 |
 |
Hi Jayne Though you’ve probably done so already I’d speak to the invigilators and get their opinion on what happened – it may have been a short discussion or not at all. I trust the invigilators’ accounts unless I’m advised otherwise – they are in a position of trust and we should believe what they say. If they tell you there was no disturbance then go with that. I had a complaint many years ago about noise disturbance that our Quality team did not uphold. The complainant then complained to what was then the LSC but we stuck to our guns. Regards Lorna From: The FE Exams Network mailing list <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Jayne Harris Sent: 19 June 2018 16:06 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: This horrible awful exam series!!!! Lots of clashes here too, lots of spec con apps, lots of ‘anxiety’ and ‘I need a separate room!’ last minute requests – too many need to get a grip and live in the real world who need to realise they won’t be provided with everything they want when they start work in the big bad world. Can I ask your opinions of what you would do if you had received a written complaint about 2 invigilators talking throughout the exam and disturbing the exam? As it is a formal written complaint from a parent, I can’t exactly say that her daughter is ‘exaggerating’ but not sure how to proceed with this. Mum wants me to apply for spec con! Jayne --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jayne Harris NCLT Trust Examinations Manager T: 01977 802821 W: www.nclt.ac.uk<https://www.nclt.ac.uk/> A: Park Lane, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 4QR [https://nclt.ac.uk/emailsignature/signature-nclt.gif] From: The FE Exams Network mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Katie Hill Sent: 18 June 2018 17:42 To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: This horrible awful exam series!!!! Thank you all so much for replying and making us feel less like we're going mad! In answer to Claire, yes we've had loads of clashes Over-lunchers most days with hardly anywhere to put them, especially when our usual little rooms are being used by students with access arrangements for morning exams that don't finish until the PM exams start due to extra time. We run two lots of formal mocks each year to prepare the students but it hasn't seemed to help this time round. I don't know if it's because both students and parents are much more aware of the support (access arrangements) and possible help (special consideration) available, but they are definitely keen to push for any little thing that might help their grade - and I have to say that teachers are no different in that regard. Just like all of you, there have been all the early starts, 12 hour days, packs of crisps passing as a lunch at 3pm and much swearing. We've clocked up loads of lieu time that we'll probably never get back, but it's ok because we can colour up exam papers in every shade of unicorn poo!! I agree with those of you that mention the issue early opening of exam papers. It's a nightmare. Coloured exam papers are our most hated arrangement. Every time the coloured papers are delivered to the exam room a student who doesn't have a coloured paper decides that they want their paper on a colour because they've suddenly decided it's necessary. Every. Single. Time. You can imagine our response. And don't even get me started on how out of touch with the reality of the work the JCQ are. They haven't got a clue. The inspector we had this year didn't look at our key safe, she looked at only 3 of our policies but only looked at a single point on a single page of each. She reminded me of Columbo in her slightly bumbling, ditsy, 'oh and just one last thing' routine as she was absolutely desperate to find us doing something wrong, and she insisted on entering a small exam room that had one anxious student working 1-2-1 with a reader because she wanted "to just be certain" that the students finish time was visible to the student on her desk. It was, just as I had explained to her. Student gave up on the exam about 20 minutes later. For the first time I actually feel some sympathy for the exam boards as they are going to be receiving more special consideration requests than ever before!! For those of you that mentioned having a drink when I get home, unfortunately (and perhaps foolishly!) I don't drink, but I do keep a well stocked drawer of chocolate bars at work . Needless to say I'm having to re-stock regularly at the moment!! Thanks again Katie. Katie Hill Examinations & Assessments Manager Portsmouth College Tel: 023 92667521 ext 307 On 18 June 2018 at 11:11, Katie Hill <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: Hi everyone I'm wondering how you have found this exam series? Between myself and my colleagues in my office we have a ridiculous number of years experience but we have truly found this year to be the most horrendous to date! I think there are numerous reasons for this ranging from (but not limited to).... * longer papers with ever increasing numbers of students with extra time including 50% * we have high numbers of students with complex access arrangements - as I expect most colleges do * shortage of appropriate rooming * students feeling increasingly 'entitled' and also likely to complain (we've had a student who was typing complain that they were distracted by the noise of another student typing!!!!!) Obviously these are issues that we all face each year, but for some reason this year it's gone mad. There seems to have been a real shift this year in the complexity and intensity. We've also noticed a change in attitude from the students (and subsequently the parents). They seem very keen to question/complain about every little thing - which obviously they should if something is wrong - but complaining because someone over the other side of the hall blew their nose or because a student left the room at the end of their exam (it distracted them apparently!) is driving us mad - and don't even get me started on the requests to be seated separately due to anxiety! I'd be keen to hear your experiences of this series, if nothing else it would be nice to know that we aren't alone in thinking that this year has been awful. Kind regards Katie. Katie Hill Examinations & Assessments Manager Portsmouth College Tel: 023 92667521 ext 307 [https://www.portsmouth-college.ac.uk/static/img/email_footers/aoc_beacon_20180102.png] ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the FE-EXAMS-NETWORK list, click the following link: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=FE-EXAMS-NETWORK&A=1 This email has been checked for viruses and spam by the New Collaborative Learning Trust Email Filters. This message is confidential. You should not copy it or disclose its contents to anyone. You may use and apply the information only for the intended purpose. Internet communications are not secure and therefore New Collaborative Learning Trust, does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message. Any views or opinions presented are only those of the author and not those of New Collaborative Learning Trust. If this email has come to you in error please delete it and any attachments. Please note that New Collaborative Learning Trust may intercept incoming and outgoing e-mail communications. New Collaborative Learning Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (company number: 09257194). Registered Address: New College Pontefract, Park Lane, Pontefract, WF8 4QR. Checked by Sophos Mail Filter. ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the FE-EXAMS-NETWORK list, click the following link: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=FE-EXAMS-NETWORK&A=1 ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the FE-EXAMS-NETWORK list, click the following link: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=FE-EXAMS-NETWORK&A=1