Exam students given extra time

Special arrangements for exams have doubled since 2005

Thousands more pupils are being given more time and extra help to complete A-level and GCSE papers because of physical or emotional difficulties.

Exams watchdog, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, said in 2007 some 92,000 candidates had extra help because of special circumstances.

This was more than double the numbers in 2005.

The QCA said there was no evidence that students were unfairly taking advantage of the such additional help.

The kind of thing we are talking about is candidates having the use of Braille or readers or 25% extra time Isabel Nisbet QCA director of regulation

The exam watchdog's director of regulation and standards, Isabel Nisbet, rejected suggestions parents and candidates were exploiting rules designed to help pupils with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.

She said: "What we are saying is that the number of candidates that have special arrangements that have been approved by doctors, psychologists and teachers has gone up by about 20%.

"The kind of thing we are talking about is candidates having the use of Braille or readers or 25% extra time."

The QCA said it had worked hard to make school exams officers and teachers aware of the rights pupils in certain situations have in examinations.

And increasingly the work of the exams officers was filled by dedicated members of staff, rather than just adding the job to a teachers' workload.

They ensure those with disabilities could make arrangements to assist them in overcoming these in an examination setting.

And they help pupils who have gone through personal ordeals, such as a family bereavement or an illness prior to or during the examination, get the special consideration they are entitled to.

Fair play

In such cases, examiners are asked to give the candidate extra marks to compensate for their difficulties.

In 2007 exam boards dealt with 470,580 requests for arrangements for candidates with particular requirements - including modified question papers and special arrangements.

This was an increase of around 30,000 on the previous year.

But all the increases need to be seen in the context of an increase in the number of A-level and GCSE papers being sat.

The QCA report suggested there had been an increase of 35% in the number of question papers distributed over the same period.

QCA chief Ken Boston said: "The number of candidates with access arrangements has increased significantly this year.

"This may be due to an increasingly professionalised body of exam officers who work hard to ensure that candidates get the access they are entitled to, but we need to monitor the situation closely to ensure that the system remains fair for all learners."