Important Information re: Witsun Holiday, Volcanic Ash and Exams

Dear Parents and Students,

We have received the following information from JCQ, which may affect your daughter's/son's examination prospects if you are intending to take a family holiday abroad over the half-term holiday. 

"... a candidate who is stranded overseas having just completed their examinations prior to the Whitsun half-term break, with another possible set of examinations the following week would not be eligible for special consideration.  The official line ... is that any candidate who misses an examination must meet the published criteria for Special Consideration as indicated in the JCQ publication, Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration.  Candidates will not be eligible for special consideration if the reason for missing an examination is given as taking a holiday at the time of the assessment."  

"Candidates should not be taking holidays at the time of the assessment, i.e. a week which is sandwiched between Week 2 of the common timetable and Week 3.  Therefore, if a candidate has gone away on holiday in a week between two sets of examinations and becomes stranded, then special consideration will not necessarily be granted as an awarding body will most probably regard this as personal arrangements at the time of the assessment. "

You may wish to err on the side of caution. Our advice would be that if any parents/carers are hoping to take their children abroad and if they are unfortunately unable to return in time for examinations (starting on 7 June), because of the volcanic ash cloud, they are unlikely to be eligible for special consideration. 

Marian Curran, Director, North Bristol Post 16 Centre