Do you think extra time in exams is fair?

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username2199397

I have an illness that affects my memory, speech, understanding and cognitive abilites. I don't need extr time on my exams anyway cuz i finish it in the actual time. :P
But I think if people did have extra time for serious circumstances, then its fair.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 21

username2224711

Original post by Tinka99

Curious about your thoughts.

It's necessary for certain people. I need extra time in exams because of my IBD. I don't use it if I haven't left the exam hall during the exam. But if I did leave the exam hall, then I only add on the time that I left for at the end

Reply 22

username2387497

I wish i got extra time. My grades would be way higher! My OCD was starting to get bad then and i was really confused by it at the time. Got really distracted in the exams because of it. My school didnt beleive OCD was a mental illness so i didnt bother telling them as nothing wouldve happened.
Its fair for people who have disabilities but people who come in late defo shouldnt get it. There were people in my GCSE's who came in with 5 minutes left and they werent allowed any extra time.
If i wouldve asked for extra time i wouldve been shouted at and they probably wouldve punished me in some way. My school was total ****! Only had a 32% success rate in my year.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 23

Asolare

Yes, if someone has a disability or is incredibly slow at writing they should be allowed extra time.

How would you like it if I shoved you in an exam room and said you'd have to do an exam that normally takes 1 hour in 45 minutes instead. You wouldn't.

Reply 24

richpanda

Original post by Tinka99

I have ADHD and Autism also have a slow writing speed.

so..? are you going to be able to ask for more time later in life? If you were working to crack a code or hand in a project that needed to be done urgently, you can't just get extra time

Reply 25

♥Samantha♥

I think there shouldn't be extra time after secondary school. Like why give extra time in university that's not teaching you to deal with real life. Like if your going to be say a doctor, if you have a dying patient who needs surgery you can't just go "soz I'm dyslexic give me 25% extra time to think this through".

Also at my old school they would literally diagnose anyone with dyslexia because they got extra funding for every pupil with SEN. It was so annoying like some people obviously don't need it but get it anyway. In-school counsellors shouldn't diagnose kids there's a conflict of interest there.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 26

Tinka99

Original post by richpanda

so..? are you going to be able to ask for more time later in life? If you were working to crack a code or hand in a project that needed to be done urgently, you can't just get extra time

Without that extra time I would never be able to get 10 A*-C grades in my mocks and my likely fail the real thing. In employment, reasonable adjustments can be made according to the equality act 2010. I can't write fast and it's not my fault.

Reply 27

uptownpunkk

I got extra time for my AS Level exams last summer. I'm not mentally disabled, but I had received a cancer diagnosis only a couple of weeks before exams were about to start and had to start treatment immediately. The majority of my exams were just one or two days after I had a chemotherapy cycle and trust me when I say the chemo knocks you for six. Not only were my thought processes slower because the chemotherapy was making me way more tired them usual, but a recent cancer diagnosis can really make it hard to focus. I was given extra time, rest breaks, and 20% special consideration... I was also unable to take two exams because of complications with treatment and for those the exam board had to look at my coursework and the grades the exams I did take and give me a predicted grade for that paper.

People can say what they want about whether they think it was fair I got these concessions or not. The exam boards approved the applications made by my college, so if they thought I was entitled to it, then I was entitled to it.

Reply 28

Compost

Original post by ravioliyears

It sounds as though you get rest breaks, which is fine. This is not a reason for extra time.

Reply 29

The_Dragon_

Extra time should be awarded for those who genuinely need the extra time due to real disabilities. However, I am dubious about some people whose paretns pay £100's to have a dyslexia test for their kid who has no issues learning at school. I feel this undermines the concept of extra time.

Reply 30

richpanda

Original post by Tinka99

*quickly

Life's not all about grades too

Reply 31

username2224711

Original post by Compost

It sounds as though you get rest breaks, which is fine. This is not a reason for extra time.

The extra time is used to make up for the time I would spend outside the exam hall.

Reply 32

Tinka99

Original post by Inexorably

I agree with that and don't understand why people are so hostile. I have had other kids making comments like "let's all get diagnosed with a disability and ask for extra time". I think it's due to the fact that I am very strong academically so people just don't understand why I could need extra time. I have a disability and slow writing speed and the extra time is the only reason I have the grades I have.

Reply 33

mgill17

I think it depends on the reason.
I imagine there's plenty of people who would just 'milk the system' for some extra time.

I know people who get it if they're dyslexic which I agree with because their ability in a certain subject could be the same as or better than someone who doesn't have dyslexia, but they're hindered by their reading ability.

I was offered extra time (via a doctor's note) for a health condition which I feel I didn't need extra time for, so I declined. This makes me think that there are plenty of people who will get this extra time offered to them and just take it regardless of whether they actually need it.

Reply 34

Tinka99

Original post by richpanda

*quickly

Life's not all about grades too

When you're living on employment benefits you can say that.

Reply 35

richpanda

Original post by Tinka99

When you're living on employment benefits you can say that.

I got 6A*s...

Reply 36

Tinka99

Original post by richpanda

I got 6A*s...

Congrats on your 6A*s. I agree everybodys priorities don't revolve around money but also things like family and love, but to live a good life you do need money. To earn enough money you need a good job and for that you need grades. Money not being everything and all that sounds quite good but when you face the harsh realities of adult life it won't be that pleasant.
.

Reply 37

Compost

Original post by ravioliyears

The extra time is used to make up for the time I would spend outside the exam hall.

I understand that but that's what rest breaks are for. Rest breaks only give you back the time you have missed, extra time allows you more time and you do not have a valid reason for it.

Reply 38

username2224711

Original post by Compost

I understand that but that's what rest breaks are for. Rest breaks only give you back the time you have missed, extra time allows you more time and you do not have a valid reason for it.