.

• Handwriting Legibility � This can be related to writing under time pressure, but this is not always the case. Handwriting problems affect the child�s ability to communicate answers and they may need extra support.

• Other difficulties � Problems such as attention and concentration, co-ordination difficulties and difficulties with organisation may also affect the way a child can perform in an exam.

What sorts of help are available?

There are various different special arrangements that may be considered for a candidate. The most common and appropriate to dyspraxic children are: Time Allowance, Ways Of Presenting Responses and Exemptions.

Time Allowance

Extra time can be allowed in most subjects. The allowance can be up to 25 percent of the total examination time and can be granted by the head teacher. More than this allowance can be given, but only in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the examining board. Supervised breaks or rest periods can be given in or out of the examination room. Usually, the child is supervised during the break. The head teacher can also approve these breaks and the time is not deducted from the exam time. It is possible for a child to have extra time and rest breaks allotted.

Time allowance is generally not given if the examination involves achieving an objective in a limited time or when their condition would not affect the exam.

Ways of presenting responses

It is possible for approval to be given to use a typewriter, word processor or other aid if the child has great difficulty in writing. Spell-checks, thesauri and similar aids are not allowed. 

If the child has a severe speech difficulty, an amanuensis can be approved. This is where they dictate their answers to someone, who then records them. Dictation of responses on to tape is usually not allowed, except in exceptional circumstances

In practical examinations, the use of a practical assistant or helper to ensure the child�s safety, or assist with tasks that are not the focus of the examination, may be approved. The assistant will not do main assessment tasks.

In exams where spelling, punctuation, grammar and quality of language form part of the assessment, all children are assessed under the same criteria. If there is an extreme case for exemption, compensation can be given in an adjusted mark and there will be an indication on the certificate. If there are exceptional circumstances such as a broken arm, permission can be given for an amanuensis and previous examples of written work can be used as evidence. There are no exemptions allowed in an assessment of quality of language and if an amanuensis is used, an indication is placed on the certificate.

Exemptions

If a child cannot complete an assessment objective, a special award can be made by giving compensation for the missing element. Occasionally, there is some mention on the certificate that they were exempt.

How can we get special exam arrangements for our child?
If you feel that your child will need extra help in their exams, it is important that you make an appointment to discuss this with the head teacher as soon as possible. The head of the centre (usually the head teacher) is responsible for organising extra help. He can allocate up to 25% extra time and / or rest breaks, as long as he has seen evidence of the need for this support. 

For all other special help, the head teacher must submit a special form to the examining board. He must provide historical evidence of your child�s needs and an indication of how the school has met those needs. He will need to show that these needs have been present all through the exam course and that the help matches the sort of support the school have already been providing. The application must be supported with information gained from a psychological assessment or equivalent. This is usually done by an Educational Psychologist; however, reports may also be written by holders of the RSA/OCR Diploma for Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties, or by those with one of the qualifications below. This follows the Joint Council's decision last year to accept additional authors to write such reports. A previous assessment can be used, for instance, if the child was statemented and the assessment was completed for that, but the assessment must not be more than two years old. If the information is older, then a Supplementary Psychological Assessment Report must be completed and the results included with the application.

The evidence from the school must be received by the board at least three to four months before the examination. The earlier the application can be made, the better. The examining board will then write back, to the school, with their decision. The application must be made in plenty of time. Unless enough notice is given to the examining board, special arrangements will not be considered. 


Accepted Qualifications for The Provision of Supporting Evidence on behalf of Examination Candidates with Learning Difficulties


