Why do so many private school students get extra time in exams?

Are independent schools gaming the system to give a disproportionate advantage to their pupils in exams? That’s one possible inference from a new data release from Ofqual (the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) on access arrangements for school exams. The release sheds light on adjustments designed so that students with disabilities aren’t disadvantaged in assessments. This might include, for example, papers in braille for a blind student or allowing a student with dyslexia to use a word processor.

Giving a pupil 25 per cent extra time to complete an exam is the most common adjustment schools can provide. The reasons commonly provided for the adjustment included English being a second language, physical disabilities that affect writing speed, and mental health issues.

The number of pupils receiving extra time in exams is increasing at a record rate. Almost a third of pupils are now eligible for extra time compared with a fifth just five years ago. But the jump is most prevalent in independent schools where two-in-five students now qualify for extra time.