What can I do, who do I talk to?

ValParentChildwithCP
ValParentChildwithCP Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
edited March 2016 in Education and skills
This discussion was created from comments split from: Ask an Educational Psychologist.

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  • ValParentChildwithCP
    ValParentChildwithCP Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    What can I do, who do I talk to? Under the new scheme introduced this year, which removed all course work that contributed to a final exam result. No consideration or adjustments’ has been for the 100’s of children with Cerebral Palsy, with cognitive impairment such as impaired memory putting them at a 100% disadvantage, condemning them to a future without academic qualification. Infact they increase the barriers to disabled people accessing education opportunities in schools and later on in colleges and universities. Condemning them to a life of low salary employment – IF ANY at the age of 16.
    I am seeking a just ‘adjustments’, be made to take into account this disability; for example;
    # Inclusion of course work into the final grade;
    # an open book example; and so on
    Extra time in an exam for an individual, who has difficulties with memory and processing information, is of little use and in no way addresses the imbalance and the discriminatory nature of these exams.
  • EducationalPsychologist
    EducationalPsychologist Online Community Member Posts: 118 Contributor
    Hello Val
    I can understand your frustration and upset. In terms of who to talk to, this is a political issue so I would suggest your MP in the first instance. You could also write to the Join Council for Qualifications (JCQ), though they usually do not correspond with parents. Have you considered an online petition? After a certain number of signatures, petitions have to be discussed in Parliament. You could request an assessment by an educational psychologist for the purpose of making recommendations for exam access arrangements. For memory issues, the most likely adjustment would be extra time, though there is no harm in the school making a request for e.g. open book if evidence suggests it would enable her to more effectively demonstrate her knowledge and skills. The JCQ will consider any application, though an EP assessment cannot guarantee anything.

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