Extra time in exams

Original post by Kallisto

Hard to say. When I have requested for extra time in final examinations, I did that a half year before the first final examination started. Next wednesday, right? maybe it is not too late to request for extra time. Just give it a try.

Thanks! Yeah, I guess I'll give in the letter and see what they say - just frustrating that its been a problem for the last three years, I repeated year 12 because of it and I'm only being told now :/ but there's no harm from trying I suppose!

Reply 3

libidothief

6

I've pretty much failed all of my exams. I've gone to the GP about anxiety issues, walked out of multiple exams because of panic attacks due to the exam conditions, had my mum write a note and the school not caring even though they've witnessed my panic attacks in the exams.

I regret not getting a ****ing doctor's note.

Reply 4

08graya

OP

Original post by libidothief

I've pretty much failed all of my exams. I've gone to the GP about anxiety issues, walked out of multiple exams because of panic attacks due to the exam conditions, had my mum write a note and the school not caring even though they've witnessed my panic attacks in the exams.

I regret not getting a ****ing doctor's note.

Sorry to hear this :frown:

It's the most stupid thing ever! Someone I know went to the exams officer and said she needed extra time because she writes slowly, wrote super slowly in the test and got 25% extra time yet people who actually need it don't get it! I wish that GPs would tell you what you are entitled to!!

Reply 5

libidothief

6

Original post by 08graya

Sorry to hear this :frown:

It's the most stupid thing ever! Someone I know went to the exams officer and said she needed extra time because she writes slowly, wrote super slowly in the test and got 25% extra time yet people who actually need it don't get it! I wish that GPs would tell you what you are entitled to!!

It's ridiculous.. It's possible to write faster with practice, but not to change a chemical brain imbalance causing extreme stress.

Reply 6

Midgeymoo17

Original post by 08graya

Thanks! Yeah, I guess I'll give in the letter and see what they say - just frustrating that its been a problem for the last three years, I repeated year 12 because of it and I'm only being told now :/ but there's no harm from trying I suppose!

It is very likely that it will be too late to obtain extra time in the sense of extra working time as the decline was Feburary . However there is things your school can do with out exam board permission and as such is not too late. These may well also be more helpful to you and include:

Stop the Clock rest breaks (this means the time stops you take a break and when your ready to start again you start again with out a time penalty)
Illustrating how it works you have a 1hr 30 exam starting at 9 o clock at 9:40 your parking so you ask the invigilation to stop the clock. By 9:50 you have calmed down and restart working. Now your end time would be 10:40 not 10:30). Hence you have had no extra time but a break to calm down with no time penalty. In these you can leave the exam room.

Examination in a separate or smaller venue. Again your school can instigate this at their own accord so can be done now where extra time can not.

As I say- I have bad anxiety and I can say these are far more useful for it than actual extra time (I get this for severe learning difficulties) as for the anxiety alone one I am panicking it just gets worse whilst carrying on the paper.

Reply 7

Midgeymoo17

Original post by libidothief

It's ridiculous.. It's possible to write faster with practice, but not to change a chemical brain imbalance causing extreme stress.

FYI it is not always possible to write faster with practice. I do not recieve extra time for my writing speed but am very close. I write 13 wpm and one has to write slower than 12wpm. But I can assure no amount of practice is going to get rid of the missing joints in my hands and make that writing speed any faster. I suggest you read my previous post about what other support can be put in place to help with anxiety.

Reply 8

blackdiamond97

Original post by Midgeymoo17

It is very likely that it will be too late to obtain extra time in the sense of extra working time as the decline was Feburary . However there is things your school can do with out exam board permission and as such is not too late. These may well also be more helpful to you and include:

Stop the Clock rest breaks (this means the time stops you take a break and when your ready to start again you start again with out a time penalty)
Illustrating how it works you have a 1hr 30 exam starting at 9 o clock at 9:40 your parking so you ask the invigilation to stop the clock. By 9:50 you have calmed down and restart working. Now your end time would be 10:40 not 10:30). Hence you have had no extra time but a break to calm down with no time penalty. In these you can leave the exam room.

Examination in a separate or smaller venue. Again your school can instigate this at their own accord so can be done now where extra time can not.

As I say- I have bad anxiety and I can say these are far more useful for it than actual extra time (I get this for severe learning difficulties) as for the anxiety alone one I am panicking it just gets worse whilst carrying on the paper.

Hey, I'm getting rest breaks during my exams for the first time this year, is there a specific time where the clock is stopped or can we choose what time to stop it?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 9

Midgeymoo17

Original post by blackdiamond97

Hey, I'm getting rest breaks during my exams for the first time this year, is there a specific time where the clock is stopped or can we choose what time to stop it?

Posted from TSR Mobile

We and choose the time it stops. And at A level and GCSE you can decide how long stop for. However I know at Uni the Universities will often cap at 15 minutes per hour, but that is still quite a lot. (personally that is about what I take)

Reply 10

username1357713

Original post by 08graya

Hey

My GP has written me a letter to give to school requesting that I get extra time in my exams and sit them in a small room - I have severe exam anxiety (that in my mocks prevented me from even looking at the question papers) as well as other mental health issues that have affected me throughout the year. However, she has only given me the letter today and my first exam is on Wednesday!!!! Does anyone know how long it usually takes to hear back from exam boards about extra time? Especially as I am on half term so won't get a chance to discuss with my teacher until Monday!