Awarding Body Qualification
British Dyslexia Association Diploma in Teaching of those with Special Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)
Canterbury Christ Church University College Postgraduate Advanced Certificate in Specific Learning Difficulties/Dyslexia
Cheltenham & Gloucester College of HE M.Ed Educating Children with Specific Learning Difficulties
College of St Mark and St John (Plymouth) M.Ed (Special Educational Needs)
College of Teachers Associate of the College of Preceptors (SLD)
Dyslexia Institute Post Grad Dip in Dyslexia (or Dyslexia Institute Dip if the Dyslexia Institute Literacy Programme has been completed)
Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre RSA Diploma in SpLD. Holder of AMBDA.
Hornsby International Dyslexia Centre Hornsby Diploma (holder of AMBDA) i.e. QTS (Qualified Teacher Status).
Manchester Metropolitan University Diploma in Teaching Specific Learning DifficultiesPostgraduate Diploma (Specific Learning Difficulties)Diploma in SpLD and Diploma in SpLD (FE/HE)Holder of AMBDA
Middlesex University MA SEN and MA SpLD
The Nottingham Trent University MA (Special Educational Needs) (up to 1998)
OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations) (formerly RSA) Diploma for Teachers of Learners with Specific Learning Difficulties
The Open University Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology
Oxford Dyslexia Foundation Oxford Certificate in SpLD accredited by Middlesex University
Rutgers Graduate School of Education Qualification for preparing reports M.Ed, Ed.D (Reading and Learning Disabilities)
St. Martin's College, Lancaster Post Graduate Diploma/MA in Education (SEN)
Southampton University Post Graduate Diploma (Advanced Teaching in SpLD: Identification, Assessment and Teaching of Individuals) AMBDA
South Bank University (previously accredited by University of Greenwich) The London and Language and Literacy Unit Certificate in Adult Dyslexia Support (Cert ADS) Level 3 and M
South Nottingham College Professional Development Programme with units in Understanding, Supporting and Assessing Specific Learning Difficulties (Note: all must be included)
Suffolk Anglia Polytechnic University Post Graduate Certificate (SpLD)
Teesside University Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching Pupils with SpLD (Dyslexia) within the School Context
University College London Certificate in the Diagnostic Assessment and Management of Literacy Difficulties
University of Birmingham Advanced Certificate in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)
University of Bradford Advanced Diploma in Special Educational Needs - Certificate in Specific Learning Difficulties/Dyslexia
University of Central Lancashire Postgraduate Diploma (SpLD), Postgraduate Certificate (SpLD), University Certificate (Professional Development, SpLD Module SN 4200)
University of Edinburgh PG Cert in SpLD (Dyslexia) Holder of AMBDA
University of Exeter Diploma of Advanced Professional Studies - Dyslexia
University of Kingston Dyslexia Institute Post Graduate Diploma in Dyslexia (Specialist Education)

University of Leicester Certificate in Professional Studies in Education (SENCO qualification or Special Educational Needs)
University of Manchester B.Sc. Hons Psychology
University of Sheffield In-Service Certificate in Social & Educational Studies (Special Learning Difficulties)
University of Surrey Roehampton Certificate in Professional Practice - Children with Literacy Difficulties
University of Wales, Bangor Postgraduate Diploma and MEd Award Diploma/MEd Awards Holder of the AMBDA
University of Wales, Newport MA (SEN-SpLD) Post Graduate Diploma SEN (SpLD) Post Graduate Certificate (SpLD)
University of Wales, Swansea Certificate of the University of Wales in SpLD/Dyslexia Holder of AMBDA (gained 1994-1997)
University of York Dyslexia Institute Post Graduate Diploma in Dyslexia (Specialist Education)


Examining Bodies

Assessment and Qualification Alliance (AEB / SEG)
Stag Hill House, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 5XJ, Tel: 01483 506506 www.aqa.org.uk

Assessment and Qualification Alliance (NEAB)
Devas Street, Manchester, M15 6EX, Tel: 0161 953 1180

Education Excellence Foundation (EDEXCEL)
Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DP, www.edexcel.org.uk
Tel: 0207 393 4444

Joint Forum for GCSE and GCE
1 Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1GG, Tel: 01223 553425

Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment
29 Clarendon Road, Belfast, BT1 3BG, Tel: 01232 261 200

OCR
Syndicate Buildings, 1 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB1 2EU, www.ocr.org.uk
Tel: 01223 553998

Welsh Joint Education Committee 
245 Western Avenue, Cardiff, CF5 2YX, 
Tel 01222 265000 (main switchboard) or Tel: 01222 265150 � 155 (GCSE administration)

Dyspraxia Foundation, 8 West Alley, Hitchin, Herts SG5 1EG
Tel: 01462 454986 (Helpline) Tel: 01462 455016 (Administration) Fax: 01462 455052
Website: www.dyspraxiafoundation.co.uk

� Dyspraxia Foundation