Extra exam time: why do so many schoolkids suddenly need it?
Every year, more pupils are granted special ‘access arrangements’ to give them a fairer chance in GCSEs, A-levels and other exams. But with more than 600,000 arrangements in England alone, can the schools keep up? And are some students gaming the system?‘It’s a logistical nightmare,” sighs associate headteacher Kirstie Moat after taking me through the mind-boggling complexities of the weeks ahead. Her school, Harrogate Grammar, a state secondary school in North Yorkshire, is in the final throes of preparations for exam season and it is a marathon task.This is not about teaching algebra, or Jane Austen, or the periodic table. She’s talking about special “access arrangements” – a range of adaptations for students with additional needs who would otherwise struggle to take exams – for GCSEs, A-levels and other qualifications. Continue reading...
Every year, more pupils are granted special ‘access arrangements’ to give them a fairer chance in GCSEs, A-levels and other exams. But with more than 600,000 arrangements in England alone, can the schools keep up? And are some students gaming the system?
‘It’s a logistical nightmare,” sighs associate headteacher Kirstie Moat after taking me through the mind-boggling complexities of the weeks ahead. Her school, Harrogate Grammar, a state secondary school in North Yorkshire, is in the final throes of preparations for exam season and it is a marathon task.
This is not about teaching algebra, or Jane Austen, or the periodic table. She’s talking about special “access arrangements” – a range of adaptations for students with additional needs who would otherwise struggle to take exams – for GCSEs, A-levels and other qualifications. Continue reading...