Thanks!

The deadline was over a month ago (start of April for AQA so similar for most other boards) so you probably wont be able to get extra time, although you can still get it for future years. If you talk to your school you might be able to get special considerations though, which is usually a few percent extra marks. As long as you talk to your school as soon as possible you should be able to get something.

Reply 11

Compost

Original post by blackdiamond97

Hey, I'm getting rest breaks during my exams for the first time this year, is there a specific time where the clock is stopped or can we choose what time to stop it?

You can only have rest breaks for GCSE and A level if it is your normal way of working in school (or for a temporary issue- e.g. broken hand) and your SENCo should have told you how long a rest break you are allowed to have (e.g. up to 5 minutes,)

Reply 12

Compost

Original post by 08graya

My GP has written me a letter to give to school requesting that I get extra time in my exams and sit them in a small room - I have severe exam anxiety (that in my mocks prevented me from even looking at the question papers) as well as other mental health issues that have affected me throughout the year. However, she has only given me the letter today and my first exam is on Wednesday!!!! Does anyone know how long it usually takes to hear back from exam boards about extra time? Especially as I am on half term so won't get a chance to discuss with my teacher until Monday!

Contact your school asap. I do not think that this will qualify for extra time according to the rules but they should be able to arrange rest breaks for you and may be able to put you in a smaller room.

Reply 13

Compost

Original post by 08graya

I wish that GPs would tell you what you are entitled to!!

GPs generally have no idea how the regulations for access arrangements in exams work and often suggest things that are not allowed by the regulations.

Reply 14

libidothief

6

Original post by Midgeymoo17

FYI it is not always possible to write faster with practice. I do not recieve extra time for my writing speed but am very close. I write 13 wpm and one has to write slower than 12wpm. But I can assure no amount of practice is going to get rid of the missing joints in my hands and make that writing speed any faster. I suggest you read my previous post about what other support can be put in place to help with anxiety.

Sorry, you have a good reason. I'm on about the people who just write slowly without any actual joint problems. Also anxiety can be a chemical imbalance in the brain - unstoppable.

Reply 15

Blueee29

2

Wooo i get extra time, but coz im dyslexic and it takes me like, half the exam to figure out how to actually spell the word... good luck!

Reply 16

username986184

3

Original post by 08graya

Hey

My GP has written me a letter to give to school requesting that I get extra time in my exams and sit them in a small room - I have severe exam anxiety (that in my mocks prevented me from even looking at the question papers) as well as other mental health issues that have affected me throughout the year. However, she has only given me the letter today and my first exam is on Wednesday!!!! Does anyone know how long it usually taekes to hear back from exam boards about extra time? Especially as I am on half term so won't get a chance to discuss with my teacher until Monday!

Thanks!

There is no chance of you getting 25% at this late stage. Speak to your SENCO for future exam provision that will be subject to monitoring.

Reply 17

doodle_333

OP - your school can grant access arrangements at short notice due to new circumstances (e.g. you broke your arm) but I don't think they can do that for ongoing problems as those access arrangements should be your normal way of working and obviously your normal way of working would have been identified by now

Original post by 08graya

Sorry to hear this :frown:

It's the most stupid thing ever! Someone I know went to the exams officer and said she needed extra time because she writes slowly, wrote super slowly in the test and got 25% extra time yet people who actually need it don't get it! I wish that GPs would tell you what you are entitled to!!

your GP is not the one who sorts out exam entitlement, it's your school SenCo, your school should be identifying students who need extra provision - hence why your friend got it, she was identified to the school as needing it

and by the way writing extremely slowly is a genuine reason for extra time, think of it this way, your friend could know every answer for a paper and only be able to write down 50% of them, she's then at a massive disadvantage... and as far as normal ways of working, teachers will have to give her more time to complete the same work as others

Original post by libidothief

It's ridiculous.. It's possible to write faster with practice, but not to change a chemical brain imbalance causing extreme stress.

it's possible to learn to deal with extreme stress/anxiety... both are legitimate concerns so don't downplay other people's issues, you wouldn't like it if other people refused to acknowledge your troubles

Original post by blackdiamond97

Hey, I'm getting rest breaks during my exams for the first time this year, is there a specific time where the clock is stopped or can we choose what time to stop it?

Posted from TSR Mobile

you ask the invigilator for a rest break, you turn your paper over/leave the room (if you have support provision to do so) and then when you want to start again whatever time you took is added on at the end of the exam so you still get your full time

Reply 18

Blackstarr

20

Original post by CheetahCurtis

The deadline was over a month ago (start of April for AQA so similar for most other boards) so you probably wont be able to get extra time, although you can still get it for future years. If you talk to your school you might be able to get special considerations though, which is usually a few percent extra marks. As long as you talk to your school as soon as possible you should be able to get something.

So your school cant offer you extra time without the exam board knowing.?

I think its unfair for the op.

The school should still give her/ him extr time even if the exam board is unaware?

Reply 19

username1357713