chrissiefiddle Report post Posted March 21, 2011 i am a special needs lsa, i have supported my pupils in class and then in their exams. usually in a separate classroom or office, with me and an invigilator looking after the pupil. the management are now saying that the invigilator has to be the prompt as paying for 2 members of staff per student per exam is too much. i think that this is unfair, that the pupil needs the presence of their familiar adult, and someone who knows when to intervene and when to step back in case a meltdown threatens. what do you think?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted March 21, 2011 I think it depends entirely on the child, there would be no 'right' or 'wrong' answer. I'm also nervous about justifying the presence of a support worker in exams by the 'potential for a meltdown', and think having a TA who was perhaps too accommodating in that regard could potentially make the situation worse. Better, perhaps, to have a child working with a known teacher who can fulfil both roles? L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrissiefiddle Report post Posted March 21, 2011 but child's teacher is expressively forbidden by jcq from that role. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted March 21, 2011 but child's teacher is expressively forbidden by jcq from that role. Ah - well there in lies a dilemma... so is the envigilator the teacher then, or an external envigilator? I'm confused, because of the 'two members of staff' thing? if the two members of staff are a member of the teaching staff acting as envigilator and a LSA, what happens in those situations where a child doesn't need an LSA but does need to take an exam separately from others for other reasons? Or do you mean the child's regular classroom teacher can't be the envigilator (but another member of the teaching staff could be)? As I say, I think it would depend on the child, and, come to that, on the LSA, so each case would need to be taken on individual merit. Looked at in the simplest terms, though, they're not paying for 'two members of staff', they are paying for 'one extra' member of staff, and if there is an identified need for that member of staff to be there that need should be met. The catch 22 is, though, that with 1 person acting as envigilator and prompt the child is receiving 1-1 support, so i guess the question is more 'does the child have an identified need for 2-1 support for exams?', which is something that should be identified and planned for long before the exam is taken L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted March 21, 2011 My son has ASD and other learning difficulties, he has a scribe and reader and an extra 25% time for some exams(he takes his gcse,s this summer)....he will have his normal 1:1 LSA with him during any relevant exams.If he had an unknown adult there it would in his case send him into more of a panic (he already bis very anxious in exam situations)...he has in the past walked out of exams and refused to do them.Its a worry as both times he did this it was during a science exam in which he is very able...he just panicked at the last minute.Having his normal LSA there will help him stay relaxed and calm. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
