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Extra time in exams is a challenge to the system | Letters

Readers respond to an article about the increasing number of children who are given special ‘access arrangements’ for examsSally Weale’s article on the increased use of “access arrangements” for children who would otherwise be at a disadvantage in exams gave a reasonable account of the logistical demands that this places on schools and colleges (Extra exam time: why do so many schoolkids suddenly need it?, 23 April). As an assessor for such arrangements in a large further education college, I am aware that the year-on-year increase in them was established long before Covid, suggesting another possible mechanism for the trend beyond the likely culprits outlined by Weale.To sit still, concentrate at length, recall and regurgitate knowledge, generate creative ideas, endure fatigue, write legibly, spell accurately and process large amounts of text accurately and at speed, during a strictly timed examinations season, still seems to be regarded as the gold standard for children’s assessment. This is despite there being no meaningful correlation to any real-world application (that I can think of). Continue reading...

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