How much does it cost to re-mark GCSE papers

Rosie75

Kittykate is right - I too went to a grammar school and every year a number of students were barred from sitting exams for a particular subject so that the school could maintain its 100% A-C passes. What kind of measures were taken by the school to compensate for your son's dyspraxia? At my uni we give extra time in assessments, students are given laptops and they are allowed to record seminars / lectures. Also tutors will sometimes provide written notes for students to use if they have problems notetaking and will post resources on the web. If the school has not taken similar measures you would be well within your rights to make a complaint, and certainly to appeal their decision. It might be a grammar school but they still have a responsibility to adhere to the principles of equal opportunity. I would imagine that you will not have a problem with admission to university as long as his situation is made clear - some of the best students I've taught have been dyslexic or dyspraxic - it's the grammar school grade snobbery, as kate says, that is the problem.

chatta

Rosie75 wrote:

Kittykate is right - I too went to a grammar school and every year a number of students were barred from sitting exams for a particular subject so that the school could maintain its 100% A-C passes. What kind of measures were taken by the school to compensate for your son's dyspraxia? At my uni we give extra time in assessments, students are given laptops and they are allowed to record seminars / lectures. Also tutors will sometimes provide written notes for students to use if they have problems notetaking and will post resources on the web. If the school has not taken similar measures you would be well within your rights to make a complaint, and certainly to appeal their decision. It might be a grammar school but they still have a responsibility to adhere to the principles of equal opportunity. I would imagine that you will not have a problem with admission to university as long as his situation is made clear - some of the best students I've taught have been dyslexic or dyspraxic - it's the grammar school grade snobbery, as kate says, that is the problem.

The school provided all the extras ie, more time and laptops after he was assessed, but it was only picked up last year.
I feel that had this been recognised earlier a lot more could have been done.
The times I sat in parents evening trying to explain that he just wasn't stupid but appeared to be unorganised with himself. I blamed it on being immature for his year as he was an August baby, but clearly there was more to it along with that.
So happy for all the support here, it will help me next week.

ruthyjo

Chatta - your son came into my mind today. has he managed to start the new term at his school? I really hope so.

chatta

Well we gave it a lot of thought, I am partly sorry to say no he is back at his school. But happy (I think) he has started at 6th form in another school. He has been 3 days and appears to be enjoying it. I was too worried about forcing the issue in case he was going to struggle. So we will see what happens. Thanks to all who gave me some really good advice, and I will update this soon. If it turns out he doesn't like the new school maybe I will go back to my council and ask them to help. But at least we will have tried.

cupid_s

I went to grammar school and on occasion they did enter some students into their exams independently - but still taught them at the school.

Most people think this is awful but it was only ever done to 2 people that i ever heard of.
Unfortunately my school wasn't given government money it relied on grants. These grants were subject to the school continually doing especially well (and getting 100% all A*-C at GCSE).

If the school had dropped in the league tables the grants would have dried up and one of the best non-fee paying schools in the country would have had to close and 100 students a year would have been denied a better education through going there.

Sometimes getting students to register for exams independently is the lesser of two evils.

chatta

Thanks cupid_stunt, thats interesting schools will independantly have exams marked. I never got this far in talk with his school. He has just come home after third day, and is still ok. I will keep this in mind if it goes horribly wrong at new school they are both run by same council.

silvercar

My son's just come home from school with a list of how far he is off the higher grades in his subjects. In some subjects he is 1% away, in some 3% etc. The school is recommending we pay to have some papers remarked just to see if he will gain higher grades. I now feel torn. On the one hand he is doing the courses he wants, at the school he wants, in the subjects he wants. On the other hand, he worked hard for his exams and has done well, if he is entitled to a higher grade shouldn't he get the award he deserves?

chatta

silvercar wrote:

My son's just come home from school with a list of how far he is off the higher grades in his subjects. In some subjects he is 1% away, in some 3% etc. The school is recommending we pay to have some papers remarked just to see if he will gain higher grades. I now feel torn. On the one hand he is doing the courses he wants, at the school he wants, in the subjects he wants. On the other hand, he worked hard for his exams and has done well, if he is entitled to a higher grade shouldn't he get the award he deserves?

I agree but his marks could go down, and I was told that for this term, having them remarked would take weeks and be too late for him to start 6th form at the school he was at. So near and yet so far, its hard.

lil_me

How awful for the poor kid, I suppose they all have to have their rules but that is so harsh! Well I'll be honest and if my sons school was like that with him I wouldn't want him to go back there. Hope he succeeds in his A Levels wherever he studies