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Extra Time in GCSE Exams

DancerDancer Community Champion Posts: 7,740 Master Poster
edited March 27 in Work & Study
I have been told that I might be able to get extra time when it comes to my exams (personal reason that I would rather not mention on here) but I feel a bit confused about the process of being able to get the extra time. One of the staff at my school has arranged for me to have an assessment to see if I can get the extra time (she is almost certain that I will be able to get the extra time and that it will really help me) but I am not sure what the assessment process is like. Has anyone else experienced getting extra time in their exams? How much extra time do you normally get and is it just for the actual exams (such as GCSE's) or would it also be for mocks and end of year exams or is it at the discretion of the school and the exam board?
"There's a part of me I can't get back. A little girl grew up too fast. All it took was once. I'll never be the same." ~ Demi Lovato
"The way that I have found the light in my life is through the expressive arts because I know that I will be accepted for the way I am." ~ Me
"I'm going to get strong again and see you soon. " ~ Anonymous 
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • DandelionDandelion Posts: 1,911 Extreme Poster
    Hi I don’t have any personal experience with getting extra time but from what I know, it’s usually 25% of the time of the exam that you get extra. You normally would get it in mocks as well, as for end of year exams I’m not sure as we didn’t do them at our school. From what I’m aware at least at my school you went and had the assessment and from that they determined whether or not you needed extra time. the assessment I think depends on the reason you need the extra time but it could be a test to see how fast you can read/ write or how long it takes you to process information, or other things depending on each person. I think it was a fairly straightforward process. Good luck with everything x
    The steps you take don’t need to be big, they just need to take you in the right direction. 
  • independent_independent_ Community Champion Posts: 8,610 Legendary Poster
    I actually got a lot of extra time, but I don't think I had to have an assessment as such. What the assessment involves, like dandelion said, will likely depend on the reason you get the extra time in the first place. Having extra time really helped me, so I hope you get it and that it helps you too.
    “Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to, it’s not for them.”
  • Past UserPast User Posts: 0 Just got here
    Hey dancer the others are totally right that the assessment depends on why they may think you need extra time. 

    For me it was because teachers couldn’t read my handwriting when I was rushing. They had me write out different things and copying down things in a time limit. There were also these tests  on the computer they had me do but they felt more like games. It took an hour and it was a nice straightforward process, it’s nothing to worry about.
    Good luck dancer , best wishes. Always happy to listen if you ever need anything <3
  • DancerDancer Community Champion Posts: 7,740 Master Poster
    Thank you. I don't know if I will actually get the extra time but the member of staff who suggested that it might be helpful believes that it is almost certain that I will get it. Just really confused about the assessment process as I have not been told about it by anyone at school but I am beginning to understand it now. I was supposed to have the assessment in November 2020 but it got rearranged to after Christmas so it should happen soon.
    "There's a part of me I can't get back. A little girl grew up too fast. All it took was once. I'll never be the same." ~ Demi Lovato
    "The way that I have found the light in my life is through the expressive arts because I know that I will be accepted for the way I am." ~ Me
    "I'm going to get strong again and see you soon. " ~ Anonymous 
  • _Tech_Addict_Girl_Tech_Addict_Girl Posts: 1,489 Wise Owl
    @Dancer Hi ❤️
    I’ve had experiences with extra time with exams Mock exams but for me to get the extra time I had to do a assessment with the teacher I had to read words while on a timer and write down words and then the teacher said I have half hour more time to finish the exam if I need it and in the mock exams a staff member was with me in the exam.
    I don’t know about the actual exams because of COVID so they had to predict the results so I didn’t have the GCSE they had to predict my results 
    I hope this helps ❤️

  • Millie2787Millie2787 Community Champion Posts: 5,143 Part of The Furniture
    edited January 2021
    If it’s for a learning need like mine is they just get you to do a few basic tests such as reading , writing and spelling as they have to show proof that you fall below the specific number to be able to get the extra time :) it’s not anything ever to complicated just some simple things as they have to be able to prove to the JQC (the people who look after all the different exam boards ) that they can justify you needing the extra time :) 

    the most common one your be granted is 25% extra time so for context that’s 15 minutes every hour , 30 minutes every 2 hours and around 22 minutes for hour and half <3
    Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you , for you to begin to believe in yourself.
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